Technical lab
Most of our learning is hands on. So it is always a challenge to cover the other aspects of learning and recognize the people that need extra attention.
Josiah,
Focus on the student outcomes instead of covering information. We want to know the students are learning and can demonstrate the skills desired.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
With larger class sizes, lab groups become larger it is easy to miss a student that needs extra help. When dealing with lab groups try to focuses your attention on the student that does not seem to be participating in the active, he or she usual it the one needing the extra help.
This is true but it's usually those students who tend to hide. As the old saying goes "The squeaky wheel gets the grease". Student who ask for help will get it but the shy ones will often slip through the cracks. It's only during the "Hands On" portion of the final exam when you learn if they know it or not.
During lab I try to move around the lab area and check in with each lab group to see if they need help. However, if a student is determined to not do the work they can slip by.
In the end the best result, I think, would come from working with small groups (10 or less). There really is no substitute for one on one mentoring when teaching a new task.
Keith,
You can make small teams within the lab group and have students help each other. Students teaching each other results in the highest retention of information. They are reinforcing what you teach at a peer-to-peer level.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Warren,
The best way to deal with the students that are determined not to do the work is have them do it in front of you or have another student work with them. Letting them slip by does not help them or other instructors who have them later in the program.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
