I find it important so as to get students involved in the material being presented. The use of multimedia, including images and actual information from popular companies, CEOs, related theoretical business luminaries etc., provide unique perspectives for students. Also, the sharing of personal business experiences and narratives tend to add vision to the richness of the classroom environment.
I find it necessary to vary my delivery methods so I can reach the maximum number of students and keep my material as interesting as possible. I also teach the same material at different times of the day and evenings and find that I must hold students attention differently. My students have told me that when I "go off the reservation" (give them interesting stories or anectdotes related to the material being taught) they are more prone to listen, retain the material, and understand the material better. I often find these sidebars refreshing and relevant to all my students regardless of their learning styles.
I think that to keep the whole class engaged you need to very the delivery of materials. It helps to keep them focused and reaches out to more of the learning styles.
It is important because all students do not learn the same way and providing different avenues of learning is essential. Variety keeps material from becoming stall and overwhelming.
Nancy,
Good point about the need for variety in delivery. This benefits everyone when it is done. There is more focus and engagement going on this way thus enhancing the learning potential.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
It is important to offer various instructional deliveries because all of our students do not learn by the same methods. We, as instructors, feel most comfortable teaching/delivering using the instructional method that we best learn from. By varying the instructional delivery, it not only helps us to better reach more of the students, but also forces us, as instructors, to "come out of our comfort zone" and prepare additional instructional methods--this might mean being create with posters, music, "silly jingles," etc. It helps us to expand our creativeness. If/When I teach the same course over and over again each quarter, it would be very boring to repeat the exact same lecture. I always keep my notes, but try to add additional resources. Unfortunatly, being on a small campus, students have needed to repeat a class and sometimes have received the same instructor. How frustrated they may feel if the instructor doesn't vary the instructional delivery and simply repeats the material.
Each student may learn differently. For example lecturing, demonstrating, questioning, audiovisuals or processing websites.
Students can learn from reading, lecturing, and hands on material.
Different students learn different ways. My classes use lecture formats and demonstration to learn new medical skill sets. The student have to practice the skill sets. The students also have CD software that help students study. So students can learn my seeing, hearing, and actually do the new skill.
It is important to offer a variety of instructional delivery methods for numerous reasons.
First, not everybody learns the same way. If you deliver the course content only one way, there is going to be a percentage of the class that is going to miss out on the information because you didn't address their learning style.
Second, the classroom dynamic changes fron class to class. what worked in the last class may not be effective in the next class.
Third, by varying the delivery methods, you keep the course content relevant. As you teach a course, it is possible to deliver the same information in different ways as you become more familiar with the course content. I personally find that while teaching a course, it is beneficial to relate course content to personal experience, which gives a real world relevance to the subject matter and reinforces the fact that information taught can and does apply to career goals.
As both a didactic and lab instructor I try to sequence the class content to go along with the lab. Before I begin a new topic of discussion, I will try to bring in a complete case study performed by myself on another faculty member or just whoever didn't mind. I show this to the class and let them get a feel for what the lecture will be about. I also have power points and other visuals such as DVDs from professional groups that I will show to the class. I find that the students are more interested after I show them what they are expected to be able to perform after the chapter/topic. It also helps prompt questions from the students which is always better than just having a classroom full of sleeping students.
Meher,
Good approach to offering variety of learning options to your students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I give them variety of teaching demonstrations, like lectures, power points, videos, excecises and tours.Different students learn by different styles so it covers all of them mosstly.
Eric,
I agree about the need for change in the classroom. Variety really helps students to become engaged because they get to approach the course from different perspectives.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
The most apparent reason is to accomadate the different learning styles of students. Additionally, I have found that all learning styles can be effective for students. Changing up the delivery method keeps the class moving and focused. Change is good!
Students learn in different ways. Some are auditory learners, some are tactile learners, some are visual learners. Most are a combination of these styles. Teaching material in a variety of ways ensures that all students are learning the material in the way that is best for them. It also adds interest to the class and helps to keep students focused.
It is important to reach as many learning styles as possible. Also, by breaking your delivery into varying instructional styles it is easier to keep the attention of your students. Boredom does not set in as easily.
Re: Offering Varied Instructional Delivery
by Dorothy Stoneman - Tuesday, 8 November 2011, 05:26 PM (EST)
Good points. I vary it up for my sake too! Seeing students working in groups and discovering things on their own or creating some kind of projects keeps me involved on their learning as well as each student. If I am completely predictable, class will not be stimulating for the students or for me.
I agree with Dorothy that I am motivated to vary the delivery of the information in the class just as much for my benefit as for the students'. Afterall, they have to make it through the course once, and I have to teach it over and over!
Good points. I vary it up for my sake too! Seeing students working in groups and discovering things on their own or creating some kind of projects keeps me involved on their learning as well as each student. If I am completely predictable, class will not be stimulating for the students or for me.
It will keep the student's focused.
It is important to deliver varied instructional deliveries because of different learning styles in a class room.
