I feel that it is an effective tool to assess whether or not the student has grasped the information you are trying to convey.
By maintaining eye contact for 2-3 seconds with individual students, I have become a much more responsive instructor; I am quickly able to tell whether or not a student may be confused, or if that student truly grasps the material under discussion (through the a-ha! expression). Also, I find that students tend to be braver about asking questions if they can give you a "heads up" through eye contact.
By having eye contact I'm making sure they are listening, if I notice someone is not looking at me I ask them to pay attention and take notes. Sometimes I will ask to see there notes to assure they are paying attention to the material delivered.
-melanie
Eye contact coupled with mobility within the classroom gives the instructor a variety of tools to measure class participation. Being that 55% of human comunication is visual in aspect provides continuing feedback in both direction from instructor to student and student to instructor.
Such as;
1. Class involvement.
2. Personal intereaction.
3. Measure course material in format and
delevery.
As a speech instructor I recommend engaging each of your audience members for a moment or two...just as you would instructor to student
I like to use student's name while lecturing. I involve their names when I am explaining for examples. That way it helps them to pay attention and make eye contact with me.
Eye contact allows the student to be aware that they are the instructors focus during a particular moment in time. Knowing that the instructor is aware of their surroundings, as well as being able to focus their attention on a student rather than a group can make a person feel important and welcome.
Maintaining eye contact for a few seconds makes people feel you are speaking directly to them, getting them involved as in a conversation. It keeps them engaged in what you are saying and hopefully listening to what you are going to say next. It makes them feel important and they will often smile.
Hi Bethany!
It makes perfect sense because that is really what instructors are trying to accomplish - to keep students engaged. Eye contact is reenforceing and engaging!
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
It is amazingly engaging. It's almost like a subtle way to hold the student's mental presence accountable, if that makes sense. They know they have been engaged when you do it. They know you are aware of their level of mental presence. If they are not mentally present, it is a subtle way of reining them in. It works. I use it all the time. It has to be short, just the 2-3 seconds. It can very easily move from engaging to uncomfortable, odd, or distracting if it's not used properly.
Eye contact allows myself to monitor if I have my students attention. Also eye contact gives me confidence in my lecture.
Your students feel that they are important and will feel more comfortable in participating.
They feel like you are listening. it also makes them feel important
It lets students feel like you are engaged specifically with them
Hi Bruce!
Eye contact adds validity to the communication process between two people. If someone can't look me in the eyes, I don't feel as though they are truly interested in me or what I have to say.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Eye contact helps engage the student in the lecture at hand.
Greetings Justin!
I couldn't agree more. I recognize that technology has its place in todays world. But personal interactions have been the cornerstone of communication since the beginning of time.
Good job and keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I believe eye contact is important as the subject suggests. Not only is it vital out of the classroom, it is important in the classroom so the students have a clear read on their instructor. A lot can be known through the contact of your eyes. It tells a lot of a man and woman for that matter, with eye contact or without..
Eye contact makes it personnal - they are no longer part of a large group or class they are an individual. Even if this contact is only for a moment it still makes the biggest difference in the world.
Making eye contact with each student in the class helps me to see if they are understanding the material being presented. If I do see some confusion, I can stop and go over the information again until the student does understand.
