I experiment often with incorporating videos, starting small discussions, changing the position of where I am teaching at in the room, and every once in awhile I use silly voices (mind you not in awhile that makes them hard to understand).
I try picking up signals from both the group as a unit and the individuals in it. Checking their temperature on an early morning class I can tell I am ran falling and bouncing off of dry soil. On such days I may do something goofy and odd and sail on their curiosity into a small fact or idea that breaks up that compacted soil:)
When I was a student, lectures that contained power point and or pictures kept me involved. Also, if the instructor form time to time would allow for questions or feedback on the topic that was being discussed. Also if the professor reveiwed the goal for that day or lecture a couple times, it would keep me on track and in tune of what I was supposed to learn.
I like to mix it up. We have 5 hour classes that meet twice a week. This necessitates variety. I try and use everything in my tool belt i.e. lecture, projects, demo, student work and class report back etc. Even so my students have trouble staying interested and energized.
I find that variety is the spice of life in my classrooms. I teach students in the field of visual communications. Most of my students are creative visual learners but they also flourish when physically handling materials. I find it difficult to transfer these concepts to art history classes that by their very nature are lecture intensive. Any ideas?
Angela,
This is a great strategy. Thanks for sharing it with us. They get to learn about a topic (customer service) and then see it in action when dinning out. This gives application to content in a way the students will remember in the future.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Ask questions, have them create a peer review quiz, be hands on yourself as an instructor.
As instructor be need to be creative and step outside of the box. When I teach customer service for example, I like to take my students out for dinner and have them rate waiter/waitress by creating a survey, or take them to the mall and do mystery shopping
Samone,
What are some of the strategies you list that work most effectively for you?
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Demonstrations, visuals and asking questions
LaTunija,
I do to. I use role playing a lot in my classes. My students really like to role play and the content of the role playing really reinforces what we are covering.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Give them more hand out material
If you can show them what you are talking about maybe they will start to understand why that subject is important.It will also make it more interesting.
I love to role play this really get the students involved and eager to learn.
Jacquie,
Good plan to follow. The variation and change of pace format really helps to keep the students engaged as you know. Sometimes instructors forget this and just drone on even though the mind's of the students have checked out.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Strategies to keep students engaged in learning I use is stopping lecture after 30 mins to ask students questions, give real life scenarios, and ask thought-provoking questions. If students look tired or unengaged I usually will stop and do a brain stimulation activity...students seem to find this fun. I also like to play games that pertain to the content learned.
Vladimir,
Good strategy. This keeps the students engaged and focused on the content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
After 15-20 minutes of lecturing I give a problem to solve, or discuss a real problem I had run into
John,
Sounds like a great way to being variety and change of pace into the class while keeping the students engaged.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I teach a kinesiology course and therefore get my students on their feet, showing exercises, displaying movements of the body they have learned etc. This happens several times an hour so I'm not just lecturing, but involving them in the learning process physically.
One strategy that I like to use is current events. I try and seek out relevant current events that relate to the topic or course material being covered so that the students can see the relevance and/or importance of the material. I believe that this also helps to motivate them.
Roberto,
This approach helps the students to expand their knowledge base and realize how they are progressing as well as what they need to work on. It is a part of educational growth.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
