Hands on
I found that the best way to keep students motivated, attentive, involved and inspired is through hands on experience, student demonstrations and student lectures. I find something that I and the class need to learn more about and make it their job to explain it to us.
Hi Dawna,
You have had some great experience as outlined in your comments. This has been my experience as well. We are getting more students with processing and decoding issues when it comes to reading and comprehension. Whether it is due to a lack of basic reading skills or something like ADHD it takes a dedicated and creative instructor to be able to provide the support needed for success.
Gary
Hands on learning, I have found, is a must for the tactile learner. Additionally, it is critical for a student who may have ADHD (especially in my developmental reading courses don't seem to be regulated or on medication at all. The insurance companies are upping their copays in the economy, which could have something to do with it. And let's not forget, that many college students are no longer covered under a parents' plan.) Anyway, learning to teach the way these students learn can avoid a big issue with frustration and channeling these students into an appropriate activity, can help avoid having to deal with some of the acting out in class. That is from my own experience, at least.
I try to incorporate a lot of hands on activities in my class, and activities where students learn material and teach it to the other students. This has proved to be very effective in my classes.
Hi Michelle,
Good point and very true.
Gary
I believe that the students will learn the most from hands on. You can lecture for hours and they might learn one thing but if you have them doing it themselves it will stick with them.
Hands on is 80% of their learning and 20% of book work.
Best way to feel comfortable and competant in something is by doing. Hands on is the best way to learn.
Hi David,
Part of the answer to this question depends what you are teaching. Some demonstrations can be given in a larger group setting especially if you are demonstrating some general concepts. If you are teaching more lab based with finer detail to the procedure then the smaller groups would be better. You can start the class off on some general activities and then move through the class pulling 10-12 of the students together and giving them a demonstration. This will work only if the demonstration is around 5 minutes in length because otherwise you will be spending the entire class doing one demonstration over and over again and if the demonstration is 30 minutes you will have used up the class time.
Gary
I have little experence in this so far but I have seen some people just show the students and not have them (the student) explain the process or what they are doing to the instructer. One of the questions? I have is what is the best way to do demonstrations in small groups 10 or the whole class.
I also agree. Students need to read about it, see it done and then do it themselves for best results.
I agree completely. It is acutally part of the school's mission. I teach IT students. They want to have access to advanced equipment.
Hi Patrick,
The connection between the hands-on and the demonstrations is very strong and that results in a higher level of retention of content as well as skills. Good point.
Gary
I believe that with my field 99% of the work is all hands-on and many demonstrations should be done.
I will also interrupt the lab for a demo when I find the class as a whole missing something.
