So now that I have two of Dr. Clouser's classes under my belt, I believe things are finally starting to click (and yes, ridiculous pun intended). This past week, we discussed the merits of clickers - taking polls, getting a read on student knowledge, and even classroom quizzes. And honestly, I could definitely see the value in implementing these for my course in advertising management. As it stands now, I regularly ask my students (I have 16 in my class) their thoughts on certain products and brands, their buying behaviors, and their beliefs on the appropriate solutions for a variety of case studies.
It probably comes as no surprise that I have five or six students that are always piping up, while the rest of the class just sits tight. Now, don't get me wrong... I don't have any students that appear disinterested. But there are quite a few that would prefer to remain quiet. With clickers, I'd at least know the cogs in their brains are spinning.
You know, I find the biggest hurdle in teaching is pacing. Now, I understand this has nothing to do with technology (at least directly), but I wanted to get it out there. This past week, I went through a 25-slide PPT and finished early. How was that even possible? I mean, it was jam-packed with info. However, because my day's subject matter dealt with the economics of advertising campaigns, the students didn't really want to delve into discussion. So yeah, I had WAY too much time to kill.
A few fun anecdotes regarding some of my experiences in the industry cut the time down and provided the students a chance to ask questions. Nevertheless, it still felt like filler. What kills me is the fact that I can sometimes go through a small case study or 20-slide PPT and barely fit it all into my 50-minute timeframe.
I guess getting the pacing right will just come with experience.
Anyway, looking forward to discussing videoconferencing with everyone on Tuesday.
Ciao!
Pacing is a major challenge, and experimenting with new technology can make it even harder! I ALWAYS have a plan B ready to go in case things progress faster than I expect. I wouldn't think of the discussion following your impromptu anecdotes as "filler" either. I suspect that the students learned as much from the anecdotes and personal experiences you shared as anything else. The more I teach, the more I try to incorporate these things as the lecture goes along, breaking up the monotony of the slides and adding a little color to help the students understand what I'm talking about.
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for the kind words!
ReplyDeleteAnd having a Plan B does indeed sound like a plan. (Now, I've just got to figure out how to develop a Plan B. Ha.)
Glad to hear that we've looked at a possible solution to an issue you've noticed in your class, that is, encouraging the quiet students to find a voice with clickers. And I agree that the telling of life experience is not necessarily filler - I bet the students would like to hear more of that!
ReplyDeleteI think clickers is a helpful tool for students too. Getting those "cogs" moving for every student in every class has to be hard.
ReplyDeleteman, i wish i thought of that pun! you're so right about pacing---i find the same thing true when teaching yoga, which i've been doing almost 10 years and sometimes it's just totally unpredictable! having a backup pose (or activity) is always good. and also remember that in college classes, students don't usually think it's a bad thing if they get out early! just act like you did it on purpose: "i'm giving you these last 20 minutes to get started on your project, good luck!"
ReplyDeleteAdam, I have been working on building in activities and discussion in EACH class, this may help if you fly through the slides. It may seem like a lot of work if it is the first time teaching a particular class, but I really think it helps. I have gotten some teaching activity handbooks for psychology as well as the CAT (Classroom Assessment Techniques) book that has a ton of activities for any class!
ReplyDeleteI'll try to remember to bring the CAT book next class, so those who are not familiar with it can have a look.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that CAT book!
ReplyDeleteThanks, folks. Sounds like that CAT book is something I really ought to check out.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, please don't think I neglect discussion questions in my lessons. Because, yeah, I always try to find placements for questions and relevant topics in my PPTs.
It's just that this past week was all about finance and budgets. And the students just did not want to talk about material they felt was a bit too dry and, quite frankly, complicated. Prods such as "So what do you guys think would be the next step?" or "Does this sound like it's a good way to allocate funds?" just weren't great conversation starters. Ha.
So I brought some of my old budgeting sheets to show them on Wednesday. That seemed to keep their interest, and they actually started asking questions. But honestly, that wasn't really part of the lesson.
Oh well. I'm still new at this.
Looking forward to bringing in the CAT...