Hi Phonesavanh,
I believe in changing your lecture points. My students never know where I am going to lecture from. I can lecture from the middle of the room, back, front, or side.
Patricia
After break, we review class material by going around the room and having each student point out important concepts, facts, etc from lecture. Sometimes, I move to the back of the room and lecture/present from there, which makes the back row students become front row students.
Have everyone participate and have fun such as having it in a game
Hi Ronald,
Once you have tried various ways to capture an inattentive student's attention and nothing seems to work on your part, you must have a heart to heart with this student.
Patricia
Hi Clifton,
Any type of student involvement is a sure way to capture attention.
Patricia
I try giving the students some real life experiences in Criminal Justice. I'm an ex-police officer and currently employed full time as a Juvenile Probation Officer. I try and not get carried away with "war stories" but giving them some real life experience keeps them interested.
I have found that breaking up my lecture, and asking questions can get a bored students attention. Also passing around some parts for students to handle and ask questions about can help. I also like to move around, even to the back of the class and make eye contact with each student if possible.
First look at yourself and verify that you are presenting the material in an interesting and challenging way. If the instructor is presenting the information properly move to the area of the inattentive student and alert them of your presences. If this does not work schedule a discussion with the student outside of class or possibly have students work in groups.
Regards,
Ron Hampson
I try to get them involved or to contribute in some way. I will find out their career goals and try to make the course relevant to them
Hi Kenneth,
Super idea! I make it a point to call on every student daily to keep their attention, most of the time I call on students more than once during the period.
Patricia
Hi David,
I constantly move around the room. Students will follow you and stay more alert when you are more mobile.
Patricia
Incorporate Powerpoint with videos and group activities to balance the lecture material.
Moving around the room as I lecture is perhaps the most effective means. It keeps me from getting monotonous and relatively stationary and it keeps me interested and involved. And it is not that hard to do--just about any time I don't need the whiteboard to record a point.
One of the ways I capture their attention is get to know them. Then during my lecture I find some piece of information that ties into what they like or are curious about and I bring that to the forefront of the lecture and ask them the question using the very thing I know that attracts their attention.
I agree moving around the classroom is great. It gives the students the feeling you are involvin all of them. In an online course all you can do it use the communication tools given to communicate with the students. Peg Rapai
I had a student that actually walked out because he said there were to many leaders in the group and they weren't allowing him to work with him. He sent me an email explaining this. What I did to get him back was tell him how impurtant his input was because he knew things that the other team members did not. He needed to use his knowledge to help the group out. I told him he was smart and he needed to show the group. He needed to step up. The next class he cam in with a determined attitude and started to mess with the group. You have to understand each students talents and help them enhance those talents. Once I told him how good he was at searching the web he was engaged in the class and his team. Before this he wasn't working with the team and was not engaged in the class.
One of the methods I use to deal with inattentive students is to stand near them, and ask them directly for their input on a particular topic. I like to move around a lot during class time. I often will deliberately move near students who are distracted or having troubles and let them know I am there for them. I also encourage students to talk to me after class about problems they are having with the course and we work together to find ways for the student to be successful.
If a student is inattentive, I will sometimes call on that student; but I do so in a non-threatening way. I also pose a very easy question that the student will be sure to answer. This is my non-confrontational way of letting the student know that I have observed his/her inattentiveness and would like the student to join the dialog. Successful? Most of the time, but not always.
I agree I try to do the exact same things in my class.
I usually have the students engage in the lecture or the subject matter by having a discussion session where I call on individuals names alternating from students who are paying attention or inattentive students.
