Keeping it fun
I've taught courses and taken courses and I've been most impressed when classes have a combination of PPT that I read, PPT with audio, some youtube clips and interestingly enough I enjoyed one class in which there were games. One game in the middle of the material was a hang man game in which key words from the class were the answers. It helped break up the material for a little "fun". I think the variety is good and taking classes and seeing what I enjoyed or found boring has helped me as an instructor.
Jodi
Amy,
Sounds like a real life office meeting! When one group of people are there, laughing occurs, but when another group is there....not so much laughing!
Shelly Crider
Hi Shelly,
I completely agree with you about the importance of balance. I've been teaching for three years. Feedback from one session included a comment that there was too much laughing in the live chat. A session later, a student thought that the chats could be more energetic and fun. It is a challenge to please all students with their style expectations. However, trying to keep a balance helps.
Regards,
Amy
Karen,
It is fun to read student surveys when they have truly enjoyed a class!! We can learn from what is not working, but a nice pat on the back by something that is good always pushes us to do more!
Shelly Crider
Nicholas ,
High quality and easy to understand is a great combo for students to learn by.
Shelly Crider
I, too, have found that active learner-centered learning works wonderfully for keeping the students interested in following through with finishing the course. I use music, you tube videos, old children's videos just to break up the monotony. Of course, I keep anything I choose to follow the theme of the topic I am presenting.
Plus, I enjoy reading their comments and I can tell the "fun" factor is having an effect on the students.
At my school we also require the students to watch "how to" videos and a certain amount of online video content. I personally, have found that the video content MUST BE engaging in some way or another. Whether it's some jazzy music, a touch of humor or just a video that would be considered "high quality". These things are mostly subjective and may not translate to every single student. However, if you do you best to provide a variety of looks and styles, more often than not the majority of students will enjoy and therefore learn from them.
Keith,
Boring is for when we are ready to sit on our deck in our rocking chair counting the stars at night!
Shelly Crider
Yes! Fun and exciting are two key components of online courses. Nobody wants to do something is boring!
Sheena,
Students are on youtube anyway!! Let's have them look at something worthwhile!!
Shelly Crider
You tube is one of the best tools to use in the classroom and online. I like using this tool for many reasons, but one reason inparticular that stands out the most is that the students can go on you tube on their own and review the video on their own time.
Adding game, clips and activities with draw a student's attention and make the material more interesting as long as the content is well edited for professionalism.
Breezy,
Excellent!! Having extra resources is key and resources that viable is very important.
Shelly Crider
When teaching an online course I think that it’s very important to make sure that the students are involved at all times and also to let your students know that online learning can be fun. I try and provide students with websites since our society is based primarily on technology.
Christopher,
There are games out there that you as an instructor can create this way you hold the content and what should be emphasized.
Shelly Crider
Yes keep it fun. I have also taken online courses but have not taugh any yet. Yet when i did take then and still do, i find that games are fun aslong as they stay on topic but sometimes i like when i dont do games but have great flow of infomation that is keeping it fun. to often the games start to lose the point of the lesson and it becomes off topic and i lose intrest. but yes keep it fun and on topic. some of us just want to keep working and stay focus.
Matthew,
I agree that some classes have over stimulation. We need a nice balance.
Shelly Crider
I agree that adding in elements such as video, small games, audio PPT and other multi-sensory stimulation does help in keeping the student's attention. I have also seen a few courses where instructors go a bit overboard and make the online environment more of a Times Square with blinking lights, movements and sounds all over the place. There is a balance that must happen and the elements should be focusing the student on retaining and understanding the subject. Too little or too much can both lose the student and create a confusing learning environment.
Hi Jodi,
I agree that games make learning more enjoyable and is a good way to keep students engaged. I teach biology and environmental science and often find links to online games that I can post in my classroom. Sometimes they are just for fun -- like shooting viruses, usually though, they reinforce the concepts presented in the classroom.
I especially like science games designed for children. I warn my students in advance that these may be simple so as not to insult anyone's intelligence. At the same time, I know many of my students need a more simple explanation or experience than they are getting from their textbook or our classroom.
The best part of this is the number of students who tell me they played the games with their kids or even their grandchildren. I am sure this makes the experience and therefore the content more memorable!
William,
Your best bet is to check out professional journals for links. There are many links listed in the journals. Are you a member of LinkedIn? Is so, join one of the groups for higher education....loads of info there!
Shelly Crider
