During long spans of hands-on content, they first thing I use is taking a good old-fashioned break, usually around 10 minutes. We are generally working on massage, so I make sure they are moving around the body and not staying on one part of the body for too long. I will also show them different techniques to use on each part of the body so it does not become monotonous for them or the person they are working on. Sometimes we will even do hands-on first, then lecture, then go back to hands-on.
This is an excellent idea as it causes the students to interact with strangers, which will be their job once they graduate.
I like to bring in people that my students do not know and have them do vitals, etc. on them. It is more like a real life setting. I use many family members and friends and am never short on volunteers.
As an instructor, I will refocus my students by first allowing them to take a break and then as they return to class, I then allow a student to demonstrate the task that we learned. This will include the steps taken and including the why and how for the demonstrated task! I then allow the other students to ellaborate on the deomstration as well as what could be done to improve as well as what was done correctly!
We change it up often, going from lecture to hands on frequently during class time. Our class is a four hour class so there is no way anyone could lecture or listen for that amount of time. I also have the student help with the lecture when we are working on terms or various readings from the book and interject with real life experiences to make more interesting whenever possible.
You have discovered the benefits of being a flexible teacher and reading your students. This allows you to insert the right activity when you lose them to bring them back.
This tends to happen to me when I am teaching the Anatomy & Physiology portion of the program. When I can see in my students' eyes that they are wandering I will either give them a short break so that they can walk around, get something to drink, use the restroom, etc. The other thing I may do is play a quick game of hangman or Jeopardy with them. The change of pace, especially one where the class has to participate as a group, tends to motivate and "fire up" them so that we can continue and get over the "boredom" hump.
Tammi Smith CST, MBA
By personalizing your class with their stories, you refocus, lighten the mood and make the class memorable. Job well done!
I try to allow them to speak on the subject about a personal story that relates either about themselves a friend or family member it usually gets a laugh or two and brings us back to the topic while adding levity.
Inviting your learners to use technology is also an attention getter for students.
First I agree that instructors have to update their strategies in presenting the material to their students. I find dividing the class into groups and asking each group to demonstrate specific concept very effective and brings creativity and enthusiasm.Jeopardy game is another great idea. I asked my students to design their clinics using some helpful websites, and some were very impressive. Using new ideas for designing a project that will be part of the final grade can also bring alot of motivation and great applications.
I agree, it does help them retain information.
I have enjoyed all the suggestions that were provided...sheet activity, card games. I find getting the students up and moving; really helps with retaining information.
Julie, it's also a good strategy to have the students be the ones writing the summary on the white board, too. This igves them ownership of the content, so they are less resistant to learning it.
Frequent breaks (every 60-90 minutes) and summarize often and write summary on white board
I find that incorporating real life experiences enhances the learing topic of the evening and allows for learners to reflect on the experiences shared and how to handle a particular situation.
Diana
As a gen ed instructor I have not experienced this type of teaching situations.
Stories create vivid and memorable pictures in the learners' minds, April. Using your students' stories also gets their ownership and commitment to the information connected to that story.
Adults love sports and combining baseball with review is a good combination. Thanks for sharing your strategy!
I break my class up into 2 teams and play baseball using medical terminology terms. The students can keep advancing on the bases one at a time with each correct answer until 3 outs (wrong answers) are made. Then the other team is up to bat.We play until the material I want to review is complete. I use this in several classes where there is a lot of repetitive material. It always goes over well.
