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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.

Delivering course content

It is best to know what the course is about. I believe that it helps to give the students an overview of the course by reviewing the syllabus.

Meeting the class for the first time

In meeting the class for the first time I find it helpful to introduce myself, give contact information and review the syllabus. Also it is helpful to call the roster to put names with faces.

Planning and Preparation

I find that the best way to plan and prepare for class is to read the material make notes and/or highlight and review before class.

How to motivate students

I find it helpful to motivate students by showing that I'm excited by the subject matter and encouraging them to participate in class discussions.

The Ol' Switcharoo

After just finishing my first year of teaching, I'm finding that many of my students feel like I pulled a fast one on them. They perceived me as being a "nice" and enjoyable instructor but then when they took the final exam and received their grades, they feel like I was overly harsh or difficult. I'm struggling with knowing how to avoid the perception that I somehow pulled fast one.

Keeping your student motivated

It is very important to set standards and be very creative when teaching material that causes the deer in the head light stare. I 've found that my students learn faster when it is funny or something they can relate to.

What are some other forms of assesments out there?

Other than tests with multiple choice, true false, essay, fill in the blank and competencies?

disabled

How do we train some body who is disabled to do physical parts of a job?

looking at students

What if you are in an arena with 200 students?

objectives for the students

the instructor has given the students a clear idea of what they will be learning, what the task are and what the objectives are along with a realistic expectation of their classroom time.

involving all students in questioning session

My class has different degrees of education. Although the requirement to enter the program is only two years in college I have students who have bachelor's degree, medical degree(Doctor of Medicine),other doctorate degrees and associates degree and the 2 yr.college requirement. I normally ask questions during my lecture to a level that is comprehensible to all of them. After the anatomy and physiology of an organ the best portion to ask questions is when I go to pathology of the organ.I can already ask critical questions like "what adjacent organs are involved in the presence of a tumor in this particular organ?" "How many of you knows a friend or relatives having such condition and are they presenting similar signs and symptoms?" Normally everyone wants to participate in the discussion.For me critical thinking is a good stimulating process to check how much they understood and how far they have learned. It is much also better than memorizing. Thanks for the other tips on questioning in this module.It is definitely helpful to instructors with diverse student education and population.

Preparation and Organization

To be int he classroom early and ready to teach or assist students with any questions or concerns for what they are about to learn. The lesson plans are on the white board; white board is being used and copies of the day's class for each student.

To be focused on the student experience and learning outcomes.

To behave as a model professional at all times. Continially engage with students while they are learning through our experiences and through the course outline guides.

Active Learning in the Writing Center

I facilitate an Online Writing Center. One strategy I have found effective in engaging students in active learning to help them develop key skills are workshops that include interactive practice activities. For example, we have workshops on paraphrasing and writing thesis statements that include activities that invite students to work together to create paraphrases of a passage by working through the steps for writing a paraphrase. Students share their ideas and ask questions. I would appreciate additional suggestions for including more acitve learning opportunities in the Writing Center.

Course Objectives and Planning

How do you handle a course that requires flexibility? As an instructor, you may want to plan out the course but there may be circumstances that do not allow for planning out the semester. This may cause uneasiness but if it is out of your control, how do you deal with this?

"powerpoint" - in the dark

I have found that PowerPoint is overused and keeps the spirit of teaching lost. It does have its place and a "GREAT" powerpoint presentation with color ,anamations ,videos Etc is great. I wonder how many use powerpoint everyday just reading from a poor slide that they made or were given, no real energy just line after line oh put me to sleep now. If this is the only way the teacher delivers the material to their students day after day then they need to learn some other teaching techniques. Maybe teachers like myself who never use powerpoint are looked upon as boring and weak? My classes are never boring if anything just the Opposite. I can't say I'll never use powerpoint But for now, I won't keep my class in the dark.

First Time Teaching

Early in my college career I was going to become a second-grade teacher. However, after being a preschool teacher, I realized that becoming an elementary school teacher may not be the best for me. After completing the first learning module, everything I had studied from my past teaching courses came rushing back to me. Now I will be a clinical instructor for nursing students. Although this may be in a different learning capacity, similar teaching principles definitely apply. What challenges do first time instructors generally face?

Delivering Course Content

In a classroom we have 4 styles of learning and 3 ways students learn. We as instructors must reach as many students as possible therefore, we must try to reach at least 2 learning styles each class period provided the stubject content allows this diversification. I use a demonstration of a problem in Accounting on the white board first, lecture next, and then I use Excel and a projector to show the worked probelm on the screen. Then I allow the students to pick a problem for me to work and we work the problem together. This seems to work. Then they have a similar problem for homework.In Document Processing I, II, and III I key along with the students which seems to help the students build confidence.In Spreadsheets I always work the Tutorial with the students and then they work the Review and case problems at their own pace.

Meeting the Class for the First Time

When I meet the class for the first time I am nervous as well as they; therefore, I introduce myself and tell about by work experiences then we play a game where the classmates try to find people who like these certain items. The one who finds the most in 15 minutes wins two movie tickets. This gets the class to move around and get to know one another. Then they introduce themselves and tell about their life experiences if they choose. After this we take a break then I pass out the class syllabus and go over the rules very carefully. I especially emphasize the importance of attendance and how attendance play a big role in the grades they can obtain in the class. I call the role and try to learn their names quickly. Before class is over I try to teach them one new piece of information to wet their whistle to want to come back and learn more.

Multi-format instruction

I find that it is best to vary instructional methods within a class, as well as the delivery format, in order to keep the lesson fresh and interesting. This is especially true in longer classes or when teaching seminars (such as some 6-hour seminars I've delivered). Planning, of course, is very necessary. The teacher needs to have a clear idea of when and how to change the dynamics of the classroom so as to provide a smooth and interesting lesson.