To keep the attention of all of the students in your class.
Lori,
Good way to blend instructional delivery options at different times throughout the class. This way you are offering variety of delivery and change of pace to keep your students engaged.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
To keep students interested and address different learning styles. I like a mix power points, case studies, and question/answers.
Megan,
So true. The "everyone wins" part is critical for both student and teacher success. By appealing to the different learning preferences the engagement level for students will be much higher and satisfaction greater.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Offering varied instructional delivery methods in a course is beneficial to all students because they cover all the different methods through which individuals learn. It is good to incorporate different lecture formats/instructional delivery mehtods to prevent boredom, keep class interesting, and to help keep the attention of the students. When course information is delivered through a variety of lecture formats, everyone wins.
Meredith,
I would develop and use case studies. You could develop a case study around a certain drug or drug family and see how the students respond to the situation. These case studies can be set up for different amounts of time so they will fit into any time frame. You can use games where the students use the different drugs and applications or respond to question like Jeopardy. By doing so you will keep them engaged plus they will get to see both relevancy and application to what is being taught.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Jacqui,
Good point and one we need to remember as we do our instructional planning. We need to offer variety in our delivery so the content can be acquired by students through their different learning preferences.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am assigned to teach didactic course(pharmacology) with a tremendous amount of content. Other than PowerPoint presentations and discussions of drugs as they pertain to clinical dental hygiene practice, what suggest do you have for making class more interesting for the students (and me!)?
Every student learns differently. Incorporating various learning styles into your instruction gives each student a chance to absorb the material in a way that they are the most comfortable with.
Claudia,
Like your planning strategy. This way you are mixing it up for your students and your notes help to remember what has and has not been the most effective. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
When I look at my weekly lesson plan, I make notes on it about different instructional strategies. If I use a video one day I will use something else the next. I check that I have included some lecture, individual and group activities, short quizzes, reading time etc..Every week I use all strategies.
Robert,
You understanding of learning is to be commended. I like your statement that says you will do your best to deliver quality instruction to each and every student. This is what every instructor should have for a goal.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Students learn in various ways and at various speeds. We always hear people say, "he picks things up quick",or "he is a fast learner". Some people do learn fast, however, that means that some learn slower. An instructor must teach at a pace that each student can comprehend. While being careful of the speed or the pace instructors also have to take into consideration that students learn in various ways. Some are visual learners, some are audio learners, and some learn best doing things hands on. Instructors must teach using various teaching methods to accommodate the various learning methods. I always try to discuss a topic through lecture, show examples or demonstrate what I am discussing, and if possible let students try it themselves. Typically, no matter how a student learns best, I can deliver to each learning method so that everyone in the classroom understands the material in their own way.
Bruce,
Students like variety and change of pace in their learning delivery. The more of both that can be introduced the better. As a result there will be a higher level of student engagement as well the different learning preferences of the students will be touched upon throughout the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Instructor should structure their instructional delivery methods to address the different learning styles and interest students bring to the classroom. Thus, by attempting to use a single strategy/method to fit an entire classroom, the different instructional style will attempt to meet the needs and styles of all the students. However, this will require additional work on the facilitator or instructor and the challenge she/he faces in delivering these different styles in the classroom.
John,
Students like change of pace and variety in their instructional delivery. You are doing and as a result you are appealing to the different learning preferences of your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
All students learn in different ways so variety is the best way to keep all of them learning.
Each student learns on a different level. It is best to use different approaches
Peter,
Students like change of pace and variety in their instructional delivery. Your comments about making sure that this is done are right on the mark.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Norman,
Good point because this is what student centered instruction is about. The more you can do this the higher the level of student engagement there will be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
