Yes, I am using strategy to keep my students focus for a three hour class.
I find it easy to do so. You get a feel for the students in your classroom and use each students stengths to keep the discussion topic going. I find that having students re-call information from thier expierences helps to understand what is being taught. For example, I will ask them to remember how it felt to smell Grandmas cooking, what was it that helped them to remember all the details about how it smelled, looked, tasted. I encourage them to bring that feeling when learning about new foods and cooking them as well.
I share with them that cooking and eating are one of the only activities we do as humans that we do use all of our five senses at the same time.
Once they understand that then cooking takes on a whole new meaning.
This in most all cases sparks something new in each student and the class enviorment takes on a whole new dynamic.
Understanding that students have multiple intelligences really helps me plan my lectures. I try to alleal to all of the different intelligences so my students will succeed.
It is vital to understand the way in which the students learn. After the first lecture, I give an assessment quiz utilizing many different forms of questions to help determine the ways in which they retain information. In the health field we often use Semantic memory. We arrange long lists of words in a way that the first letter of each word also phonetically spells out a catchy phrase. It works well.
Emily,
Good way to increase reflection on answers as well. The pause has everyone working through their memories seeking to find the answer to the question that has been asked. They know that with this technique everyone has an opportunity to answer rather than the person that is quickest with a response.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Even adapting to a students needs you have to adapt new ideals everyday.
Dana,
Yes, you do and that I think is one of the great things about being an instructor. We get to use our creativity to meet the needs of our students and help them achieve their career goals.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Greater Cognitive Engagement
I start my courses by clearly stating the Course Terminal Objectives to the students. Then allow time for comprehensive question and answers regarding the objectives. Also, by introducing an outline of the course assignments - students have a "heads up" on the investment they will be making in their personal learning development as well as the level of participation that will be required.
If I develop my course following Gagne’s nine conditions for learning, I can be sure that I have provided a format that will facilitate my student's transition through four phases of learning identified in Gagne’s research.
by understanding what areas students needs te most work on in my field lets me know which approach to take to help my students out
I teach Graphic Design and Photography, where this once was the domain of free thinkers and experimenters now referred to as creative’s, both have become very technical in application as the knowledge of computer software and hardware are a necessary skill in today’s job market. There are some things which can be learned then put on a card for retrieval should one need that knowledge again while other things need to become a part of the artist psyche in order for them to perform their daily tasks efficiently without frustration. I as an instructor have to develop in them that understanding of what they need to know like the back of their hand vs. what they need to know or at least know where to find the answers should it come up again. The question often comes up, “why do I need to know all of this stuff †, the answer is because it is what all of the professionals in the field expect you to know if they are going to hire you. Only after giving an assignment which demonstrates how much easier it is to do their job if they commit certain elements to long term memory rather than living in the glossary section of their books do some students understand the need for the learning.
Shellie,
Good planning and great way to put the course together for the students. They get to see how the will benefit from acquiring the content while being given the steps that the course will progress through.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Keelan,
Right you are. This is a way to target your instruction to ensure that the students are receiving the content they are going to need to be successful in their career area.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Ramon,
I like the way you are approaching the value aspect of learning the technical components of the field. By helping them associate each word with application you are giving them the gift of understanding and connection. You are right on with your comment about them being able to understand the need for learning such concepts once they see the ROI of them.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
To assist me in understanding the past experiences of my students, I will incorporate an ice breaker at the beginning of the course.
Gaylene,
I use icebreakers in my classes for the same reasons. They really help to get my students settled into the course and ready for what is going to occur in the coming sessions. Plus, we have some fun and laughs as we get to know each other. I am sure this has been your experience as well.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Some students seem to learn well as a group and some don't. With the ones that don't I will give them a little more one on one time to help them find out what works best for them as far as learning goes.
I teach at a trade school which means most of the students are hands on learners. I do demos and labs at the same time as the power point.
Because students have different ways of learning,I try to present materials in a variety of formats - from lectures, demonstrations, labs, etc. By having the information presented in various formats, the individual student will be able to apply what they have learned from one of the formats to specific projects.
understanding basic learning gives reasons learning works, such as, roasting is a list of tasks to achieve a desired result, but the goal is different based on the ingredient, meat and vegetables have diferent flavors when roasted. so a concrete examlpe would be required to demonstrate this fact, simply describing it would not be sufficient.
Everyone when they receive new information runs that information through a series of filters to determine of what value it is to them. Once the filtering process is completed then the information is forgotten or stored for later use. Knowing this combined with what I learned about ages that the different stages we have more brain development, will help me to understand a lot about how my students are learning and sorting through the information.
