Project Planning
From past experience, what amount of time should be allotted for individual work in class? Is there a limit to when learners begin to lose focus and waste time? Or do most learners take advantage of any time to work on individual projects?
Hi Amy,
You make a number of very good points about the advantages of using in class work time for projects. Another one I find is that the students like the having the "safety net" of the instructor there when they are working through tough problems. The security of knowing the instructor can give a hint or suggestion that will keep them moving forward is very valuable in keeping them on task and focused. They know someone has got their back when it comes to getting over "a bump in the road" in their software development.
Gary
Since I teach software I find that if the class is spread over a semester I allow about a half hour of the class in the beginning of the semester but longer ( 1-1.5 hours of a 3 hour class) towards the middle and the end. I find my students often make rapid progress on their projects and then hit roadblocks and seem to stall. By allowing for longer time as the class goes, students can help each other and get instruction to move past their problems. I also find that often times students will have problems I never would have thought of so their individual work becomes a good example for teaching additional skills. In short form classes and workshops I allow no more than 10-20 minute individual work sessions between lectures, otherwise students will take me totally off track from the syllabus with their questions. Most students appreciate having the time in class to get to their projects.
Hi Kris,
What are some ways you determine those limits and then set them for the students?
Gary
I feel you need to set strict time limits for everyone.
Hi Mark,
There is not set amount of time for individual work, it all depends on the assignment and how complex it is.
The attention span of adult learners is between 15 and 20 minutes in a lecture setting. In lab or individual project work that time all depends on the nature of the work being done. Most learners do take advantage of anytime to work on individual projects.
Gary
