Keeping students engaged
The class I teach is two hours and 15 minutes long. I try to keep students engaged by spending no more than 30 minutes on each activity: powerpoint, group activity, video, lab activity, lecture, etc. It seems to work out well.
I wish my class was only 2 hours and 15 minutes. I have a 5 and a half hour class, once a week. I am not succeeding at keeping them engaged, at least so far.
I am teaching Software Engineering which is a people and planning course, so I think I will need to get more conversation going. But with all that is in the syllabus, I am taking too much time lecturing to cover the amterial.
My plan is to drop as much material as I can and get them engaged in their projects more.
I also think I need to spend more time on why they need to know how to work as ateam and plan projects, etc.
I have had to switch a lot myself. In some cases, it just helps because I have focus problems myself. Another thing I have had success with is a guided discussion. I have my topics that I want to cover for the session and get them to do most of the talking. When you do it right, they can teach the whole lesson to each other.
