I believe medical terminology can be most effectively taught by using a variety of techniques. Flip toss and wheel of fortune seem fun. I will try them in my next class.
Mariann U
I think group activities are better because you can gauge where everyone's learning curve is in the class. Sometimes, relating to a peer will help you understand better than from an instructor. In a group activity, weaker students will stick out, letting me as the instructor know who may need more individualized attention or tutoring. I can then pair up that student with a more advanced student to help them out.
I think group activities make the learning more fun. I teach my class a different way as much as possible. I try to keep it very creative. We play hangman, jeopardy and do crossword puzzles. Oral spelling Bee's for little treats. and they remember it.
A combination of both mixing it up. Changing teaching techniques every 20 minutes.
This sounds AWESOME ! Where can I locate something similar to these products? Whack-a-mole is fun --how would one apply it to medical terminology?
I know Elsevier has a number of games on evolve tied to their textbooks, but I'm not sure is one is medical terminology whack a mole. I just love the regular game of whack a mole.
I agree with many respondents that a mixture of group and individual activities works best for medical terminology classes as well as for other classes. Mixing the activities gives more to most students and helps each student grow into the learning process. Some students are uncomfortable in group activities so by having some of these experiences encourages them to participate. At the same time having individual activities provides comfort to those whose preference is intrapersonal and encourages the interpersonal students to work more independently. Also, trying to mix the interpersonal and intrapersonal works well sometimes also.
A mix and variety of methods is best to be sure that all learning styles can relate. Thanks for sharing, Lou.
Group activities are so much fun and helps the class get to know each other.
Tammy, if your students get to know each other, it can act as a retention tool to keeping your students engaged and interested in finishing the program. We all want that!
Are these games available online? My instructor manual doesn't have anything like this. I am teaching large classes (40-50) and I'm eager to try something new.
Usually the text book company makes high tech versions of their games as an online tool that is online.
The games I have described here are a part of my book, Instant Teaching Tools for Educators, by me, Michele Deck, but they are not online, but rather a part of that book.
Group activities are great for classroom. I find games on computer software works for individuals.
To keep a group of 50 students engaged, 20 minutes of the class is individual activities and 10-15 is group. This not only gives them a social terminology outlet, but can link them to fellow students that study/learn the same way they do. So I like both methods. I do not feel that one is better than another.
I agree that these activities improve retention, provide more knowledge to the students and liven up the discussion on medical terminology. But isn't there a risk of associating too much "play" to seriously learning topics such as (or other than) medical terminology?
Gerard, if one uses these activities occasionally, and frames it in the spirit and purpose of learning and review, it does not decrease the seriousness of the content. It makes the delivery of serious content less anxiety producing for the students and more positive.
I'm glad I read this thread...I have very small classes (some with only 1 student) so I could use the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" idea since only one contestant plays at a time. Thanks.
Yes. As in a group activity the student repeatedly use/hear the medical terms and that may help them memorize the word and its meaning.
Repetition is the key to retention.
