Educational Learning Methods For Keeping My Students Engaged

Being a new instructor for a state university in San Francisco gave me a feeling of anxiety because it was my first teaching job in a college after several years of being a high school teacher and just several months after I fulfilled the qualifications to teach in college. When I was a high school teacher, one of the educational learning strategies or methods I used was to keep my students actively engaged in class. So I figured I should use the same learning method so I can get the college students I was going to teach to be engaged.

However, there were differences between high school and college classes. A college class was much bigger than a high school class, college students are considered adults and supposed to be more serious. So I did some research to learn more about the educational learning strategies I can use for teaching a college class besides the strategies I learned from my undergraduate and postgraduate education.

When I start with my college class, I would make sure that my students are following and understanding the presentations and other lectures I am giving to them by providing a feedback mechanism. A simple feedback mechanism is asking the students to show me if they agree or disagree with my lecture through the nodding or shaking of their heads, or expressing the thumbs up or down response. But I will make sure that they express their feedback in a courteous and respectful manner just as I show respect to them.

Another learning strategy I will use is to discuss with my students the things that I expect them to learn from me. I will talk to them not just during class presentations or lectures, but during discussions about research papers and other academic writings. I hope that by sharing these educational learning strategies, I could give other new or aspiring college teachers a lead on how they could effectively teach a college class and help their students to learn.

Recent Post: Taking My Early Childhood Education Course
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Taking My Early Childhood Education Course

Early learning education or early childhood education is the organized system for the early education and development of the learning process of early childhood from birth until six to seven years old. When I graduated from my undergraduate course in education in June 2009, I decided to specialize in educating preschool children by taking a graduate degree in early childhood education.

I enrolled in the early childhood training program of a university in Portland, Oregon, and university's program has a complete and comprehensive courses for aspiring early childhood educators like me. I decided to take up an one-year course in early childhood education and I started with my course in October 2009.

Besides the technical aspects that I learned from my course, I have learned that books, toys and games are three of the most important learning tools used in early childhood education. The approach for introducing books to preschool children are by storytelling of the teacher and giving applicable reading activities that relevant for the ages of the children that I would teach. Using educational toys and games would develop the natural learning skills of children, such as giving a simple puzzle to a child would help his natural curiosity for new things and enable him to develop his mind.

When I finish my course in October this year, I plan to take a state certification exam for my course and hope to become a certified early childhood teacher, and get a fulfilling and rewarding teaching job where I can apply the principles and knowledge I learned from my course.

Recent Post: Learning Strategies
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Learning Strategies

Students use different learning strategies in their personal study time. Learning strategies are techniques used to facilitate a better and faster learning. They also make the learning process easier and enjoyable.

Learning strategies include methods of study improvement, better memory and quiz answering techniques. An association strategy called loci is a classic example of a technique in memory enhancement. A fact is associated with a place to make it very memorable and thus memorisable.

Learning strategies that aim to increase the degree of the on-going learning is called “mathemagenic.” An example of this kind is the variable insertion of questions before, during or after a lecture or a written study material. The technique has shown an increase of the degree by which the learning takes place. This kind of strategy has caused a corresponding change in the way professors have delivered their instructions and lessons.

The SQ3R method is a very common and widely used learning enhancement device and has become a studying skill used by children with good study habits or under effective tutors. The method involves five simple steps. First, scan the whole lesson to be studied. Second, think of questions you want to ask about the subject matter or in other words, be curious of what the lesson may be about. The third step is the actual reading of the subject matter. Fourth is making a mental review of as much of the whole material. And finally, reviewing the whole lesson by reading again.

The development of other learning strategies is still ongoing. They include social interaction, conversation and situational or situated learning.

Recent Post: Effective Educational Learning Methods for Secondary Schools
                     Educational Learnings

Effective Educational Learning Methods for Secondary Schools

It was in 2009 that I started with my new teaching job for a secondary school in a suburb of Leeds. It was my first teaching job and I had to prepare for teaching a Year two class consisting of six year old children. So I decided to review the educational learning methods I learned from my university studies and select which learning method I can use for my class.

Based on the review of my studies, I decided to use three educational learning methods, which are the engagement, enthusiasm and clarity methods. The engagement is learning by doing in which I would set up the classroom in way that there is active interaction between me and the students so it would induce my students to learn.

