One of the things I try do to is use my own life expiriences to demonstrate relevance or importance. I find that if I share my trials and tribulations first, my students are more willing to discuss things with me and ask more questions to benefit themselves
giving rewards for participation
Since I teach online, the responses are harder to gauge and it is difficult to know if they are multitasking while you are lecturing.
Q&A is more focused when there is an established set of subjects being covered, at Le Cordon Bleu, it often reaches back to the accepted rules of Le Cuission, such as saute is always the same rule, cooking in a small amount of hot fat. No matter what is being sauteed, answers can be easily justified.
I try to keep good eye contact with them, use their names when possible (in large classes it can be difficult), and deliberately reframe or refocus questions back to the students when they start drifting away from the topic. Sometimes I can find a relationship with something they are doing in another class, in the news, etc. that ties into their questions. But it obviously is always a balancing act to keep them on target.
Hi David - Thanks for your post to the forum. You gave us some good ideas for handling questions that may be off topic - thanks for sharing! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Ask the student how the question relates to the subject matter at hand. Give them a chance to think about their question. It may be relavent but this allows the student to critically think through the question and the subject.
If the question relates to future lessons let the student know it will be discussed at a later date. At that point, ask if the student can write down the question and reserve it for that particular class.
Some questions by students may want the instructor to get off the subject and discuss other matters. Especially if it is a subject the instructor is passionate about. The instructor needs to make sure his/her own emotions don't get in the way of delivering the subject matter. The instructor could tell the student it is a good question but explain the class has much to cover with the current topic and needs to stay on track. The instructor could offer to discuss this particular matter after class.
I always like to give examples of what I'm looking for in the answer and then ask the students for another example. This shows them an application of what they have learned.
Thank you very much for your feedback
Hi Karen - Thanks for your post to the forum. You make a good point - sometimes a question that on the surface seems off topic may not be so at all. Further discussion may reveal the relevancy.Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
If they ask a question that is off topic, I can offer to talk with them about that after class. I can also bring them back to the current topic by asking a question that is on topic. Asking them to make the connection between what they said and the topic of the discussion would be one way for them to think about the relevance, and they could explain their thinking process for how they got to their answer.
Hi Don - Thanks for your post to the forum. You make a good point - questions that are too broad will leave most students confused; what exactly are they being asked? Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Questions must be at the proper level and be worded well. The question cannot be broad but rather be worded well. It is critical to let the student respond completely, with the hope to lead into a dialogue which other members of the class can particpate in. As an instructor we need to be patient waiting for a response.
This is a problem that has come up in teaching my on line course. During my "discussion sessions" I am speaking, but the students only get to respond by typing. Sometimes this leads to irrelevant remarks being made. I think they do not understand that this is like bluting out something in the middle of class. They probably would not do this if they were in a class room. The other problem I have encountered is students carrying on a conversation between themselves.
In the first instance, I recognize the response and either apply it to the topic or distinguish it in some way. In the second instance, I sometimes insert myself into the conversation so that the students are award of interrupting me. If it is something that is important for the entire class, I can point that out. I do, however, ask at the beginning of my session, that students not carry on conversations with each other during the chat sessions.
Because it is an on line class, I am sure that students have distractions wherever they may be. I also have distractions and, therefore, make every effort to keep focused. For example, I turn off the telephone. I make sure that I take care of any urgent business so that I am not thinking about it during my chat. I also make sure that I am well prepared.
I also have this issue with my Psychology class. It can be tricky to manuveur around when people volunteer personal information. I will try to use such information as much as possible and when someone volunteers such information, to ask them pointed questions related to the discussion.
However, sometimes students bring up issues that are way off the topic or lecture and you need to redirect by confirming that point/experience as valid and then relating where in a future lecture it might be appropriate, or to tell the student you would be happy to discuss the point after class.
I run my classes with lots of discussion and questions and it takes practice to get fruitful discussion that are advancing points and not just repeating what has already been said. There are times when I have been responsible for letting us go off track and I have to redirect myself!
Hi Tonia- Thanks for your post to the forum. Having those discussions immediately after covering a topic will definitely improve retention of those concepts. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I usually give questions right after covering a topic and have a class discussion on it.
student can really come up with some good question and answers among themselves.
Hi Timothy - You are obviously a "seasoned" instructor! Thanks for sharing a practical and emphathetic method of hanling off-topic questions/comments. Susan
Teachers must approach the area of off-topic questions with a deft hand. A sharp or out-of-patience overcorrection will shut down any discussion and will anger students -- even the students who were not personally involved. I allow digression up to a point -- students often talk off-topic about concerns and subjects that the others share -- but all in moderation. After a few brief exchanges I like to find ways to seque back into the topic under discussion, finding ways if possible to incorporate the off-topic topic into the realm of the course. Doing so can make the correction painless and prevent shutdown.
Hi Andrew- Thanks for your post to the forum. I also am a big fan of the "Parking lot" idea for off-topic questions. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
