Learning by Doing
One real key point that should be included and emphasized is when crafting the course and program as well we cannot forget that students get bored very quickly with death by powerpoint presentations. We must develop the course to include practical application and with as much student participation as possible. In the future, participatory learning will be critical.
Hi Philip,
Great reminder. It is easy to put together a PowePoint presentation and then hope the students get the content they need from it. We need to focus on outcomes from the content and the return on investment (ROI) on the part of the students. Do they see and are they getting value from the method of delivery we have chosen? This question will help us with our instructional planning.
Gary
I like to use a power point to discuss what the students will be working on in the lab. The lab exercise will allow the students to understand what was in the power points. I would never expect the students to learn from a power point, as many times they are very gray and hard to grasp.
I have found that following a mini-ppt presentation with a hands-on activity illustrating the concepts in the ppt has helped with the students' understanding.
There needs to be a good balance between lecture and participation. If you break up the lecture time with interactive learning the students tend to stay more focused. When teaching evening classes that are 4-5 hours long, sometime the interactive learning becomes crucial.
Hi Lisa,
To me this is the only way you can teach classes that last this long. As I have mentioned my classes are this long and at night so I have to use the strategies you suggested or I would lose them around 4:30 and we have until 10:00 to go.
Gary
I myself have found that I am a learner by doing in some cases and reading in others but I will almost always try somthing before I read about how it is done. Does anyone else agree with me?
I almost always go for the hands on approach to teaching. I find that most students like that I teach through the project rather than from the book and then have them complete the project on their own. I run into some problems with a few students here and there that feel they didn't use the book enough and considered it a waste of money. It's usually only one or two per class. Should I be concerned?
Hi Justin,
I wouldn't be overly concerned if the number is very low concerning students that question the use of the text. You might look for ways to include the use of the text more while still showing the students the practical side of the field. Have the students do some assignments using the text as a reference or using the summaries at the end of the chapters for discussion. Anything that will get the students into the text without taking excessive time away from your hands on effort.
Gary
I have found that when I take a "hands on" approach, I am able to remember the steps better than by just reading. This has helped me in the clinical setting. I am able to adapt much better because the text is more relevant.
Hi Jennifer,
The body mind connection is very powerful so content retention is much higher as a result. The more we can use this strategy the higher the level of student learning is going to be.
Good example about learning preferences.
Gary
