I like to have them smell the pages of the book first, so as to bond with it. Then they can look at the pictures, and then finally read the book. Seems like a joke, but the point is that learning takes place on so many levels.
Associative learning options reinforce a linear presentation of information. Visual metaphors, mnemonics and funny, evocative names for processes and are all useful tools I will begin to incorporate more deliberately into my teaching. I've often wondered why the "Peanut Butter and Jelly" lecture is so effective term after term. Now I know!
Hi Jose,
Thank you for the follow up information. I am always looking for additional strategies that can be shared with other instructors as we strive to expand our knowledge of instructional delivery.
Gary
Hi Gary, thank you for your response.
I work on a synchronous environment. Thus, I have the opportunity to interact with students live. Before the lecture, I like to go over what was covered he previous lecture. Also, at the end of the lecture a highlight the key points that were discussed. Sometimes, I give them a peek preview of what is coming up next.
Jose
Hi Jose,
Good point about helping students retain course information. What are some strategies that you use to help your students with understanding the key points of a lecture or activity?
Gary
Ashley: I wonder if it's necessary to tell the students what it isn't important. I figure that if you do both, important and unimportant, they might get confused. I wonder if we just focus on what it's important, they would delete the rest without our help. What do you think? Thanks.
J Medina
Shirley: Probing questions can help you determine whether students are learning the material. For example, asking things such as: "How would you apply this concept to your work experience (or to your present job)? This way you are allowing context and relevancy to enter the students immediate application of the concept and the chance “episodic” memory take over.
J Medina
TJ: How would you go about "understanding how the student learns most effectively"? What sort of strategy do you use for that? Thank you.
J Medina
I need to repeat and restate to the students what has been said to them more often. Summarizing and highlighting key points to help them retain and store the information in the brain. I also need to probe students about what they are thinking during lectures. This would give me clues on whether or not they are decoding the given information correctly.
J Medina
Hi Chez,
Application and relevancy are two words that need be a part of the instructional planning process. You have made a number of good points about how to prepare for daily and total course planning.
Gary
Hi Debra,
Good way to express this very important need for instructors. By "listening with your eyes" you are able to anticipate what you need to do to keep the students focused and on target in the course. This will help the students to see relevancy and application.
Gary
Instructors and students are human beings. We both forget time to time while other times we filter what is secondary important in our daily lives. By understanding the basic of learning, will definitely help me to develop some kind of method to get my point across. I’m an instructor as well as a student in life. As part of refreshing the memories, I always end my lecture with today’s summary. And recap what I’ve taught before the day’s lecture begins. This way it will help ease the transition from what has taught and going to be.
I also make sure to sample my own experience, what others (big company) has done to the lecture or assignments that will help students to relate to what they are learning and what is expecting of. This way, I believe, it will help them to build some kind of connection between what they learn & way to make it easy to rememeber.
Chez Boodparset
Instructors and students are human beings. We both forget time to time while other times we filter what is secondary important in our daily lives. By understanding the basic of learning, will definitely help me to develop some kind of method to get my point across. I’m an instructor as well as a student in life. As part of refreshing the memories, I always end my lecture with today’s summary. And recap what I’ve taught before the day’s lecture begins. This way it will help ease the transition from what has taught and going to be.
I also make sure to sample my own experience, what others (big company) has done to the lecture or assignments that will help students to relate to what they are learning and what is expecting of. This way, I believe, it will help them to build some kind of connection between what they learn & way to make it easy to rememeber.
Chez Boodparset
One thing important to each of us is feeling we are understood -- and giving each person the ability to be heard is always a challenge. As an instructor, I want to inspire, but also "listen with my eyes." Being relevant, even when our own hands-on experience may be in the past, is important, but not as much as being in the present with each individual. Revelation vs. information.
As a new instructor I was amazed at the relevancy of the topic. I have encountered many isues in communicating with students that tie directly into this information.
Thanks,
It is important to always look at practices to improve instruction. Understanding learning and the processes that take place helps instructors do just that. Understanding yourself, learning, the content, and the learners can help the learning event be more effective and efficient.
By understanding how the student learns most effectively, I can adjust my teaching style to deliver the information in the best manner. I always though mnemonic devices to be a sort of gimmick. I now see their value with a deeper understanding.
The benefits are definately enormous, but the best one may just be simple. By having the ability to compromise with different types of learners, the teaching my not always be simplistic, but the results of the students' progress in accelorating in their particular field may be huge. Communication is where the learning starts and through practice of what is learned, the students can then progress quicker and more efficient.
Definitely helps me realize a different potential for the classroom.
Hi Camille,
You a number of good points about the different learning pathways that students take. By being sensitive to the decoding and recoding abilities of your students you will be able to help them to store and then retrieve the needed information from their long term memory.
Gary
