In teaching Accounting and Math classes I like to give in class drills where the students are actually working the problems versus providing them with the way to do the problems and moving on. So, I review the problem, work a problem and then let them work similar problems in groups. I also devised flash cards for the students to review in their out-of-class study time. Sandra
Hi George,
It is amazing what students can teach each other and how easily they can learn from each other. In the IT field doing is a must in order to learn.
Patricia Scales
Hi Clive,
Learning really sticks better when students are able to do the task.
Patricia Scales
I'm an IT instructor. After the lecture, as much as possible, I have the students do "hands-on" exercises, either individually or in small groups. This can range from working on hardware on physical machines, to working with or solving problems with software. This gets the students personally involved and creates an environment in which they often learn from each other.
I ask students to participate because this gives them some "hands on, tactile experience" I find this leads to greater learning and satisfaction for the student.
Hi Cynthia,
I can see why your students were so excited about this assignment. I got excited just from reading it because this is exactly what they will encounter in the real world. Students love it when we make learning applicable to the real world.
Patricia Scales
In my Administration of Early Childhood Programs class, I had been using research based projects for my term projects and the students seemed to be tiring of them, also the lecturing. So, I developed an on-going term project, coming up with a senerio and problems that would be encountered if the students were to open their own day care center. I would lecture for half of the class and they then would apply the information that we discussed to their projects. The project included: finding a facility, renovating, installing a proper kitchen, toileting facilities, rooms for Infant to pre-k, equipment needed for the entire facility, insurances, meeting required codes, employees - advertising, interviewing, highering; establishing competitive prices for parents, salaries for the employees, and advertising for the facility. They were also required to develop a philosophy for the center and one month of menus, and activities. They worked in gorups of three to four and made a presention to the class as their final exam. They were excited about it and worked well with each other. They also contributed to the final evaluation of the people they worked with on the project. It was a great Active Learning activity.
Hi Estella,
Active learning does aid with the process of information, and thus students learn the information.
Patricia Scales
By placing students in teams and having them answer questions they have picked out of hat, having direct relation to the subject, they students become active learners and are more likely to process and learn the information
We use "quiz jeopardy" here also. It is a great way to get students to review the class notes and material prior to going into an exam.
Chris
Hi Geri,
What great variety you use to generate critical and anyalytical thinking. Role playing is real learning at its best. Students know how things will work in the real world when role playing is conducted in class.
Patricia Scales
I teach adult students in an accelerated program. I believe Active Learning is very important and critical for the learning process of what I teach. Although I teach concepts which the students have to learn in a face-paced environment, I also engage the students in asking them how they interpret and remember the concepts and briefs and phrases, and this is shared with the other students in the class. Maybe how one remembers a concept, brief, or phrase is key to a peer learning and remembering that concept, brief, or phrase. So I always ask students to share how they recall a certain things. I also interact with my students by asking them "why" questions, which also brings into play critical thinking, making them recall how to write something. We also role-play in my classroom. This mod, I will be asking students to write down weekly per lesson what strategy they will use to learn the contents of the lesson, and I will be following and guiding them along the way to make sure they are progressing and successful.
Hi Norman,
Pure lecture the entire time can be boring as well as exhausting to the instructor and students alike. Active learning with some lecture is the way to go.
Patricia Scales
While I don't think I've ever used a pure lecture approach, a minimum example could be, before giving a definition I ask the learners to write their own and then discuss some or all of their responses and THEN give the official definition and discuss similarities and differences.
Hi Mary,
Students love it when we involve visuals. Students learn more effectively when they can see it.
Patricia Scales
passing out photos of certain things so the students become more engaged using pics in my power point that really catch the eye, move arround when i speak and engage the students in the lecture/conversation
Hi Steve,
Students love visuals, and learning is more effective when visuals are involved.
Patricia Scales
Hi George,
Students need to be invovled in the lecture so that they know they have to pay attention during the lecture.
Patricia Scales
Food Safety and the Bacteria was pure lecture and boring.
I have the students do FOODBORNE ILLNESS CHARADES
I make sure I do have candy as a reward!
On the board we have written:Symptoms, Foods, and Preventive Measures
The Student points to what he/she is going to act out. The class can use their books to look for the answer.
When another student does answer corretly, I go over the bacteria and review key area.
The student that answers correctly gets to choose the next student to do the charade. We have alot of laughs and retention of the material is dramatic.
When giving a lecture I try to have props that directly relate to the lecture topic.Passing the props around during lecture keeps the students engauged.
