A combination of powerpoints, white board and discussions are a great way to pull the information together. It gives everyone a chance to actively participate in learning the material.

I like to surprise my students when we do introductions. I like to ask questions that most don't. Like what do you like to do for fun, what is your favorite movie/tv show, and other like that. Then answer the same questions. It makes everyone more relaxed and also sets up the room as a place where we can openly talk about issues.

Planning class material ahead of time is very useful. You just have to be careful to leave "wiggle room". Sometimes I send more time talking about a topic then originally planned since the students are contributing to the topic. The more discussion on a topic the better and you have allow for time for this to happen when you are planning for class.

I like to use lots of everyday examples while teaching class. Especially when we are discussing topics that are concepts. It is easier to understand a concept when you have a real world example to pair the concept with.

does anyone notice that several students tend to leave the fill in the blank questions blank?

how can these techniques be used for online classes?

Has anyone found that lecturing tends to be the least effective method of instruction?

How to best teach a student with ADHD? There are several students with this disorder attending institutions of higher learning.

I often tell stories of personal experiences of my work history to emphasize a learning point. I find this seems to work well to strengthen the point I am trying to get across

I find that a good way to motivate students during lectures is to ask questions. If you ask students if something is right or wrong, you wil get a response and, usually, discussion. But the instuctor must control the discussion si that opinoins don't move too far away from the the lecture main points. And sometimes a dominatant student may be just plain wrong. How do you liven up a lecture?

I believe the daily lesson plan is critical. Even if all that you have planned is not accomplished, you know to move that segment to the next class. The lesson plan helps to include a variety of learning experiences rather than just lecturing for the entire class period.

I would like to discuss better ways to assess students that are taking online classes.

I am teaching a review course for national boards. How do i teach students to study for this. I have used study book guides & CD's, but quickly loose the students interest. any suggestions on methods for this course.

What is the best way to get students to answer questions asked during the lecture and not get just a dead silence?

I think it is important to design tests that reflect the material that you covered in class. I also think it is imporant to design tests that use a combination of formats: multiple choice (I affectionately call this format multiple guess), true and false (aka fifty-fifty), and others. In all seriousness, instructors need to be aware of the principles of test design. In addition, I believe that instructors should do item analysis once students take the test; this will show whether or not there were testing issues that compromised the validity and reliability of test questions.

I cannot wait to try some of the CAT strategies introduced in this module and on the website provided in the module. I have used some of the techniques like the minute paper, but I have deviated from incorporating CAT into my classroom. I am thankful this module provided the CAT information. CAT is yet another means of keeping students actively involved in the classroom.

One technique that I use to encourage students to answer questions is the Think - Pair - Share strategy. I will ask a well formulated questions related to the "Learning Objectives for Today" (also known as the LOFT); the LOFT is always posted on the board and given to students in hard copy. After asking the question, I give students 30 seconds to 1 minute to jot down their thoughts and ideas. Then, I instruct students to tell the person sitting next to them what they think, and I allow 30 seconds to 1 minute. After a minute, I then call the students' attention back to me. There will be a noisy buzz while students exchange views, but the result when you ask for their opinions is worth it. Students have already shared their answers, so they are more comfortable sharing answers with the group.

Often, I will receive notice from the office for instructional needs about students with disabilities. I give them more time on tests. I present information in smaller segments to these students. I offer tutoring support in our Resource Center.

The firstday of class I have each student introduce themselves by stating where they are from and what they majoring in. You learn a lot about your students through observation and attentive listening. I take the time to give some extra attention to students whose first language is not English. I also try to assist slow learners with short exercises.

I find putting students in groups helps them to learn and digest new ideas. I use a random process by having them number off. I monitor all the groups by periodically moving from group to group. If you give each student a specific task, they are more likely to work well as a team. Any other ideas for having successful groups?