Give student an opportunity to meet each other
creating a sense of community in the classroom to have more synergy. Putting student in groups will help promote learning... Is there any other ideas to encourage learning?
I agree, I find that peer learning builds cohesiveness of the group and helps new students who may not be as comfortable about asking questions.
Tina,
This is a good strategy to use. I am a big fan of peer learning because it helps students to learn how to work with each other. This is good preparation for what they will encounter in the workplace when they have to work with co-workers on projects, patients or whatever work situation they find themselves in.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Another opportunity for students to meet each other is, when a new group starts, pair up the new students with a "mentor" (a returning student). This way they not only get to know each other as classmates, but the students interact and the new student can pick up things quicker from the mentor teaching them. This is a great way to connect the "new" with the "senior" students.
I like to have my students work in groups to get to know each other. I also have them individually introduce themselves. I think group work that the groups rotate not only encourages classwork, but working together to find a solution to a specific problem
Before major tests, I play review games with my students: BINGO, etc. They love it and it makes learning fun. I have guest speakers from the field come in....doctors, other dental assistants, graduates, office managers, etc. We also go on field trips to different dental specialties, etc. It gets the students motivated and it inspires them.
BERKLEY,
Like the way you help the newer students get settled into the course by teaming them up with the more experienced students. This creates some very enjoyable learning opportunities for everyone.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
On our first day of class after all the paperwork and important stuff is done. I have my older students (been in the course longer) team up with a new start and go to work on what ever lab is due that day. The new students can ask questions and see that their fellow students have learned how to do things in there trade and makes them feel better about there life decision.
Amanda,
I am with you on the use of games. Thanks for sharing how you use them in your classes. I know your students have fun with them and a lot of learning goes on as well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Games.. my class LOVES when we write the short hand med terms in the middle and they relay to fill in each side. split the class in two and each side fills in a blank. one answer per student. down the middle would be things like... FBM HBP and on the left or right they would have to put full body massage... high blood pressure.. and Jeopardy. write the category on top.. make boxes worth 100-500 and have questions ready for each one gradually getting harder. again .. split the class or count them off by 2's
Neda,
Try to get each student to personalize the content in a way that increases the value of it to them. Help them to see the connection to their future and income. When they get these connections they start to get excited about what they are studying. One way to do this is to have graduates come in a talk with them about how their careers have grown as a result of the content in the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
