Attention span for adult learners.
Adult learners have an attention span of 15- 18 min that mean we need to constitsantly keep them rngaged to keep them motivated and enthused.
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I will change my lectures to better meet this limitation that students have.
I will break to the important aspects of my lecture into mini lectures. Hopefully this well help the student to be more engaged.
Learning this concept will help me in my lectures. I think I need to teach 15 minutes, stop for planned discussion about a topic in the 15 minutes, then move on to the next segment. I think this will help the students. Trying to lecture for 45 minutes then do questions is not conducive to optimal learning.
Rhonda,
I think you will quickly get into the flow of this sequence and will have great results with the mini-lectures and then an activity.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
We have a new Dean of Faculty who has indicated that he wants us to do exactly this type of lecture. 20 minutes max, then an activity. He has not, however, made it as clear as this lesson did as to why.
Michael,
Glad we were able to give you some background on this instructional delivery component. I think you are really going to like the results you get with this method.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
When I was a novice teacher, I tended to give my entire lecture from start to finish, reserving Q&A and discussion for the end. Needless to say, I got many blank stares and deer-in-the-headlights looks when I got to Q&A! I have since adopted the practice of lecturing for 15 to 20 minutes, then pausing for questions and discussion. Students are then much more engaged in the discussion, and I find they retain the information much better and perform at a higher level come exam time.
Scott,
Thanks for sharing this professional growth example with us. I know this information will help beginning instructors to avoid some of the challenges that you and many others have experienced in becoming master teachers.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think mini-lectures is the way to go. It not only keeps the students attention but will also help the instructor not fall in a rut with their lecture.
Donna,
I agree. I have used this format for years with much success. The students really stay engaged with this approach.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I agree. I teach for 50 minutes, then we have a 10 minute break, then I teach for 50 more minutes. I usually break the 50 minute sessions into 3, 15 minute mini-lectures with some transition time built in.
Diane,
Good strategy to follow because as you know when you try to push all the way through the 50 minutes with a lecture you lose them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
