Learning activities
Learning activities greatly enhance learning and student involvement. While teaching a course in Leadership Development, I had the students create their own business - from CEO on down. This involvement gave each individual a sense of importance in the class as well as developing their learning for leadership and social skills.
I find teaching classes without learning activities to be very dull. I try to incorporate learning activities wherever I can. For my Critical Thinking and Speech classes, it is easy for me, but English becomes a little more complicated. However, for process analysis writing, I did have my students write paragraphs about how to make a PB&J sandwich and then exchange papers, and they had to follow each other's instructions. In Speech, I play a lot of games such as sing off for brainstorming, Mad Gab for listening and so on. In critical thinking, when discussing looking at ordinary things in extraordinary ways, I brought in some items and had them come up with new ways to use the items much like on "Whose Line Is It Anyway." These are just examples of ideas and I find they all enhance the learning experience and get students more motivated.
In our labs there are 4 to 5 students that need to work together as a team. Much is learned by all in the interaction of getting a job task completed. Exchange of ideas, review by all of the subject matter, forming an effective team.
Really? That sounds like a great idea, Robert. Could you describe some of the outcomes for us? I imagine that the students had some wonderful ideas... I'd love to hear more about them.
I had the students create their own business to simulate real world experience.
this is on of the best tools an instructor can use. I will use learning activities were ever I can.
That is very true- students need to more opportunities to take much more ownerships.
As a writing instructor, sometimes it is hard to design activities that appeal to all the types of learners out there. I try to make writing as visual and auditory as possible, but I do have issues with kinesthetic. One activity I love to do is have my students write a persuasive essay on cookies. I give them a packet of articles on Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, and I make sure to bring in "empirical evidence" for them as well (and of course some milk!). They are allowed to move around and work in groups on developing the most persuasive essay. Sometimes I see students stacking the cookies to see which is a better building tool or breaking them apart to see which is crunchier to the touch. I have never had one student complaint about this activity, and I incoporate it into every Composition I class I teach!
Interactive learning - what a great approach Donald!
You are right - students feel successful and take much more ownerships.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
