Delivering Engaging Instruction

1
Delivering Engaging Instruction

• Exceptional Teaching Ideas in Action
• Chapter 4

2
Engaging Instruction Defined

• What does this mean in ECPI terms?
• - Active Learning
• - Collaborative Learning
• - Hands-on Learning
• - A Student-Centered Environment
• Remember The goal is not to fill the bucket but
  to light the fire!

3
The Personal Learning Environment

• You never get a second chance to make a first
  impression!
• Students decide within the first few minutes if
  they like you, the course, even their classmates.
  
• One of the most important aspects of our product
  is that we treat each student as an individual.

4
The First Day

• Engage their interest immediately!
• - Interact with the students they are more
  than just a name.
• - Use an icebreaker for example ask them
  to write their first name on a note card and to
  think of three words that start with the first
  letter of their first name to describe themselves
  they can use colors, activities they enjoy,
  adjectives, adverbs, etc.
• - Ask your students what they expect from the
  course! Be open to their suggestions and engage
  them in a discussion about what has worked and
  what has not worked in the past. You learn as
  much from your students as they learn from you!

5
The First Day Continued

• Adult learners want to know why a course is
  relevant using the programs offered on your
  campus give examples of how the material they
  will learn will help them in the workplace.
• Always explain your expectations!
• Allow the students to interact with one another.
  Have them break into groups of two and interview
  one another and then introduce each other to the
  class.

6
The First Day Continued

• One of the most important questions to our
  students is how they will earn their grade. This
  should be explained in the syllabus but always go
  over this with the students.
• Be positive! Dont scare them with comments that
  will make them think they cant or wont pass
  your course let them know you are excited about
  the course and anxious for them to succeed.
• Give an overview of the course material - let
  them know the beginning and the ending points.
  Give them a little interesting information about
  the topics things that are not necessarily in
  the book! Fun fact of the day!

7
The First Day Continued

• Stop lecturing! Our students should be active
  and collaborative. Research shows that the
  typical student can only pay attention for
  about 20 minutes before they begin to wane plan
  20 minutes of instruction/explanation and then
  get them involved in an activity.
• Be sure to give your students multiple ways to
  contact you. Remember not all students are
  comfortable coming directly to you in the
  beginning or speaking up in class let them know
  that email is an appropriate venue.
• Wrap it up with a review ask the students to
  write the one minute paper or other method to
  help draw the lesson/activities together. To
  quote a famous man Its not what you are
  teaching its what they are learning

8
Learning Styles

• The Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Styles
  Scale
• Experiential Learning Theory
• Auditory-Visual-Kinesthetic Style
• Applying these theories to instruction

9
The Active Classroom

• Two approaches instructor-led and
  instructor-facilitated.
• Instructor-led you do all the talking, the
  students do all the listening
• Instructor-facilitated the process we strive to
  accomplish in our classrooms

10
Instructor-Facilitated Approaches

• Collaborative Learning
• - all students have an opportunity to
  participate
• - allows students to lose their inhibitions
  free thinking and brainstorming
• - Facilitates teamwork a crucial job skill.
• - Allows you to interact with a students on a
  different level by moving from group to group

11
Instructor-Facilitated Approaches

• Stop working so hard! Let the students teach
  remember when you can teach someone else you
  really know the material. Let them show their
  expertise, their creativity, and boost their
  self-confidence! Ask them to find a unique way
  to present the material.
• Set up panel forums, debate teams, anything and
  everything that will get the students to interact
  with one another and you!

12
Motivation

• Maintaining group and individual motivation in
  the classroom can be difficult, especially during
  a 5 hour session. Heres some suggestions
• - Provide frequent positive feedback both
  verbally and nonverbally on both an individual
  and a group basis.
• - Provide written positive feedback on
  returned assignments.
• - When giving individual verbal feedback, use
  the sandwich approach say something positive,
  give the needed constructive comments, and end
  with something positive.

13
Motivation continued

• Have students create a tangible outcome or
  product presentation materials, posters,
  journals something that your student can look
  and know they have accomplished something.
  Display appropriate student-designed material
  around your classroom.
• Play review games make it loud, hand out
  rewards for appropriate answers get them
  involved!
• Always use positive, repeated comments.
• Make them think ask them to role play, create a
  board game, get them to apply their knowledge!