As an evening career college instructor I find that I exute additionally energy due to the low attention level of the students. Mostly, they are tired after working all day which creates a challenge for them to be enthusiastic. After reading this module, I am going to improve the learning environment and see if I can increase energy levels and attentiveness.
Meagan,
I agree that whenever we can change things up (pacing, atmosphere, etc) we have a better chance of really keeping the students engaged.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I prefer to use music while students are completing activies. I like to switch up seating so the students remain very alert and aware of surroundings.
Shannon,
I think your plan of getting to know the class & evaluating them is a great strategy.
Dr. Ryan Meers
James,
it really is interesting how the seating arrangement can have such a profound impact on discussion.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Bridget,
this is very interesting. It might also help them to appreciate the nervousness that future patients may be experiencing & think about how to help them relax.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I was not aware of most of the options for the learning environment before I went through this part of the module. I think the use of each option would depend on the type of students that are in the class. I would take a few classes to get a feel for how the students learn and go from there. Visuals are typically helpful for all students and the use of different colors, within reason, would help keep their attention on topics. I think the change of colors would stimulate them to pay more attention to the material being covered. The seating at the school I teach is basically set up in rows. There is not much room in the classrooms to change the seating around. When I start a new class, I will try to incorporate some or all of the ideas from this module to improve the learning environment.
arrangement of seating would be a real boon for my classes, a more circular rather than traditional "face front" seating would open up alot more discussion.
While students are in lab, scanning the heart on the ultrasound machine, I play music to calm them down and help them focus. I feel that students are extremely nervous and critical about themselves without the music on, but when the music is on, they do a much better job!
We use to place student project posters in the wall in our lab, along with other peripheral learning objects. The students loved them and would refer back to them quite often, although like you we were later forced to take them down.
Melissa,
the use of colors to help remember the procedures & instruments is very helpful & helps the students to be well prepared.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Jennifer ,
this is a great way to utilize music & help the students react well to the information.
Dr. Ryan Meers
We have everything color coded. Each operatory and procedure is color coded for efficiency. It helps the students through the initial learning period of what supplies go where.
I use music quite a bit to put the students at ease in the classroom since all my classes are lab classes. By using color or visuals or creative supplies, I could create excitement directed toward an activity we will be working on that day.
I think that color, visuals and seating are always important to the learning environment and music can be as well completely dependent on the topic being discussed. Although music can be a great influence I don't feel it is suitable in all cases. The example given with the telcom environment at the beginning of this session I did not feel would be very realistic given the topic being taught. That situation can easily go arrye based on the learning style of the student that typically takes that class. I think they will more times than not find the music unnecessary and tend to resent the presence of music. (Instructor of a technical discipline)
Edward,
this is a great example of the value of multi-sensory learning as it can help create that connection & really help students tune into what's going on with them & in their world.
Dr. Ryan Meers
sultana,
this is a great & inexpensive way to use multi-sensory techniques to reach the learners.
Dr. Ryan Meers
As an art instructor I have experienced much of what has been pointed out in terms of creating a Multi-sensory Learning Environment.For example, In student's work I have noticed that their individual choice and use of color is not only emotive by highlighting different aspects of an art piece. This concurs with the thought that the brain does indeed pays attention to aspects of an art piece that are brightly colored. The fact that color taps into the mtotional power of the brain explains how certain art work is long remembered by the students and I can incorporate these as examples in teaching new art concepts. I have also noticed that the use of color does indeed reflect each student's personality, experiences, state of mind and cultural background. Recently, in a collage building exercise, one student's work reflected not only her Caribbean background through the use of "island" colors" but also her state of mind at the time. She was not her bubbly self during this project, and when asked if everything was okay with her on that day, she explained that although she was enjoying the construction of this collage, it seemed to also be having the effect of missing her family and island home environment. Because color helps to align the right and left brains, something quite important in triggering creativity and melding it to learning in teaching students art techniques, I am quite explicit in terms of explaining this link to my students when it comes to see the value of understanding color theory and making the most of it as they see the usefulness of applying theoretical color constructs to their work.
I will create new posters related to the topic I will teach using different color code.
Shannon,
glad to know the information was useful. And yes, the seating arrangement really can help facilitate even more discussion & interaction.
Dr. Ryan Meers
