Great discussion! As a newer instructor, I underestimated the distraction of cell phones and lap tops. I really thought students were using them as "tools" and "resources"! It was only when I began to really move throughout the classroom, I saw how I had lost the interest of some students (especially in the back of the room) and understood why they were missing key concepts on quizzes and exams. Great reminder that it is huge priority to engage students!
I have a small class. I tend to use the whiteboard to do my walk-about. I like to use the whiteboard to initiate questions and to get student response as an indicator of their interest level and my ability to get their intereest in the material. My classroom is about 10 feet by 12 feet. It is small; but, it does give me a wonderful opportunity for personal interaction.
Deborah,
I find your shifts interesting, a couple questions for you. At any given time I feel I can find at least one student that I have lost - they are preoccupied with something other than class - so my question is what percent of your class has to be disengaged for you to feel a shift is needed?
And do you pre plan the Q&A or writing assignment you would use or is it spontaneous based on where the class is at that moment and how many are disengaged?
Logan
I've found that moving from desk, to lecturn, to different parts of the classroom, keeps my students focused better than just lecturing from one place all the time.
It is important for the instructor to move to break-up the class for the students. We all have an attention span and if we do not vary our delivery (vocal variety, facial expression, gestures) by moving we lose the students. When we move we re-start the internal timer of the student and they can pay attention to us again. (I guess it is more important to get them refocused on the material.) The whole goal here is to give the students some variety that forces them to "adjust" and tune in to what is happening. If we just sit in one place and lecture in a monotone voice for an hour we probably loose the student within ten minutes. If we are making some change in the classroom, by moving every five minutes, the students get twelve mini-lectures they pay attention to rather than tuning out five minutes into a hour monologue.
In our situation we are not only monitoring the Students but also computer screen content, possible phone use, and keeping the Students engaged. I like to walk up to a seated Student and ask him or her a question and then retreat and let them answer it. I can also see the classroom from different vantage points to see the class setup, the board, etc. I am almost always trying to look at the room from the Student perspective.
Locating yourself in the classroom works well for both the students and the instructor. It definitely helps retain the students' attention.
By moving around in a classroom or lab, it help to engage your students. As I move around the classroom, I can see everyone of my student's eyes following me. It also help you to use the entire room as lecturing ground rather than standing in one location.
I usuall start at the fron of the class to preent the overview for the day. Then I will usually move to different areas. I believe that this gives the strudents a different hearing opportunity which in turn creates a more eingaged student.
To acknowledge students in the room, to present closer instructional distance, to make the student feel that the instructor is more engaged with the students.
Leon Guendoo
I find that if I move around the class, i get more interaction with the students. If you stand at the front usually you will only hear from the front half of the room. It also lets the students in the back of the classroom feel that they are part of the class and they cannot hide.
Moving around the entire classroom helps to engage students and maintain their focus. It also minimizes, if not eliminates the possibility of students who are exhibiting distracting behavior. You also can gauge whether you are losing certain students, i.e. if they are able to keep up with the material covered or failing to understand the concept. I think it makes a much more effective connection with each student.
My classroom is a full kitchen and my students always know I am there watching because we serve the public.
I give problems for the students to solve, and I walk around the room to see how they are doing it, and help them where needed. Adds closeness between instructor and teacher.
if i remember it correctly, if i stand to the right of the class the students will hear me from the left and have a better chance of retaining info. also I walk around so the students have to move or turn in their chairs to listen carefully and not fall asleep
Stay engaged with students, have the students stay aware and interested, change of scenery and pace
There are any number of good reasons to move around. Changing the focal point for students keeps their attention from wandering. I like to send a message to the back rows that they will not escape my attention. If it keeps the distractions like cell phones put away, so much the better. Finally, it makes me more comfortable-I can't stand being tied to one place!
It helps to keep students focused on the information. I also wanted to add that a recent smaller class size allowed us to reposition the desks in a "U" shape giving our faculty plenty of room to move around. The students loved the dynamic and discussion possibilities with this set up. A simple moving around of the desks allowed us to improve the ability to "locate" and allowed our instructors more "territory" to manage and to teach from.
I find that it helps by engaging the student and it stops other distractions.
I believe it is important to move around the classroom to engage your students. As the instructor moves around the students will also shift in their chars to maintain their line of vision. This will indicate to the instructor the student is paying attention. Those students who do not will signal to the instructor a shift needs to take place; either a break, a Q&A or perhaps, a brief writing assignment to reveal the level of retention which has taken place.
