In the course introduction on the first day of class I like to give the overall objectives for each credential we will be covering both in written form on the board and also verbally. Presenting the daily objectives at the start of class each day helps get the student excited about what they are going to learn each day. When a student is required to show proficiency in diagnosing an actual problem with a particular system on a vehicle it not only is a great confidence builder but also demonstrates they have completed the objective of understanding that system.
On day 1 of our course I always hand out a blank calender and have the students fill in the next three weeks of their life with what I put on the board-our course outline.I haven't been too fond of the pre-printed outlines..it seems like just another handout stuffed into the folder.Daily I might put up what our activities are ahead of time,but when we go to lab,Not only do I write the stations on the board,but also verbally review each stations activities and objectives;basically what are we doing and WIIFM.
The labs are then followed up with a detailed review,either that day or the next.
Pete Johannsen
Hi Errol! Excellent techniques. I really like the color-coded critical v. non-critical. I'm just wondering, have you ever asked your students to color-code the tasks themselves (critical thinking skill), after an example, and then discuss briefly why they selected what they did?
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge Facilitator
Hi Adam! This is a very good approach because it is organized and keeps the students involved in the process. Diagnosing and "putting back together" also encourage critical thinking skills (analyzing, applying, evaluating, recommending). I have also found that having students create their own questions about a project or assignment is also effective.
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge Facilitator
Thanks, William; the methods you are suggesting help to reach the auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles, particularly if you get students to demonstrate as well. Good job!
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge
What I have done is to give the student a list of what is going to be required of them to pass the course. I give them a couple of minutes to read the requirements & then we will go over how we are going to acheive those requiements. This happens at the beginning of each day. They know that they have completed the requirements properly by either having the correct dianosis for the scenario or they have the project put back together correctly. Another way is to ask them questions as they are going along or at the end of the task to make that they understand what they are doing.
I like to list the courses objectives on the board the fist day, I like to then cover the courses objectives verbally.I like putting each individual days objectives on the board and cover them verbally in detail, I like to use color to separate the critical learnings from the not so critical. I like letting the student know what he or she should learn from each learnings and when we review each learning we determine then and there if we were successful. I like using student self evaluation so they can determine if they mastered the learning as we review the task they have completed.
A few ways that objectives can be communicated to the class are thru verbal means written on the board for the students to see and you can also put them in paper form as a hand out. Another way to get the objective across but takes more effort from the instructor is thru demonstration of different items to show them how you want the objectives accomplished. this would be demonstrating the tasks that the students are going to be dooing to accomplish the course objectives. While demonstrating you are talking about what you are learning while doing the task.
I write the objectives and/or lab requirements on the white board before class. At the beginning of class I explain the procedures and what material is required. I also give the reason that they are performing each lab and what they should be able to do by learning that task. Each lab station has a set required task sheets to be completed at the station. These sheets also have questions related to the subject at that station that each student must complete before going on to the next station. At the end of the day, as a class we review the stations. Students read out their answer to the question from each station and as a class we discuss their answer and add to it if needed.
I have observed that the most effective classroom instructors list the day's activities on the board so that the days' objectives are clear. Students seem to appreciate knowing what the timeline for a given day is. Of course, changes do occur and emulate real life. It gives the students a glimse of the real working world. The ability to adapt is a valued and essential ability. IIn ED102 they make reference to interjective a mock "crisis," that forces the students to think on their feet and meet deadlines. A plan is essential and productive but the ability to adapt is a valued skill in the working world.
I also write the day's agenda on the board, even though they have detailed material given out day 1. The daily to do helps especially if someone enters class late and they can usually see what they missed and where we are without disrupting a classmate. It also keeps me on track.
As the others mentioned objectives can be writen or verbel.I like to write daily objectives or an outline for the day on the board. But this should be reinforcement for a schedual or syllabus that the student has been given early in the course.A well writen objective may also include a bench mark or statment of the level of copedency that should have reached for example, student will preform three scan diagnosis with a 90% accuracy by the last week of the course.
You have the objectives written on the board, you give them verbally to the class, and if desired, pass out a written copy of it.
The students will know the objectives have been met if they pay attention, and you will also recap the information / tasks presented / performed so there is no misunderstanding.
Mr. Nelson,
What a great topic. I, like the others write my on the board, and give verbal explanation of each objective for the day. I attempt to get it done before class starts. This helps the students to decide on how to prepare for the day, if they need to study for a test or a quiz, or have their homework ready ect. I also integrate other points of interest, and greetings. The use of different colors sounds great; I'll have to try that.
The objective out in the open helps to keep me on task also, I can check myself and see if I'm falling behind, or going too fast.
The nice part is at the end of the session; we can review the objectives as a class, and have the sense of accomplishment for the day.
Question: If letting a student discover their objectives, would that be really beneficial for daily objectives, or more so for lab type objectives?
Objectives for the day are always written on the whiteboard, where they stay for the duration of the day. In addition, the objectives are communicated verbally at the beginning of the day. Total objectives for the course are determined by tests, and proficiency in lab.
Listing the day's objectives on the white board and taking the time to elaborate and explain what they should expect to accomplish through todays lesson. I will usually start a subject with some review questions that they write in their notes as a thought provoking method to encourage the student to pay attention and see how many questions they can answer during lecture. On completion of the lecture we answer these review questions and discuss what they have learned as a way to evaluate what they have accomplished
I list what we are going to do for that day so that the students can see where we are going that day so that they canbe prepare .At the end of the day i reveiw everything that was discussed
I like to write the objectives for each day on the board so the students can reference that through out the day. I will also give them clear verbal instruction for the days outline. Either at the end of the day or at the end of the subject matter I will give a verbal question and answer session to see if the students retained and understood the information given.
Like many of the others i write the objectives on the board and use the first few minutes to outline what the day has to offer. I like the idea of using colors to highlight the objetives.
Mr. Nelson,
I like to write my objectives on the board and then go over them verbally in my class as the introduction to my lecture. My students know when they have met the objective because along with the objectives, I also write a set of questions on the board. If they can answer the questions, they have met the objective.
