Activities used in class
I have tried many activities even some that the students suggest if they are appropriate. Learning by doing is an excellent way to learn difficult terms or dry content. I have used many of the activities mentioned in the this course, we also have suggested activities in our course manuals. I also look for activities on the internet. My students like the variety and seem to enjoy class more.
Keep looking and discovering activities that work, your learners will appreciate it.
I have used several different "activities as well and find that, that type of engagment is useful for students who learn differently.
Recognizing that students learn in different ways and planning to incorporate methods that will use a variety of methods is a successful approach for teaching.
I agree with this concept, we have different learners in our classes, so we need to accomodate
all the various teaching styles to keep all students interested and we want to keep the students eager to show up for medical terminology.
Donna, if you can engage your students so that they are eager to show up for medical terminology, you will have much success in your teaching career.
I used a variety of activities because medical terminology can become boring if we use only the book. Games help to also reinforce what is presented.
I agree, using games to reinforce and introduce medical terminology can re-energize the topic from boring to interesting, Donna.
First day of class I hand out index cards and give my students one night of making up their own flash cards; I encourage them to carry them with them and tell them whenever they have a moment in their day to go through the cards and review - whether at a stop light, or riding the bus home, etc. It has been very effective.
Denise, this is such practical advise on studying for the students. Many have not had the coaching for successful ways to learn, which this is.
I find that once I start lecturing, I will incorporate a moment where I stop and re-teach using a question and guidance method. I will ask a question about a medical term I just went over and have the student(s) participate by volunteering to write it on the board. This little change creates an awareness that leads into our activity towards the end (i.e. games, puzzles or matching); then they look forward to this at the next class.
This idea is excellent because it builds memory through repetition, ownership and involvement of your learners.
I have received good feed back from the class after using games. It also helped them stay awake because I teach MedTerms in the first hour of the day.
I have learned so much about activities from this course. I have implemented many of them and the students are having fun.
Cindy, I'm glad to hear you are having positive results with them!
In my medical term class, I yell out terms that they should know from the first few weeks of class, then I have them define it, and then give me another word using that suffix or prefix.
I'm personally excited to try Whole Brain Organizer! I love that it taps into various types of learning styles. Even by doing this course and looking at the example I can still remember all of the drawings and the words.
Its going to be great!
Veronica, this reinforcement of med terms sounds effective.
These activities are useful and help the students to learn terms and they look forward to these activities.
I do this as well...sometimes the lectures can get a bit tedious and it's important to change up and reinforce what's been lectured on. And it give me a break too, so that I don't become "robotic" in my longer lectures....
