Question competition
Once per rotation, I try to have a class competition where I split the calss randomly and ask questions to each team. This allows complete class participation on each question and is a fun activity.
Melissa,
This is true. Assigning roles to quiet students can get them to interact more.
Judy Mohammed
Melissa more,
I find that breaking into small groups is a very useful tool to get more students involved.
Judy Mohammed
Breaking students into groups when they are not responding to questions seems to be an effective technique. They often feel more comfortable with the possibility of being wrong in smaller groups. This also encourages them to teach each other and explore the course material through different points of view.
Breaking students into groups when they are not responding to questions seems to be an effective technique. They often feel more comfortable with the possibility of being wrong in smaller groups. This also encourages them to teach each other and explore the course material through different points of view.
Connie,
Students love to be challenged and they enjoy competition. We should all strive to make learning enjoyable and effective.
Judy Mohammed
I also use this technique. My class is divided into teams and I keep score when the question is answered correctly and let the other team 'steal' a point if there is no answer or it is incorrect. The students love it and are always asking if they can play the game. It also makes them very competitive.
I don't use it as much as they would like because it would soon be expected and my lecture time would be greatly reduced, but it definately works.
Denise,
It gives us teachers much pleasure to see the less audible students taking the lead. Many times, they just need a slight push from us.
Judy Mohammed
As an addition to this< i use this technique periodically throughout the term and give the quieter more reserved students the lead role.
Joel,
It is very true that mixing it up in classes keeps the students alert. Games work very well and involves the entire class. Asking questions also keeps them on their toes and promotes critical thinking.
Judy Mohammed
One of the most important concepts for an instructor to be effective is to get the students involved in the learning process. offering a challange such as thinking games mixed with competition is a great thing.
Lanny,
Absolutely! And sometimes we have to make the decision whether to let the discussion go on or to curtail it so that we can deliver our content.
Judy Mohammed
I like the use of the Jeopardy format. The competition becomes so animated that a simple closed question can become a full discussion of the topic at hand.
Karen,
You may even use some of the questions they develop in their tests.
Judy Mohammed
I'm going to start doing this! They are more confident in a team setting.
Brian,
Great ideas! Research shows that the brain is more active and retains more just after physical activity (not to the point of tiring ourselves). It is interesting to me to employ these games of skill for learning, after all, learning should be fun.
Judy Mohammed
I agree Jeopardy is a great idea. There are a few more ideas that I have practiced in the past to stimulate the learning process and help with information retention. Playing other games such as basketball or games of skill as it relates to correct answers are a few more ways to stimulate education. The questions need to be more complex than just true or false questions. THe questions need to be more open. Each team will vote on if the person has given a good enough response. This keeps everyone involved; even those that do not fancy sports, they can be judges for their team. In the end the students learn the material and have fun in the process.
Michael,
Using teams is a good way to get students to interact with each other and the quiet ones do begin to come out of their shells.
Judy Mohammed
Mark,
Great technique! Jeopardy is a favorite with teachers becasue of the reasons you have listed and, like you pointed out, students enjoy it.
Judy Mohammed
This is true; many students are more comfortable participating in a discussion or answering questions when they are on a team. The students who generally remain quiet in class tend to engage more when they are functioning as a part of a team.
