Having a solid plan for your class is very important

playing a group game while reviewing material covered.

should multi colors be used in a class room or should just one color be used

I know that we cannot plan for the specific unexpected events that crop up during class time. But what are some sugesstions as to handling them when they do?

During the '90s, when I was on the faculty at Texas A&M, with the Department Head's approval, I decided to change my method of evaluation for a course in astronomy to see if I could increase student class attendance and motivation. Instead of the standard midterm, infrequent quizzes, term paper and final examination, I substituted in the syllabus the evaluation consisting of 15 different quizzes randomly given within the 1st 10 minutes of class, the average of which represented 70% of the grade, a term paper on any subject remotely associated with astronomy representing 20%, the final examination representing 5%, and 5% based upon student participation/attendance. If a student had an "A" or "B" going into the finals, I would refuse entry to my examination room (cheers from the students in question); if the student had a solid "C", the final was optional. If a "D" the exam was mandatory, and if an "F", it was optional if there were a chance of making a "D". To my pleasure, the class average grade scores increased 9 points, attendance was nearly 100% each class day (mostly because they didn't know if a quiz were to be given. Missing a quiz resulted in a zero score), group projects participation and quality were superior to prior classes, and there was less than 1% of my students present at my final examinations. The quality of the term papers greatly increased, surprising me with the initiative shown in both the selection of subject matter and the diversity of research. More importantly, student morale went through the roof! As a result, again with the Department Head's approval, I used a similar method of evaluation for all my other subjects, with similar results.

Living in WV I rarely have to deal with diversification. Listening to this module has made me realize that when I move to FL next year that I will haveto be prepared for some changes.

I teach my students the same way I like to learn, hands on. I always try asking my students how they like to learn. Must of my students are hands on learners. Therefore having an item in their hand while I am speaking about it helps.

I am an instructor with a learning disability. Mine is due to an accident over 15 years ago, but I still struggle with some everyday tasks that most people take for granted. Thankfully, I recognized my issues, received help from others, and have been extremely successful by taking things slow and steady. One thing that I would like to share with others, is that most disabilities are not readily visible and many students have a "want to do it on my own" 0r "I need to prove I can do this myself" attitude. Personally, I think this is a great thing because independence is very important to one with a disability, but an instructor should still do certain things that would help everyone. With this being said, I never assign a routine task to anyone in the classroom. I always ask for volunteers. In my situation, I would have probably dropped a class if an instructor randomly called on me and asked me to solve a problem on the board in front of the class. Even though my hands look normal, I would have had difficulty holding the marker and been embarrassed. I believe volunteering is the way to go.

I have found that if I incorporate some technology into my lecture, I can assist students who possibly are not, at the moment, fully comprehending the material. I do this by making powerpoint presentation of the lecture materials available for students to download. I also do a summary slide for each section.

As an IT instructor, I have found that group work helps all my students. In teaching computers, I normally have a very diverse population in regards to student PC knowledge. There are always the ones who already have a strong skill set and others who have never used a PC before. I try to balance my group by my observations of skill sets and assign specific roles for each group member. This allows for the more knowledgeable ones to assist the others and gain experience in sharing their skills while the other gain from learning from their peers.

I enjoyed reading the material about engaging students through movement in the classroom. Through my teaching, I have found that students are more responsive when an instructor is not only passionate about a topic, but also lively in their delivery.

I taught a class called Student Success. It was largely focused on how to be a good student. In that class the students discovered their learning style and prepared an individual strategy plan tailored to their learning style. I have received feedback from students 2 years later from students that comment on how helpful it was for them to understand how they learn. I think every college/school should consider this type of assessment and learning strategy planning. Colleen

Lots of topics can be found on the web, Promotes public speaking, critical thinking, and leadership abilities. Students really enjoy these.

Hi! I'm going to be teaching an Intro to Veterinary Technology class this quater. My class is 2 hours long twice a week. I would love to break up the time by doing group activities, but I'm having trouble coming up with ideas, that don't sound too elementry. Does anyone know of any good websites? Thanks!

Doctor: As a former judge and prosecutor, now involved in teaching a highly technical, non-academic skill, I've again come across the all-too-common belief that "those who can, DO; those who cannot, TEACH; and those who cannot teach, TEACH TEACHERS?" Thanks. MARC

Questioning can come from both sides, students and instructor?

Can we mix differents kind of test into one test?

It's always great to have some time to reflect on my teaching competencies. As a lifelong learner, I find there are always areas for improvement. The Harvard bytes were interesting; it's a good touch to have input from such a prestigious school. I am also an introvert, and so my challenges are in the areas of creating greater rapport with my students. Wish me luck! :)

Self Assessment and On Site Supevisor Assessment are important for an Evaluating Experiential Learning?

The syllabus is the skeletal framework for the course. The teaching, along with additional resources, such as multi-media, handouts, activities, and instructor experience in their field provides the "muscle and sinew." The "halo" is the charisma, knowledge and demeanor of the instructor. Putting together the skeletal framework, muscle and halo creates a package that when delivered to the students, creates a terrific learning environment.