The courses I teach are very scientific so using music and colors are not what I think that much about. However we do do coloring of different landmarks, I try to incorporate U tubes and music where I can.
roy,
yes the variety can be a great way to keep the learners engaged. We do want to make sure that we maintain a certain level of consistency so we don't distract the learners too much.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I am a culinary arts instructor in classrooms with 'fixed' stoves, tables, windows and sinks. There is only one available wall per classroom. I have incorpoated posters into my teaching and change them during the course. For example, posters of primal meat cuts re-inforce the material in the power points. The power points are 'fleeting'; i.e. changing daily and a poster is up longer. We have recently been given the 'geen light' to play music. I find it is helpful during the students' cooking. They are more relaxed and better able to 'jump' into production. And of course, there is great clamor over what I choose to play. I resist their input on this--it's just endlessly disuptive!
I think that situations dictate what is possible to do. I find it hard to just get my white board looking interesting by changing marker color... I move from Kitchen(lab) to classroom and the course is so fast paced that I have to fill the board twice... I can see that if you had a classroom to yourself you would have the freedom to be more creative.
varity should creat a suprise effect on students, not knowing what to expect a curiosity creative learning environment.
Going forward – color can be implemented in handouts, projects and homework assignments. It can also be utilized more effectively on the white board to tie information together or highlight other information being taught.
Music can definitely be introduced utilizing the model set forth in this unit … making sure to use the appropriate music at the appropriate times and not overdoing it.
William,
and the creative gaining of attention is a vital aspect of our teaching methods.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Primairly use as an attention step to gain the attention of the audience.
This is the most relevant course that I have seen. Yea! I am grateful. It reaffirms many of my reliefs. It is not sterile; it is very useful.
Jennifer,
I hope you do explore some of the suggestions. I can tell you that in the training & development literature, the horseshoe is the preferred arrangement. But have fun exploring.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
My main use of color during lecture is what color dry erase marker I use to write with. I use different colors to emphasize importance or category. Most of the visuals in our classrooms are either in the form of Power point presentation charts and diagrams or actual engine components or other manipulatives. We use music during lab but usually it is the radio or a CD. I am looking forward to getting a collection of instrumental music and trying it as outlined in this course. It will be interesting because my students are bikers as I teach motorcycle mechanics.
While we are not allowed to use music in our classrooms, I have reorganized the seating and tables into a horseshoe pattern in order to focus the students on me and on each other in discussions. It shook things up and got them to think a little about how they are learning as well as facilitating discussion and debate.
We often have our classes arranged in a horseshoe so it helps to faciliate discussion. I know a few of our instructors who use music in the classroom. I love some of these suggestions and look forward to trying them in class.
Jonathan,
glad that you were able to gain some insights into new types of learning.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Visuals, especially task & procedure oriented ones, are especially important for "Vocational" type learning environments, because they serve to convey to students that there is a conventional way of accomplishing tasks - AND - that they are universally accepted. Complex color-transitioning, though tedious, is required in many cases, so that the students can visualize the time-line process, from start to finish. I believe that it's a "Natural" phenomenon that humans want to know "Where" they are, now, in relation to the final destination. Colors that show the "Map", and the "You are here" marker make students feel more at-ease during the trip. I haven't yet, experimented with background music in the classroom, however, it would appear that it may have some positive results. I'm looking forward to testing the theory in upcoming term
To be honest this is a subject that I have not really considered. My eyes have been opened. I will experiment with peripherals and music in my next quarter. I will also work on seating arrangements.
This has been an a real learning session for me.
Kelly,
the different colors can also help highlight new information, important information, etct. This in turn can help those struggling learners.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
To some extent, some of these depend on the classroom and technology available. However, I think that I could definitely take advantage of a color printer for hand-outs. With the type of learners I tend to have, I feel changing the color of the font based on the information would be extremely valuable. Placing a sub-concsious emphasis on certain topics/statements may help them absorb the information better.
This one is tricky since I teach in a open kitchen that serves food to the public with no ability to change colors or add posters and there is no seating for the students. I can see how visual aids could be used to reinforce material and help connect to students understanding and have used seating in other environments to encourage more interaction.
Ben,
I'm sorry you didn't find it helpful. We definitely have to take any of these ideas or others & see if they will fit our class environment, subject matter, student body, school culture. Not all ideas were equally well in all situations which is the great aspect of variety in the classes.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
