Hands on learning
Using eqipment and tools is very helpful to learn into hands-on process.
Hands on learning is a must in our Trade. To me, its a learing process. As long as they learn it, I don't care how many times it takes them.
Marita,
labs are a great way to get them engaged with the information & give them an opportunity to apply what they are learning.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
i teach a class that also has a lab with it. I try to make the labs very interesting and exciting. By engaging the students with different scenerios that I have set up, the students are drawn in, usually have a laugh, some fun, and learn alot. I feel that by making learning fun my students learn alot.
Having your students able to be involved in any kind of hands on interaction is invaluable for any discipline. Not only does it help to reinforce or expand on the content, but it also helps the student potentially feel more secure in their subject. You are allowing them to handle a tool or attempt a procedure or whatever it might be. Subconsciously that helps them. You trust them and believe that they have learned enough to be able to do this. It is a powerful mental thing as well as a physical one.
James,
yes, this is very true, especially if it's something that can be taken apart or with smaller parts.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find pass training aids around the class could better help the students who are visual and hands on learners.
Carol,
this is a great way to hit on the different learning styles/modalities.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Having a demo and then allowing the students to handle or manipulate materials while discussing them seems to make everyone "get" it. Very effective in my teaching experience.
Albert,
yes, there are certain subject areas where the hands on is even more important than others.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree with this 100%!! I teach culinary arts...very hands on. The demos appeal to their visual and auditory learning, and the hands-on portion of class supplements the other two.
VERY effective!
Albert D'Addario
Stephanie,
yes & this encouragement to come to the class will make them ready to learn & more receptive to all of the lessons.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find that doing a lot of demos in class my students want to come to class. Once I have shown the demo then we take have hands on. The more you interact with the students, the more eager they are to learning.
Hands on training is very a imporant tool. It not only reinforces the learning objectives it also keeps the students engaged.
Mary,
yes, we really have to explore the multiple methods of learning & teaching.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I teach microbiology and hands on learning is a necessity. I have plates available to read and a weekly quiz that is cumulative. By the time the final is taken the hands on learning is reinforced the lessons. During externships the hands on learning really pays off. Book or lectures alone will not reinforce these lessons.
In the medical field-we have to learn as many hands on techiniques as 'book' work. I love to bring in real animal hearts and lungs so the students may dissect them-it makes learning about the respiratory and cardiovascular system much more exciting! When a student can actually see where the ventricles on the heart are-it can really click!
Zachary,
yes, I like to do some lecture, hands-on & then debrief what we did. I've found this to be very helpful to the students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This is very true! A combination of hands on work is great for reenforceing what was learned through lectures.
I am teaching a technical course that requires both the knowlege of the theory and also the application.I strongly believe that the hands on part of the couse really helps amplify what is learned in the theory portion of the class. Both work hand in hand with each other.
J Valdez
