Gayle, it makes perfect sense to me. Many instructors do not realize that "pushing the automatic play button" when they teach in class is ineffective. Learners know when we are mentally disconnected.
Michele Deck
Believe it or not, learning happens for me when instructors have 2 traits: humor and a non-personal agenda. Faculty who bring personal issues into the classroom (themselves mentally distracted) might as well pack up and go home. Just as students have a responsibility to show up in "student mode", so do the faculty. Does this make sense?
My dental hygiene insructor never gave up on me and would tell the whys because I now know I am jabber.
Virginia , I'm sure teaching in the lab offers you many opportunities to use some new ideas.
Michele Deck
I like this idea of color coded stations and would like to give it a try on some of my hands on IV labs.
Lisa, I hope this instructors example to you will inspire you to use stations yourself.
Michele Deck
One of my most memorable learning expereinces was just a few years ago, at a CE course I took for dental radiographers recertification. The instructor categorized every topic into stations for various hands on activities, and color coded the written handouts to match the station (which had a matching color indicator near the area) The course, which is sometimes known to be a bit dry in content was actually helpful and rivoting. Students moved easily through the clinic. I learned some much at that course, and had heard the content many many times.
Michelle, what an inspiration your teacher must have been. She gave you a great example of good teaching.
Michele Deck
The teacher that I learned the most from was an Anatomy teacher in college. She taught all different ways, incorporating different techniques such as slides, mneumonics, questions about material covered in class and "homework" assignments. Also, when she was going over some of the material by drawing on a white board, she would use different colors for different items and explain how they would be associated with the items.
Laurel, I agree that dry lectures make learning less successful for most learners. Variety and interactivity is more successful.
Michele Deck
My best teachers were always the teachers that had a hands-on approach. They would involve the students, have concrete models, allow the students to interact with each other, move around the room, get involved in the learning process. There is nothing more unmotivating than listening to a dry lecture and trying to absorb the data.
Beth, once I started teaching, I sat down and write a letter to one of my best teachers to thank her. She was surprised and grateful. Maybe Mr V would appreciate a note of thanks too.
Michele Deck
My best teacher was Mr. V my high school psychology and philosophy teacher. He made the course material so interesting by relating it to real world experiences that you wouldn't find in the text. He also walked around class and interacted with each student individually as often as he could. He made us feel like we were a family rather than talking at us like most of my other teachers.
