The 15-15-15 Rule
In the past I have been successful in using what I call the "15-15-15" rule. Aproximately 15 Minutes each of lecture, demonstration, and lab/hands-on.
Students are definitely more engaged and they enjoy class more when things are broken up. Knowing how long your labs will take is a big factor in planning. If using labs from a textbook or lab manuals, choosing ones that tell you how much time a lab should take makes planning easier. I usually prioritize my time by lab first, then lecture, then demonstration.
Miriam,
Like the flow of your class. I teach a content based course as well so this is the instructional flow I use to keep students engaged but give them variety and change of pace so they will be able to concentrate on the course for the duration of the time.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It's a very useful rule, but some courses, like Law, are more intellectual and do not use lab time, so I actually use to break it into 20-10 per topic, allowing 20 minutes lecture and 10 minutes demonstration/knowledge application.
Thank you for sharing this. It is a really helpful way to think about organizing class.
DENNIS,
Like your rule and how it helps the class to flow. This way you are offering variety to your students and this will help to keep their focus for the duration of the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
