The strategies I have implement for making the course's content relevant generally involved applications of the content to the learner's experiences or circumstances.
I try to hit all the human senses when delivering my content. All learners are visual learners to some degree (except when blind), so I start there and work my way around the different styles. Another point is that some lessons work best by targeting a specific learning style that fits that lesson.
Wania,
You have good flow to your instructional delivery. The changes of pace and activities serve to keep the students engaged. Good job!
Gary
Anthony,
Good way to offer variety and change of pace for your students. This lets them reset their minds and keep their focus.
Gary
The first day through class discussion I can pretty much see who learns how. The first day is filled with discussion to determine this. I have found that giving a written assesment throws everyone off, so verbal "testing" works much better.
I try to accomdate different students by getting a since of who they are individually throughout the course. Talking to them and asking as well as paying attention to how they perform trial and error as well as how they do on written test help to understand how they learn. Once I get a since of how the students are learning I touch on different ways throughout my lecture. Every 10 to 15 minutes we do an exercise or demonstrate a procedurre to make sure they are gaining the knowledge not just through lecture but example as well.
I tend to lecture for 15-20 minutes then perfrom labs for 10-15 minutes in first session. Second session normally I lecture for 10-15 minutes then have group discussions with students being separated into groups. And then finally I have each of the groups work on specfic projects together . Throughout the course of a semester I alternate these methods depeneding on the subject matter.
Teaching mostly computer classes, I have students fill out a technical competency test, that will assess the students, knowing this, I will pair up certain students that have strengths and weaknesses.
I have tried narrowing down the information and cordinating it with lab activities as well as using visual aids.
Nicole,
Good suggestion for other instructors to follow.
Gary
Good idea. I teach an Algebra Class that consists of students that are entering the Medical Field. Mixture Problems are always something that I focus on when we are covering Problem Solving. It is definitely relevant to their career paths.
I plan on utilizing a multiple intelligences survey by Howard Gardner. Once I learn what their results are, I can determine how they learn best, and utilize a variety of different learning strategies.
Mark
I assure that I handout a syllabus at the start of class so they can READ along as they LISTEN to me go through the syllabus step by step.
As the cardiovaacular sonography lab instructor, I make sure that the previous lesson taught in the lecture class is practiced in the lab.
This gives the student the practical aspect of scanning.
I point out how people in their field use the technology I am teaching. I teach IT topics and I have over 30 years in the field, working with many customers doing IT tasks. So I use examples from running the NASDAQ stock market, where performance was key, and from other customers.
I use a combination of strategies such as lectures, question and answer as well as demonstration.
By first understanding the students' needs and understanding
When I teach hematology I draw blood on on eor two students to demonstrate blood drawing
Practical use of their learned knowledge should be the base of the course content.
I always state the goals and objectives. I move around in the student's learning space and ask lots of questions. When I lecture I always include real world examples that students can relate to. I also incorporate various visual materials for the visual learners.
Teresa
