Get Your Students Hired
I have had several students that I have taken several different approaches with on getting them to listen and to "soak up" the information, yet they still don't want to be proactive in their learning.
Hi Jennifer,
I try to find out what interests they have outside of the classroom. I know that you have to be careful but once I know them better then at down moments or at the first of class I engage a conversation with them. It seems that if they know that I'm interested in what they do they seem to be more interested in what I'm teaching.
I found that physical examples of the content go a long way in getting the students' attention especially when the course is lecture format. If I am introducing a new component and explaining how it works, it really helps for the students to have it in their hands.
Pertaining specifically to "lab" classes where the main tool is "hands on" experiences and several senses are being used to help the student learn and yet. . .Do you want to maybe go back to the text book as a class or sit with the individual student?
Hi Jennifer,
Having a specific project that is not in your text book, but uses the same tools is a great way for the students to get involved in the subject you are teaching.
Having the specific project use different elements mentioned in the text book also gets the students to think of ways to incorporate these tools in their project. Hands on experience always helps students learn how a certain software works, or how it pertains to real life situations in the job market.
Tony Weldon
Hi Jennifer,
Have you tried contracts with the students? Sometimes developing learning contracts with students outlining what they must learn in order to be successful in the course will help them to "catch fire" in learning. In other situations a special project or a counseling session during which time you lay out exactly what the expectations are and that if they don't meet them they will be removed from the course is required.
Gary