Hands on course for motivation.
Our courses are very much hands on, and his helps with learning and motivation. One way I like to get them motivated is to have a little competition between students for the straightest, or best detailed work, and they seem to learn from other students how to improve the quality of their work at the same time.
Ryan,
Life is a competition so our students need to be prepared to meet and succeed in it. I use a lot of games in my classes to help the learning of my students as well as help them to see that they need to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be able to secure the job they want. They can do this only if they are very good at what they are trained to be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree. Healthy compitition is a very good motivatior for hands-on activities. For instance, in my phlebotomy class, the students always want to do their best. By picking the top 5 in a class of about an average 20 students, motivates them and helps with perfecting their technique.
I use hand on actiivites in every course to assit with motivation. Simple practical stimulations assit the students in becomming more involved in the course as well as identifiying the activity in their personal or professional life.
BERKLEY,
This is a challenge for sure because you want students share what they have learned but not to the dismay of other students. You support of all students helps them to see that you value every student and how he or she contributes to the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Competition is good but you also have to understand that some students are much stronger in a subject than others. I have seen some students flaunt there sucess and it as a negative effect on students that might learn as quick as others. At that time I step in and let everybody in the classknow that they ALL did an awesome job.
Peter,
The use of games and competitions within a class are good preparation for the work world. Career success is based upon competition in a lot of areas so they need to understand such challenges and how to be successful in their careers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
