Chris Lambert

Bookmark Comment

Videos are great for engagement, but they cannot be used without discussion of why they are relevant and breaking down the learning within them. Otherwise, the students will see them as a prop that is disguising a lack of instructor knowledge or a substitute for real teaching. They have to be researched and selected very carefully.

Chris Lambert

Discussion Comment

Interacting with Technology

One thing I've noticed about technology in my teaching is an unwillingness to fail or not know something about technology in front of peers (especially young adult learners). If the students that are 'technophobic' are encouraged and allowed to learn by their mistakes in a manner that removes them from the judgement of their peers, they will embrace it more readily.

Chris Lambert

Discussion Comment

Techniques to help in th classroom

I find participatory exercises can help, such as, making that student one of the helpers in a demonstration and using their name to make it personal. Pulling them into focus resets their thinking patterns and "wakes them up".

Physical activities where the students are forced to move out of their comfort zone and interact with each other (where possible) seem to break the barrier between their preoccupation and the topic, as other students pull them into the content.

Varying the method of delivery can also help, if every lecture follows the same schedule/format, then I think students can easily fall… >>>