Jonathan,
yes, connecting the concepts with physical movements is a great way to cement the learning.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I intend to use more simulations. The doing aids memory and should significantly improve retention
Joshua,
this technique works in nearly any field too, the "chunking" of ideas or concepts really does help with memory.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Joshua,
this technique works in nearly any field too, the "chunking" of ideas or concepts really does help with memory.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Kelly,
this is a great technique to employ & to help them retain the information.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
While discussing recipes with students, instead of simply going through the guidelines step by step, I will begin to break down the various parts of the recipe into discrete chunks. Then we can use the idea of these building blocks to create the final product.
I am a culinary instructor, so presenting the final product and showing results in a reverse timeline will help the students understand why ingredients are treated a certain way or used. Also, showing them how incorrect procedures produce different results will help them retain the information better.
I am already utilizing the backwards learning method in my classes. It works very well for the vocational-based courses. Starting out with an unusual scenario, blatently stated, and then moving on to a seemingly unrelated topic, I use the suspense-factor to hold students' peak-interest high. As I proceed, backwards along the logical chain-of-events, new terms, ideas, and concepts are brought into play. As the class heads towards the starting-point in the process, I can literally see the "Light-bulbs" coming on above their heads. This works well in many, but not all learning situations.
Differently? Well, you opened my eyes to the effects of the Pygmalion theory. Many of the students that I viewed as "Not going to do well", was most likely due to my attitude/assessment of them - unfairly, after only 30 minutes of class time. I will be going into the next term with an entirely different attitude. Thank You.
doug,
yes, the prizes don't need to be expensive or extravagant. It's surprising what people will do for a piece of candy!
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I am going to use the prize method to encourage participation. We can give away candy and other nonsense gifts for participation.
Ben,
and this helps as you pass the ideas several times.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I will continue to make the material relate to the student so they have a better understanding of how the material will be beneficial to them in the future.
I like the idea of emphasizing the key points at the beginning of class then going back to explaining how to understand the topic. Should incorporate retention through primacy and may even incorporate some clearer understanding through reverse sequencing. I like the idea of giving the student the goal or the end result and building back to it. I Will definitly try that.
alwyn,
I love these tools as well & helps demonstrate the amount of information they can find on their own as well.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Will look at how I group things. Will make learning objectives clear and simple. Review frequently. Will review and use concepts of primacy, recency, uniqueness, emotion, visual, information chunking. Use exercises and games and then reinforce with after action review. Will emphasize the wrapup--solicit feedback and answers instead of perfunctory review of bullet items of things that were covered in class. Include the learning objectives in this.
Using Youtube,PowerPoints, and DVD clips help the students learn the material by have some sort of visual image can help the learn a particular subject matter.
Paula,
these are both great techniques to help cement the concepts.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I will take the opportunity at each break or change in activity to emphasize primacy. Also use class debriefing to emphasize recency
Joseph ,
great idea to engage a variety of types of learners.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Using a variety of teaching strategies for a particular concept during a class period followed up with homework helps to remember vital information. Homework especially, can be viewed as busy work by a student. In my pharmacology class there is one homework assignment that I give that always has students returning to class with lots to talk about. Students have to look through their medication cabinet (or another family member's cabinet) for expired medications, return to class with the information, and then we discuss the findings and solutions. It is not a traditional homework strategy but the students will remember key concepts related to expired medications.
