At the beginning of my courses with a new set of students, we give them a questionnaire to fill out to determine what type of learner they are. This helps us to better determine our delivery method.
I have use movies, everyday life situations, and articles from the internet and used them in the classroom. They tends to grasp the information better and help them to understanding how the subject relates to them in some point of their life.
Mary,
Like the way you offer a variety of engagement methods for your students. They are getting a wide exposure to different learning venues and that is a good way to keep them interested throughout a course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
We use a combination of power point presentations, role playing, breaking out into small group sessions and informal study groups to facilitate and assimilate learning. The students are encouraged to be active participants in their own learning process. The break down their study guides in the small group sessions and then present their portion to the class. This encourages viewpoints from various vantages.
If I am covering long or dry material, I try to follow it up with some real world example so the students can see how it applies. Sometimes the textbooks make simple theories seem so confusing or wordy.
In an intro class, I make sure they have the basic concept of the subject before continuing to the next section. Proceeding: without understanding, sets up for failure, then we can build successful learning.
Using real world experiences is one of the best ways to show the class is relevant. I tell a happing that is
about the current subject ,wither I or someone else was successful or failed.
Joselyn,
You have very good comprehensive plan for increasing the value of the content for your students. By showing them both the relevancy as well as application of the content you are increasing the ROI that get from the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Sue,
Good strategy to follow. You are using visual as a learning means as well as the auditory. The more senses involved the higher the retention rate of the content.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As a computer programming instructor in different kinds of companies and different levels of proficiencies based on the stage in my career; one of the techniques that I have used to implement relevance in the course if career experience. Explaining to the learners what is the customary industry requirement for a particular task, what is necessary, and how to perform the task. Also, another technique is to associate the relevance of the course material, industry expectations, and class workshops, to establish the applicability of the course and their future career goal of the student. Essentially, explaining through the curriculum, and the course workshops the relevance of each task performed in class to their goal to enter into industry after graduation.
I have updated our power points to include more pictures than the standard presentation and made the examples easier to understand and brought it down to a level that is entertaining as well as educational.
I plan my instruction to accommodate differnt learning styles by using a combination of techniques when I instruct. When I lecture i use the powerpoint for my audio and visual learners , I also referance the book and ask my students to highlight important concepts. I beleive that the higlighting and turning the pages help the tactile and visual learners. I also try to help with the technology generation divide by using online media and videos to show the revalnace of the material and how the students can expect to see it in their career field.
Tabitha,
Great strategy because you are appealing to different senses and different learning pathways. You are correct in that this will increase the retention of content by students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to incorperate all learning styles. Note taking, games, hands on interaction, and having the student try to teach about something. "hear it, write it, speak it", they should have it down.
Planning different types of deliveries and accomidating the needs of all students is great for all involved. If one student needs a different type of style than the other can use as review and maybe get more than what they thought from a differnet type of delivery
Curt,
Variety is essential in keeping students engaged as you mention. I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I can relate to your comments and the strategies you offer your students. It is tough to keep the focus of students after they have worked all day and for six hours. It does take a lot planning to keep the course moving forward and the students seeing the value of the content that is being offered.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Jared,
Really appreciate your words and the value you got from this course. I wish you much success in all your teaching efforts.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is important to plan instruction for an audience that will have different learning preferences. I like to mix it up in the classroom as much as possible by lecture, visual aids, reinforcing videos, charts, questioning, requesting student experiences, etc. The more variety I can bring into the class, the more students I'm able to reach. This also keeps the class moving, even through a mundane topic that is required but not necessarily intersting! Understanding that some students learn best by listening, speaking, seeing, or doing is a good way to design delivery. By varying the delivery, the instructor is also able to maintain attention span throughout the class.
Thank you sir. This course was a great overview of teacher preparation & teaching strategies.
Laura,
This is when teaching is fun! They get it and we instructors get to be a part of the learning growth.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Jared,
I have found that my adult learners are pretty evenly distributed throughout the four learning preference areas. With that being said I have also found that they want to see relevance and application in what is being taught thus they tend to use more tactile and "hands on" approaches to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for the career area they are preparing to enter.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
