Being creattive as a teacher for me is the most difficult tasks. Therefore, your suggestions are excellent resource for me to try with my students.
The blocks would help to clarify for the visual and kinesthetic learners the more difficult concepts of catabolic and anabolic methabolic reactions. Thanks for sharing this idea.
I don't really struggle with the long time span of hands on content. I struggle with having time for the hands on portion because of all the content to fit in. I do two hours of lecture and two hours of hands on, however I do think with the great ideas you have given me I could do better to incorporate more creative hands on. My current lectures I at least have examples of what I am talking about, but now I have some ways I can incorporate a game into my lectures. Thank you!!
when teaching about the muscular system, I have found it helpful to color code muscle groups: ex. blue for antagonists of an action and yellow for synergists. Color coding seems to help the students retain the new information and makes for easy retrieval come test time.
Breaks to review and reinforce.
I like to stop at mid points and ask them for any experiences they have had at clinicals and would like to share with the class, that has to do with the content we are covering. Some of the stories are positive and some are negative, but they seem to remember even eachothers experiences later when the content comes up again.
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.
Adults love sports and combining baseball with review is a good combination. Thanks for sharing your strategy!
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.
As a gen ed instructor I have not experienced this type of teaching situations.
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
Frequent breaks (every 60-90 minutes) and summarize often and write summary on white board
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.
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.
I agree, it does help them retain information.
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.
Inviting your learners to use technology is also an attention getter for students.
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.
By personalizing your class with their stories, you refocus, lighten the mood and make the class memorable. Job well done!
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
