Hi Laura,
Students love it when technology is involved in teaching! It is certainly a high-tech world.
Patricia Scales
have students in small groups to discuss a particular subject or activity that has been presented that day then discuss it breifly prior to dismissing the class for the day.
Hi Kimberley,
I love to involve active learning by having students do some type of hands-on activity that pertains to the lesson. Students love it when they are actively involved.
Patricia Scales
Great plan during your lectures! I find that student really love to hear real life experiences and to share their own to aid in heir learning of the lecture and material concepts.
Hi David,
I have found the same to be true! Students truly love hearing students that are applicable to the course content.
Patricia Scales
As Part of the Emergency Procedures course, I usually lecture on the hazards and risks. I start with a definition on the board of each and then we brainstorm each hazard and the risk involved. Some times this works well but others I see I am losing the students so I have devised a scavenger hunt for them to identify hazards(potential to cause harm)in the classroom, then the hallway and then the building. They have about 10 minutes to identify 3 hazards and then we discuss the risk and how to mitigate. This gets them moving and thinking about the meaning of the words and how they are related to emergency management.
One activity I am contemplating change with is my student introductions. In the past I used to go around the room and ask the students to tell the group where they are from and give the group a couple of fun facts about themselves. I usually have 35-45 students, so this process can take a bit of time. And, unfortunately, I often can't remember the facts from the first student to the last. In the future I am going to try the technique of having the students draw a picture to represent the facts about themselves and post it on the walls of the classroom. The students will then present their picture to the group. This way everyone can associate each person with a particular picture representing unique facts about each individual. The ability to reach back and connect with former classmates is key for this group as many of them will be working with one another in the future.
Hi Janet,
This is a great exercise to get students up and moving! Contrary to belief, students would rather be up an moving! Students tend to always enjoy scavenger hunts.
Patricia Scales
Hi Laura,
Great idea! This idea may not work well for those who can't draw well.
Patricia Scales
I have been presenting an introduction to an asynchronous course and leaving questions until the end. I could change the format so that students discuss among themselves and I listen to their thoughts as well as answer questions instead of asking them.
I do that all the time stop and ask questions. I do not care if it is a short or long lecture still ask questions and give real life experience.
Hi Allen,
Yes, students love for us to share real-life experience with them. They are anxious to know how things really are in the real world.
Patricia Scales
I break lectures into groups infiltrating student activities. I also time myself and my activities so that the students are engaged and do not become bored.
Hi Judy,
What a great way to monitor boredom. Students enjoy a variety, and they love hands-on activities.
Patricia Scales
The lectures that I facilitate are sometimes a little longer than others. I break down these lectures into smaller segments and have the students break into groups and do learning activities over the information that we have reviewed. Then one person from a group will present to another group the findings of the activity to them. The key I have found out is that the same person cannot present the findings twice, that waay every student is actively learning and participating.
During lectures I will always be looking around the class for non verbal clues as to who might be puzzled, bored, or showing any other sign of disinterest. I will present a question to the class, and after I get several answers from the group. I will then restate the question along with the group’s various answers. Then I will bring the less active people into the conversation by asking their opinion of which answer they think would be best.
Hi Robert,
Great way to grab inattentive students attention. I like how you smoothly involve all students as to not to call anyone out.
Patricia Scales
Hi Edson,
I love it! Great way to get all students actively involved. Learning really sticks when students are actively involved.
Patricia Scales
I teach Nutrition. I bring in usually healthy snacks, such as laughing cow light cheese and crackers, or hummus and carrots sticks. We then look at serving size, calories, fat, carbohydrates and protein, fiber, etc., and compare the nutrients. While they are eating, we discuss the various nutrients. They are able to see what they are eating from a nutritious point of view. On another class day, I might bring in several different brands of granola bars, and we compare the nutriient values of the different bars. Everyone gets a small taste and then we look at the fat calories, protein, serving size, amount of sugar, etc. It usually provides a very lively discussion. And makes the students have that "Ah Ha" moment, about reading labels. They also can see how to determine how many calories come from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. However,there are other topics in the class, where I feel I have to just power lecture through to complete all the objectives for the class. For example, learning about the importance of vitamins and minerals, or how digestion plays and important role in health or disease. I can't think of a way to present that with an active learning strategy.
Great idea, Kenny! I'll have to try that one.
Wendy
