I think many instructors may be in the same situation I'm in. I share my classroom with other courses, so I'm limited in what I can accessorize the room with. However, the use of colored paper for assignments is something I can participate in.
Seating arrangements is always a challenge in the sort of rooms I use. Some have non-moveable benches and the seating is only focused to the front of the room, and some have such limited space. I will use this portion of the lessons to support new room development in the future. Allowing changes of seating arrangements provides a higher level of learning and cohesivness in a group situation, which I promote when I can.
I will also try to find appropriate music, when logical.
Hi Pamela, thanks so much for your observations. I know it can be difficult to accessorize physical space when rooms are used for different purposes, and sometimes we may be just limited in what we can and cannot do. I've alays tried as well to use as many mobile resources as possible to enhance a visually festive learning environment. Additionally, when the seats will not move, I do (smile) - that is moving around all of the learning space to help engage.
Jay Hollowell
ED107 Guest Facilitator
Music is something I have not attempted yet, but after reading the unit and hearing others' experiences with it, I am now committed to give it a try. Fortunatley, I am able to move the tables and chairs about in my rooms, and therefore use various types of groups frequently.
Hi Kari, this is great, particularly with visual learners! Thanks for your suggestions!
Jay Hollowell
ED107 GUest Facilitator
Make your enviorment more comfortable for learning
I teach in a lab setting were the seating is not changeable. I do plan to incorporate some color with handouts and homework. Perhaps the colors for quizzes and homework will aid my students in learning and retention.
As part of my course the students do a research project. I have them design and draw a poster to compliment their presentation. After wards we hang them on the walls in the classroom.
I have relatively limited experience in the classroom and have not experimented with either color or music. I remember from some of my classes that colored handouts were used and I never understood why. I just made the assumptiont that the school had excess blue paper and wanted to get rid of it. :-) I will try to add some color to my handouts and materials and see if I notice a difference.
Music will be another challenge altogehter. The school does not have audio equipment in the classrooms that would be easy to use. So, I may wait to experiment with music.
Using colors when teaching anything in the veterinary field is typically not a big challenge. We have lots of things that are colored coded and are things that you need to know for your whole carreer. One way to use color in the class room would be to cordinate the colors with the topic. For example we use red toped tubes for serum collection. We could use red paper or a red back ground when talking about serum so the students make the connection. It also helps to have the students do hands on activites. Recently I used flashlights as a demo for the light on an x-ray machine. The students got to use the flashlights to see the different out comes based on where the light source was coming from.
we already use radio in the labs for back ground.
the volume is low so you don't really hear what song is on. we are not allowed to use any thing else.
As an administrator, I encourage all faculty to use any resource available, create interesting and colorful visuals, arrange the classrooms into configurations that facilitate learning. We have learned some new ideas from this course and I look forward to encouraging instructors to try out some of the ideas. Our campus environment is colorful and inviting. The classrooms, however, are designed mainly for lecture with chairs behind tables. When instructors find new and interesting ways of presenting the material, I encourage other instructors to observe and find ways they can use those ideas in their classes.
Hi Linda, thanks very much for your comments, particularly from the administrative side. I know when I walk into a "lecture" classroom wirth rows of desks facing a podium, my heart sinks. It's ironic that the few instructors who simply lecture in that type of configuration would perhaps have no patience with a faculty inservice that followed that same format.
I love to see classrooms that are engaging and demonstrate active learning - creative seat configurations, visuals, flip charts of student work on the wall, learning groups engaged in practice of skills or discussion of topics, instructional delivery techniques that stimulate as many senses as possible.
Given this of course, some learning environments lend themselves more to this than others. A clinical lab for Allied Health, for example, may be, of course, more sterile and less festive - yet, even in those situations, a little creativity can go a long way!!
Jay Hollowell
ED107 Guest Facilitator
Excellent techniques, Cassie! Thank you! It had not occurred to me that color coding can not only be used for organizing and prioritizing, but also for coordinating topics together.
Jay Hollowell
ED107 Guest Facilitator
by using brightly colored posters of the material will intrest the leaners
We could put some posters on the walls by the door were the students enter the classroom at.they could be of various racers and different events. this would get students thinking about what they are comming to school for!some nice music (before class starts )would help get them in a good mind set for learning also.
The seating arrangement makes a huge difference in my class. With a large amount of hands on training I have to be able to get to my students and they work with each other because of the seating arrangement. They can discuss the project and can get my attention when needed.
Quotes are always a nice supplement. I had not thought of hand writing a quote and posting it to a wall.
Speaking of walls, I was not aware of the right/left aspect of new vs. review information.
U-shaped seating is a favorite of mine for the reasons stated in Module #2.
Without knowing, it seems I have been doing OK with color as it relates to Power Point. I could improve on my use (or lack of) of graphics.
The issue of music use in the classroom is surprising. It was my understanding that the use of purchased music for a one time educational intent was fine.
By the way, I am curious why the discussion threads are not arranged chronologically. I would not imagine a post from someone in 2007 would still be engaged in the discussion.
I think this is a huge plus before class. When you greet the students at the door you make them fell welcome. Most of the time it seems as if there is a calming effect.
Hi Casssie - What a great idea! Even textbooks have various color schemes when moving from one focus section to the next. There's an already preestablished opportunity for instructor/facilitator to use the same color format.
Think how colorful this will make a required portfolio?????
Thanks for the tip!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
Good morning from Virginia and greetings to each of you!
As I read through each response,I kept coming back to individual learning styles and personal preferences. I am interested in what challengings, comments, or suggestions you have received from students.
As the instructor/facilitator, what suggestions do you have on balancing a multi-sensory learning environment with a classroom of very diverse individuals? How do you feel about giving students a chance to help make decision on what collectively work the best? AND - I believe it is important to remember that no two groups of students will be the same!
Your thoughts please.
Thanks,
Jane Davis
FD107 Facilitator
