This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:

Effective Teaching Strategies --> Delivering Course Content

Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.

I need to develop my lesson plans using a variety of teaching and lecture methods rolled into each plan. Thr students will get bored if I only teach using 1 teaching delivery method.

Try to touch each varying teaching style. Be prepared and take time to talk to students prior to start of class to get a feel of what the days feelings are. Demonstrations should be practiced before student arrival but always have a back up plan. Lecture for 10-15 min with mini breaks. Being a great teacher is part expertise, part story telling, part acting. 

We would all benefit from learning how TED talks are crafted.   This is useful because the primary goal is to change us, through education, and not primarily via edutainment.   For starters, they strictly limit a TED talk to 18 minutes, no exceptions.   The reason is due to limitations of the human brain in the 21st century.  They strongly encourage presenters to land 1-3 main ideas.  The max is 3 because that is all that a human's working memory can handle.  They tell presenters to use both the left brain and the right brain to engage listeners.  This means to have data/illustrations, but to drive the point home with an emotional connection that leaves the audience begging for more. And, of course, as classroom teachers, we also need an assessment of some kind at the end in order to determine if everyone was paying attention, because statistically, at least 25% were not, and maybe as much as 75%.

In this module, I've learned that instructor should work harder by demonstrating different learning styles of the students, lecture format, and demonstrating techinical subject.  The success of the students in the class is the reflection of the instructor integrity and discipline.   

Making sure you develop good lesson plans that incorporate different learning styles in short 10-15 min increments is essential. 

I think the importannce of preparation, pacing and presentation of engaging student material are all great take-aways from this module. Ensuring that course materials are presented in a way in which students will not only understand, but retain information is of upmost importance. I also found the general attention rule of 10-15 minutes very useful and something that I will take away as a benchmark for my class lectures/demonstrations.

5-7 steps.......I will have to keep this in mind when providing instruction for certain procedures.  Also keeping in mind to include all learning styles will prove to be a challenge. 

I will ensure to vary the delivery of learning.  The class may have different learning styles and it is important to vary my teaching method to be able to reach as many learning styles as possible.  

How to produce effecive lectures to students 

How to introduce the best way to deliver a demo the pre, during, and post phases. In addition, the importance of using the varying my technique on delivery to meet each of the learning styles.

There has been some recent research that suggests that although we have learning preferences, the idea of an exclusive learning style has been largely debunked.  We should have varied teaching techniques of course, but we can quit the ridiculously impossible attempts to neurotically satisfy every need.

That said, there is a book which I highly recommend.  It is "The Compelling Communicator" by Tim Pollard.  He uses brain science to argue that any presentation, demonstration, example, etc., should be limited to three things.  This is because the brain, for most of us, is only able to process three things at a time.  Adding more than that shuts the brain down to the point that it may not remember the main point of the demo.  So, keep it simple and assess it simply, but immediately. 

Sal Kahn of Kahn academy argues that technical skills, such as Math should require 100% mastery before moving to more advanced matter. This underscores the need for frequent, even if unofficial assessment.  The biggest reason students are 'left behind' is not because they can't, but because they didn't.

To develop a lesson plan using a variety of different teaching methods. Students have different learning styles. Delivering instruction through a variety of teaching methods also makes the course much more interesting.

Be sure you are concise

Plan, demonstrate, mix content presentation styles.  Capture student attention at all times.  Min lectures of about 15 minutes have proven to be effective.  

This module was a revelation to me : just realized what a great lecturer I already am. 

There are several type of leaners and as a instructor learner your students leaner styles.

It's important to incorporate different methods of instruction to accommodate different learning styles. It's also important to break lectures into digestable portions, especially since attention spans today are much shorter than they were twenty years ago.

Each individual is exactly that...an individual.  With that, one must realize the uniqueness of each and realize everyone will have their own sense of learning style, as an instuctor I have to be sensitive to each unique individual.  Thus I can provide techniques to everyone within classroom. 

Vary your teaching style to reach as many students as possible. Prepare your course demo and practice it.