Judith Kluth

The course has given me a new look at gaming in the classroom.  Effectively engaging students in learning is a challenge faced by all instructors - novice and veteran.  I appreciate the course instructors view on using appropriate gaming and not just sticking it in a lesson.  I am going to implement the boss battles for certain.  As for the others, I will need to do some more reflection before I decide.

This module on students with learning disabilities has reinforced what I have previously experienced in the middle school classroom.  A big challenge then was discovering the learning disability the student actually had and then putting accomodations and or modifications in place.  In the college classroom, the student is their own advocate and knows, for the most part, what has worked for them in previous classes.

I do agree that the accomodations used to assist students with learning disabilities can benefit most students in general.  For example - giving instructions orally and repeating them, have a few students tell you what… >>>

Repetition of new terms is crucial to learning and retaining content vocabulary.  Using newly acquired terms in written and oral expression is an effective method of assessing a student's vocabulary acquirement. When I am introducing new vocabulary words to my students, I pronounce the word, they repeat the word aloud, then they write the word.  As a result, they see the word, hear the word, say the word, and write the word.

I like the idea of working in groups especially when it is to research, evaluate, discuss, and conclude on a hot button topic.  I also use the random assignment of groups.  In my experience, it works more effectively for the students even if they know each other very well.

The effectiveness and benefit for the pause!  I will have to admit that I get a bit twitchy when the classroom is quiet.  I tend to feel that learning is not occurring unless I or the students are busy talking.  After this module, I will be certain to engage "the pause."

Be creative, be competent, be personable = student engagement and success.  I plan on writing this on an index card and keeping it visible during my classes.

I learned a few new ways to enable the students feel at ease and hopefully be more confident in the skills they will learn and develop.

Preparation equals success.  A prepared instructor is a confident instructor who has the ability to meet the students' needs and expectations because he or she is not second-guessing himself or herself.

My takeaway from this lesson is that professionalism is the utmost important characteristic an instructor should possess.  All other instructional characteristics flow from professionalism.