Barry Westling

Hi Amina, What you're asking is really a question for your institution or academic affairs. However, as far as practicality, I would say yes, try it, and see how beneficial it turns out. Barry Westling

Hi Amina, Good. Also, stories. I think students really like stories, which could be in the form of case studies, past "worst day" situtions, discussion of best practices in the work setting, etc. I know I can always gain the attention of students by using a story. Barry Westling

Hi Amina, Good teachers breed good students. If I'm engaged and motivated, so will my students. Barry Westling

Hi Amina, Sounds great! When teachers just commit to care and do their best, even shortcomings or weaknesses can be overlooked. We all have a unique personality that is special, and we all have areas we could improve on (ask a good friend, they'll be honest!). So by determining to be exemplary from the get go, day-to-day excellance can be a reality! Barry Westling

Hi Amina, Great! You're right, whatever we can do to make the student feel good about their learning experiences will be beneficial! Barry Westling

Hi Jennifer, One of my faculty has a bucket of candied treats and as students participate and engage throughout the class he rewards the student with a treat (food is not allowed in our classes), so getting a treat is special. Another non-graded reward is allowing students to share their clinical experiences in class (this would normally only occur in clinical settings). Students like to share what they're doing, but having an audience is special. Barry Westling

Hi Rita, Many institutions and teachers prohibit the use of extra credit. So we need to recognize that policies vary, and many believe that although EC may make students feel good and assist adusting their grade, it mostly doesn't contribute to learning that much. For me, I don't use EC with the exception of a bonus question on a final exam (that all students can opt for), or maybe throwing out the lowest quiz score (if there are more than 10 quizzes). Just my bias and opinion. Barry Westling

Hi Sara, To move forward, we need to know where we're at to begin with, and pretesting is a perfect way to determine where our emphasis in the class is needed (or not needed). Barry Westling

Hi Nikki, I think your method is great! This stimulates thought, keeps students on their toes (who will be called on next?), and makes for an interactive learning experience. I think technique can be done throughout the lesson, and not limited to trying to engage inattentive students. Barry Westling

Hi Jennifer, Good idea. Simple activities like this break the monotony of focused attention. One former teacher in my department would periodically have the class stand and do either a body-bend exercise, stand on one foot, or do a squat and stand. Then he'd resume class. Seemed strange, but students grew accustomed to it, and it assist getting students refocused. Barry Westling