Lab practicals
I have been a trade school instuctor for a little over a year. I have trouble with the large classes when it comes time for practical learning. I only have three machines in my classroom and during lab I need to be there with them. I only allow groups of three max. Reason being that more students leads to standing around learning nothing.
My qestion is... How can I keep the other students busy while I'm busy?
Rob,
Is it possible to give the students other than those on the machines at any given time case studies to work through. I have found that with case studies they get to use their newly acquired knowledge and make application of the content. As each trio completes the lab work the next trio could come in until you have rotated all of the students through the machines while you have kept the other students working on problem solving.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have to same issue, when we break down during a lab period, I break the students into groups, each with a different assignment regarding the topic we are working on that night. We then rotate the groups, so that while I am working with the hands on group, one group is doing a paper assignment, and another is doing a computer assignment. Seems to be working out well
Peg
Peg,
Good strategy to follow so that you are getting all of your students involved in working with others as well as assuming responsibility for part of the work tasks for their group. Thanks for sharing this method with us.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
