Blended learning techniques help my students review after class and increase their input. For example students are required to submit their work through the student portal, so that class time is not wasted turning in assignments. This way I also know what they have completed and what they have left. Using different methods keep the students involved and its less instructor oriented.
I agree. Adding Personal Stories/Experiences has great effect on students if it is relevant to the coursework.
I haven't heard this Term before "Flipped". thanks!
I learned a lot in this course on how to better engage my millenials as well as the growing myriad of resources out there!
I've found that a lecture/demo where I break up both into smaller chunks each works great for a morning class, then comes to a complete halt in the afternoon where I have that one student who constantly needs me to help him during the demo phase and he gets behind. It's difficult to do a one-size-fits-all approach. Also hard to forge ahead when one student constantly applies the brakes.
Lisa,
Wonderful! Please come back and share how you have integrated ideas from this course into your teaching repertoire.
Yours in learning,
Theresa Schmitt
Mark,
Teaching hands-on, software-based courses, I can sympathize! I also find each class has a unique personality, so it is very important to be flexible and have a bag of tricks prepared each class period to accommodate both the advanced and not so advanced groups.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
I love to blend in different techniques because as has been said, you can't meet everyone's learning style. I am taking notes from the other posts about options to try that I have not seen before. Thanks everyone for the great ideas.
Using blended learning techniques permits more time in class by removing some of the time wasted collecting homework, passing back papers, and giving students feedback on assignments individually (like paper conferences) when all of these things can be done online, outside of class time. This makes every minute of class available for valuable instruction. Additionally, the more engaged students are with curriculum, the more likely they are to succeed in the course and truly grasp concepts.
Where can I learn more about Flipped Classroom techniques? Can you give us and example?
Angelica,
Please visit this website, it may answer many of your questions:
http://gofrontrow.com/en/products/frontrow-juno/flipped-classroom?gclid=CLv9_t-BybsCFSdp7Aod4h4A1w
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
I agree. I try to fit practical demonstrations, videos and other visual aids in the middle of lectures. Not only do I find that it stimulates a wide range of learning styles, but it breaks up the monotony of lectures and brings relevance to the information. Besides that, I'm no artist so I really need photos and diagrams to help the students visualize equipment that we can't bring into the classroom to use in demonstration.
There are different learning styles for students. When their age and experiences are taken into consideration it often alters the delivery method for the instructor. It is ultimately the instructors job to assess the learning environment and the students within the environment. Once that step is completed the instructor must decide on the blending learning techniques needed to align with the curriculum.
When assigning group activities to students it is important for them to assign individual roles. All students are given shared responsibility and that prevents one student from doing all of the work. This particular course is giving me new ideas to make sure the classroom remains collaborative and interesting. As a result, the idea of RSS seems to be an effective technique as well as Wikis. Incorporating Wikis will give the students the opportunity to work within the classroom and outside of the classroom.
I agree with Jonathon, especially about the real example. I also normally try to get the students to repeat and activity examples by having them guide me as a group. I feel this helps to re-enforce the materials and gives them a chance to interact.
Isn't story telling our oldest form for conveying teachings, lessons, and information? Showing relevence for what is being learned and how it applies to the student can sometimes provide the glue to make a lesson stick.
I completely agree here. There has to be some teaching in teaching afterall but having ways of keep students involved and interested in learning always makes for better classroom conversations and less Charlie Brown style "womp womp womp".
Flipped classrooms were originally developed in Denver high schools, but the techniques can be used in almost any classroom. Imagine students being required to view videos, access Web sites, listen to a concert in their out-of-classroom time. Then, during the classroom, the teacher can answer any questions that may have come up during their studies and they can do projects or have discussions based on what they learned outside.
For instance. if anatomy students studeied about veins and arteries outside of class, during class, they might try to locate where surgeons would place filters to stop clots thrown from the legs as a result of phebitis to reach the vital organs of heart, lungs or brain.
Another example: Students studying diesel engines might watch videos on maintenance of some component of the engine. During class time, they could actually practice doing that maintenance without having to spend class room time listening to a lecture.
MaxKnowlege will have a whole course on Flipped Classrooms coming out soon, I'm told, with lots more information.
Any thing else I can help with?
Wendy
Scott,I forgot to tell you that you can Google "Flipped Classrooms" and get lots more information on them. Pick and choose as to what works for you, or adapt as necessary. You may also find more information in educational journals.
I think the bottom line is that the more tools that are available in a teacher's "toolbox", the better the chances are that students (of any age) will remain interested and engaged.
Blended learning techniques are great because they help instructors avoid monotonous teaching styles. Periodicially switching to something new - from lecture, to presentation, to video, to interactive techniques - helps keep students alert and engaged, and provides something for everyone's learning preference.
