In order to create more time for active learning I assign portions of lecture material as reading homework. This allows for more hands on during class time. We also spend a little time in review of the reading assignment to ensure the students complete the task.
In working with food, demonstrating techniques then haveing students taste the finished product is exciting and fun for them and me!
I have experimented with asking students to look up information to class subject on their smart phones. Cheesey prizes can be given out to the fastest person to complete the project. It makes for a fun q & a session.
Hi Dixie,
Try making each small chunk as its own separate grade to get the overall project completed.
Patricia Scales
I'm not sure I still do anything as pure lecture anymore. But I'd like to make everything more active. One topic, the basic communication model, is still largely draw and talk. I could ask for more student contributions for each aspect. For example, I could get more of their suggestions on things that interrupt their own process of writing between first getting an idea and creating a first draft. They could also probably contribute some lively possibilities for things that could interrupt someone trying to read their message.
I might try giving pairs of students questions about the process to brainstorm privately and then ask for their contributions to the whole class construction of the model.
I like that strategy of having students do a part of a paper, like a preliminary bibliography,to get them moving on a larger project and to get in-process feedback so that the final project is even better. But I'm still having problems with students not doing the small chunks.
Hi Sandra,
I also like to let my students know how important attendance is on the job.
Patricia Scales
Hi Meher,
Students really become interested and excited when we can make learning apply to every day life, the real world.
Patricia Scales
I motivate my students by trying to make the lecture more interesting , giving them every day examples, asking them relevent feedback and answering their questions.
i have found that anything i talk about in modration can be successful if approached the right way. A big one is attendance. We talk about why it is so important for there education and than i use it daily to reward students with added value in demo's that they are allowed to taste. Talk about excited, they are all smiles. They not only learned a new skill, but tasted the end result of it.
Hi Robin,
Case studies really put learning into more of a real world perspective. Students love case studies as they apply to their line of work that they will be doing.
Patricia Scales
When I am teaching a class about a certain body system, I can hand out different case studies that relate to that body system for students to discuss in small groups. Then each group presents their "patient" and case study to the whole class.
Hi Timothy,
I can see how this can be fun. I like how you take control and require your students to draw the heart and not trace it. I see a lot of imagery in your explanation. I am sure your students produce some great looking art.
Patricia Scales
When teaching Cardiology, we take a half hour or 45 minutes for the students to draw the heart and great vessels. They label each part and follow the flow of blood. I don't let them trace or use a blank drawing. There are groans at first, but by the end students are pulling out colored pens and most do a beautiful job. They also enjoy showing their work to each other. Seems to make learing the anatomy and physiology a little more fun.
Hi William,
Visuals of course are great learning tools. Some students need to see it, feel it, and do it in order to gain a better understanding.
Patricia Scales
When speaking on a subject such as electronics,passing around experimental parts that are relavant to the sometimes abstract ideas being presented really seems to help "put flesh on " the theory or subject matter. Having students work in pairs and pausing for the experiment and expected outcome, assures they have missed nothing in your lecture and have solidified the points being disscussed.
Hi Glenda,
To highly encourage class participation students know that participation counts as 5% toward their overall grade.
Patricia Scales
When I lecture on acid base balance, we discuss in details conditions which causes the imbalances of acidosis or alkalosis. There are a lot of questions/answers sessions going on during this lecture.Class participation is encouraged with all of my lectures, be it reading a paragraph or giving me their understanding of covered materials.
Hi Jennifer,
I like how you make the lesson apply to the normal way of living. Students do gain a better understanding when we can make learning apply to something outside of the classroom.
Patricia Scales
Hi Paul,
I love your approach to teaching a concept! You cover all bases. You lecture, show, have the students apply what they have learned, you monitor your students while they are performing providing assistance, and you discuss...how thorough!!!
Patricia Scales
