Technical Instruction
I teach a class in mechanics. I use PowerPoint, printed hand-out material, lecture, demonstrations, and finally student lab. exersizes.
James,
Do follow the same order or do you mix these up in your lesson plans?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I teach a majority of lab/hands-on classroom ,but I do try to use as many of these styles as possible. I truly want to educate my students to the fullest. It is difficult with the diversity of my students. But it is my job to make sure they succeed. One of the reasons I picked this course was to educate myself, so I can educate my students to the best of my ability.
Rick,
If you find one new strategy to use based on this course it will be a success. Think about how that diversity is similar to the real world and how you can use it to your advantage.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I use all the same strategy you do except I have found myself using less powerpoints and doing more drawing and writing on the board. The students have had to start taking notes and copying my drawings which has led to more active participation and better learning. I also tend to do more "lecture" in the lab environment where the students can have their hands on the components we are discussing. this way my explanations have become more clear
I'm now teaching a different course than I have in the past. I like the lay out of this one because I use the power point witch students follow in the book. We have discussions on the topics where I may use the board for further explanations. Then we go to lab and directly apply what we discussed.
edward,
Do you have any group activities?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I do something very similar as you do Steven. I love to draw and find that when I draw, my students copy the exact illustration. I find that when my class is active in the power point, they retain more information. I have most of our power points memorized and I like to go over them touching on the parts of the job tasks or real world information that the power point may not cover. I really just use the power point as a guide to keep me on subject and on time.
I do recommend trying to give lecture as a "guidance lecture" or "talking them through the task" instead of just information lecturing during the hands on portion of the labs. I have found than if I give a general information lecture during the hands on, my lecture is not retained. I believe most students need my material delivered one at a time vs. hands on and lecture.
I like everyone's techniques and have adapted many of them one thing I like is more use of the board. Something else I do is before we start a lab I do lab notes of the do's and don'ts and the students have to write them down before they can start the activity.
Craig,
Why not provide a handout and discuss the do's and don'ts. The students writing these down does not guarantee understanding of the do's and don'ts.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I use these same tools for teaching, but find too much powerpoint puts the students to sleep.
David,
If the powerpoints have too much text on each slide that would put anyone to sleep. Powerpoints using imagery can help drive discussion.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I must use the power points provided because I teach manufacture specific training and can't use any other materials. I found to keep the students interest I make sure I have examples of components I pass around, have hand outs, and have developed critical thinking questions as we go through the power point before we go out to the lab that relates to the power point.
Jim,
You can add your own slides? Or add some review activities during the power point presentation.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
