Hello Jay,
I firmly believe creative instruction is key to holding students' attention span and interest in learning. Whenever possible, instructors should utilize visuals, audio and the written word in order to stimulate and satisfy the diverse learning styles presented in any given classroom.
It's also helpful when instructors can blend anecdotes and personal examples into the learning format, as individuals naturally identify with personal stories that may somehow mimic their own lives. This phenomenon is especially useful in church, when the minister is trying to illuminate a particularly esoteric passage in the bible. You will often see church members "perk up" when the minister personalizes the story.
As an instructor, I'd like to perfect my eye contact skills. Sometimes I can become intimidated when looking directly at others, even in a social context. I will find that, in a large group, I may tend to look just above individuals' heads or slightly to the left or right. It doesn't happen incessantly, but I am aware of it.
Hi Rob! Thanks so much for your insightful observations. It's so true that floating or getting physically into the learning environment, as opposed to behind a lectern or desk, is crucial to student engagement.
I might suggest also varying your lectures/presentations with related mini-activities that could further engage students in the learning process. There is an old saying about the "seven-minute rule" - change the presentation/interaction stimulus about every 7 minutes to help keep students from drifting or shutting down.
Jay Hollowell
ED106 Facilitator
Hi Jose, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions, observations, etc. and thanks for your participation!!
Jay
ED106
Hello Mr. Hollowell,
I would like to say that I totally enjoyed the module and in many ways served me as a refresher course to what i already implement in my lectures and teachings.
I find that, when You are well prepared and have full knowledge of the subject matter the delivery of of the content becomes almost a second nature and also understanding the diversity of your students, by keeping lectures in short sequences and demonstrations dynamic you take away students lack of participation and makes for a more eangaging class.
The ability to communicate effectively with students from a variety of cultural backgrounds in order to maximize their learning success.
Improve knowledge of youth idioms in English and conversational Spanish in order to improve understanding and relate better with students.
I feel the most important communication skill for creating an effective learning environment is the ability to communicate information in a clear, well-organized way that actively engages the students in the process.
My students usually give me high marks on clearly organizing and presenting the information. But, I leave a lot of room for improvement when it comes to actively engaging the students in the process. I am definitely locked to the lectern, or in my case, the laptop which is recording my voice and my PowerPoint presentation or my demonstration. I also need to improve my use of eye contact.
My goal is to find and use a wireless microphone and a wireless mouse, so I can at least "float" during the PowerPoint presentations. I will also try to use the 2-3 second eye-contact principle to keep students involved with me.
Hi Daniel! Thanks for your comments; eye contact is probably the most powerful form of body language in the communication process, plus it is also a means to observation.
Jay Hollowell
ED106
I would like to improve my frequency of eye contact with more individuals in large groups in order to improve communication with those that may not be as engaged as others.
A brief outline with key pharases...
Hello Cheryl:
Making clear and concise points is especially important to me because I do not have the advantage of seeing the student. All of the classes are online. The courses are fast-paced (5-weeks) and we do not lecture. We facilitate the learning.
Your point is well-taken and I would like to continuously improve in this area.
Great point.
Flexibility in delivery is one of the most important skills to have when working with a diverse learning environment. It is important to reach the entire audience. Students learn differently. To that end, I believe we must use a variety of methods to convey the message.
Being patient is another key factor when communicating to a diverse learning population. We must be willing to view each person as an individual part of the group. We must be able to evaluate each person's strengths and weaknesses. We must be able to take the results of evaluation and use the results in a manner that will speak to the class.
In order to do this we must have the patience to deal with diversity and not expect everyone to learn in the same manner.
As an instructor, I would like to improve on powerpoint presentations. Being online does not allow me to use body language or some of the other skills used in the classroom. However, my voice is very effective. I would like to add to my verbal interaction by improving the visuals I provide. This is done via the "Live Chat", where the students can review an uploaded file.
In addition, I could learn more ways to use my voice more effectively.
Hi Anis! Thanks for your observations. You're right in that it is so important for our students to understand the value of working with other cultures and languages.
I have found that personal and positive body language goes a long way universally in helping with overall verbal language barriers.
Jay Hollowell
ED106
English is my 3rd language, and when I started teaching it took me a year to feel comfortable in class. The fact that I have an accent made me feel that no one was understanding me.But little by little from day one, I made them understand ( the students)that one day they will have the opportunity to work with people from different countries and language barrier shouldn't be an obstical.
You almost have to be animated when lecturing and keep the students engaged. Some people are very good at humor and animation. If possible give a visual of the concept you are teaching as well as verbal explanation. I would also write the concept or key term on the board so you are engaging more of the senses.
Eventhough I think I have good eye contact with the students, I believe it could even be better. I am trying to wait until they give me the eye contact back before moving on.
Being able to pick up when students truly don't get it, so to speak. I do pretty well, but some are very good at hiding it.
Hi Raymond! You are right on target! Calling students by name and actively engaging in their "learning space" is a good foundation for the student/instructor partnership. And as you referenced, adult learners bring so much life experience to the table. Knowing a little about their backgrounds helps tthe instructor tap into their motivation factors.
Thanks for your observations!
Jay
ED106 Facilitator
from a teaching perspective, eye contact and moving about the class seem to be very relavent, why? because the students appear to accept you better if/when they feel you are interested in them individually.
One of the best teaching skill which need improvement with many instructors is knowing about the students previous work life and another is to remember their names and call them as if they are new friends.
Personal contact, identification and acknowledgement of each student are vital to my success in communicating with any group especially with a diverse group. As an instructor I would like to improve the range of people I interact with, sometimes I feel as if I am speaking at higher level than some of my students are prepared for. I would like to have more appeal and patience with students who are not prepared for or do not understand the information being given.
Sometimes I am overly enthusiastic about a certain topic and as a result get caught up in it and possibly speed through that part of the lecture, forgetting that students are trying to absorb, take notes, and follow along. Also I have a tendency to jump in too quickly when students ask a question and respond before they get a chance to entirely finish their question. I kinda need to keep myself in check and slow down my delivery without losing my passion for the class.
