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Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Delivery

PowerPoint presentations is a useful tool to delivery cours content. This highlights the important facts from the textbook as well as keep you focus to move through lectures smoothly.

First Impressions

I have learned during the first day it is important to meeting and greet all student at the door of your class room to help them feel welcome. Games are alway good as icebreaker to get the opportunity to meet each other and for them to learn a little about you as well.

Staying on task - Syllabus

Insturctors at every level uses aids such as a syllabus to prepare and organize lessons. Regardless of the syllabus format this helps students as well as instructors stay on task. This also helps students move systematically toward learner goals.

Selecting Testing Format

I learned a lot about selecting a testing format during this session. I test my students everyday and see what they retain. The slower students would leave their test blank frequently.

Assessing General Education Skills

I continuously assess general education skills on my students because they don't understand a lot of questions that are asked orally or written. Their biggest excuse is that they have a IEP or were always special education students that were never put in population, and could I continue what they were use to doing like read the questions to them. Wow.

Keeping students engaged during discussion

Sometime it is hard to keep students engaged. I find it better to ask a few questions at one time and allow them time to think about their answer.

Knowing and Understanding the various learning styles

When I begain to understand the different learning styles better, I was able to understand my student's problem in retaining what I think is simple information.

Engaging shy students in active learning

Hi everyone, I've enjoyed reading about all of your great ideas for employing active learning in the career college classroom. I incorporate active learning through writing groups, small group discussions, and guided activities. My goal is to involve all students, but I find that shy students do not participate as much in activities that involve the entire class. In my experience, they do better in small groups. Does anyone have any advice for getting them more involved in all-class activities?

Effective Curriculun

How do these interruptions play a role in the development of an effective and realistic curriculum, scope and sequence, and detailed semester pacing guide?

Group vs. Curriculum

Have you seen examples of when the involvement (or lack of) from a particular group has helped or hindered curriculum development?

Taking Pictures of Students?

One of the suggestions I read in this module for helping instructors to remember student names was to take pictures of them. Would all students feel comfortable with that? It seems a bit questionable. How do others feel about this?

Using First or Last Names in the Classroom

I suppose my observation is primarily about creating a professional image in the classroom, but it also seems to affect teacher/student rapport and the nature of the teacher/student relationship. Over the years, I've found that individual instructors tend to have very strong preferences about whether or not they would allow students to address them by first name. Some instructors only allow students to address them by their professional title (e.g., Dr. So-and-so) or standard formal address (e.g., Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so). My last name can be difficult to pronounce for some students, so on the first day of class I tell them that they may address me by my first name (though only a few of them ever do) or by some other combination address, like using Mr. before my first name (which some do). Many of my students will make an effort to learn and use the correct pronunciation of my last name. I tell them that I am okay with any of these forms of address and they should choose the one they are most comfortable with. I also add, with some humor, that any of these is better than just saying, "Hey." When I go through the class roll on the first day, I also ask students how they would like to be addressed -- by first name, last name, nickname, or some abbreviated form of their first name (e.g., Rich instead of Richard). Most of them are fine with first names, though some older students prefer that I use their last names. I suppose what I'm getting at here is the idea that names are SO important. But maybe the formality/informality of the address is less important than recognizing the unique individual attached to that name. I always know every name of every student before the first day of class is over and I address each one of them by that name, which sometimes elicits some nervous laughter from the students ("We won't be able to hide or escape from being called on in this class!") or even some applause from them ("I can't believe he already knows us!"). We all want to be recognized. And so much of our identity and self-image is attached to our name (just read Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake). Whether you're a student or an instructor, I think you just want some confirmation of that identity in the classroom. As always, I'm curious to hear from other instructors on this issue.

Testing

Measurement of learning is testing. The mode needs to be as fluid as the learners themselves.

Testing

I have found that evaluative tests are key. A regurtation of material does not prove learning!

Questions

The structure of the question is key based on learning style. Puzzles for logic learners, word puzzles for written learners, etc.

Types of learners

It should be plain that we need to learn our students rather than they learn material.

Walking Around

I think walking around while you lecture is good. It work for me because you make the students feel comfortable with you. Also, they free they have a better access to you.

Review of tests and quizzes

Do you feel it is important to hand back tests and quizzes to let the students see their results and go over incorrect answers?

Learning Disability

Broadly speaking most students have some form of learning disability. The main difference is just that for some it is more pronounced and therefore requires more attention.

Using Metaphors and Analogies

Using Metaphors and Analogies is a great strategy,especially for students with limited vocabulary. by using illustrations of daily life the instructor can explain complex topics easily.