In the enthusiasm method, I have to show enthusiasm in the way I speak and act. I usually use the enthusiasm method when I am orally lecturing my class, but I talk to them in way that is not boring for them. I make sure to smile and use body language movements that are appropriate and relevant for my pupils so they would see that I am very enthusiastic and full of energy during the lecture.

The clarity method is making sure that my instructions are clear by making sure that my voice is in a tone that would be clearly heard and understand by my pupils. I also make sure that my directions for doing a task is clear and given to them in step by step instructions.

I used the three educational learning methods in my class for the academic term from 2009 to 2010 and I am proud to say that those learning methods had positive results in my class. My students became more enthusiastic, desirous and more stimulated in listening and learning their lessons. Moreover, my students had an easier time to understand, comprehend and absorb the knowledge and skills I was teaching to them.

Recent Post: The Open Options I Took for Educational Learnings
                     Educational Learnings

The Open Options I Took for Educational Learnings

When I graduated from secondary school last year during a time of recession, getting a private university education was not easy. I got a full-time job after graduating from secondary school, but my savings were not enough to pay for tuition fees and I still had to think about other university expenses. After searching the Internet on options for higher educational learnings, I found out about the distance learning method of the Open University institution.

I learned that the Open University offers educational learnings of higher education for people who want to study either on a distance learning basis or on a part-time basis for people like me who have full-time jobs. Living in Birmingham was not a hindrance since I could make inquiries and even enroll through the website of the university. After reading all the information in the university's website about the procedures and advantages of distance learning and the opportunity to study while working full-time at the same time, I decided that the Open University is the right school for me.

Since I was working as a sales clerk in a computer marketing company, I decided to take a computing and business degree since this course will give me more knowledge about the concepts of modern computer systems and the major concepts of business operations.

After finishing the third term of my first year, I am proud to say that the educational learnings of the Open University has given me more confidence and raise my self-esteem because I now believe that I will have a better career opportunities and professional growth by the time I graduate in my course.

Recent Post: Exam Preparation Tips for Secondary School Students
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Exam Preparation Tips for Secondary School Students

In the secondary education system in the United States, the academic term has the two terms of the same equal lengths and is called a semester, which consists of two 18-week semesters. The major exams in each semester is usually the midterm exams and the final exams.

If you are a first year secondary student having some difficulties in studying for your midterm and final exams because you are still adjusting to your academic life in a secondary school, following some simple exam preparation tips or guidelines would help you to overcome the difficulties in studying for your midterm and final exams.

The exam preparation guidelines that a student should follow:

You should study consistently so you do not have to procrastinate at the last minute when you are in such a hurry, which could even stress you out and you may lose your concentration and focus. You can read and review your study materials after your class or during your spare time.

Organise your time for studying by making a list of all the subjects you are taking and the study materials for each subject. In your list, assign the specific days for reviewing and studying the subjects and the topics you will cover for each topic.

If you consistently follow the exam preparation guidelines for your subsequent major exams, you would be able to develop and improve your study skills because it would be easier for you to learn and absorb in your mind all the information that you are studying.

Recent Post: The Importance of Music Education in Primary Schools
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The Importance of Music Education in Primary Schools

Many primary school educators and music teachers in the United States have complained about the many public primary school districts that have decided to reduce or cut music education programmes from the school curriculum due to budget cuts and efforts to save money.

If you are primary school music teacher, then you should understand that music education is an important part of the education programmes for students and it should not be cut from the curriculum.

These are some of the reasons why music education should be part of the curriculum of a primary school:

It provides an artistic experience for students because they would use music as an outlet of expressing themselves, which maybe impossible in the other courses of their school.

It infuses the students with values that would make an impact on them, including the values for cooperation, discipline, patience and perseverance, hard work, teamwork, social skills, and it builds good character.

It builds and supplements the learning skills of the students in their other courses, which include reading, mathematics, physical education, and it develops and improves their social interaction skills.

If there is a possibility of the music education programme in your school of being reduced or cut, you should meet and organise with other teachers and students interested in music and inform the school administrators of the importance of having music classes in your school.

Recent Post: Open University Becomes Attractive to Young Undergraduates
                     Educational Learnings

Open University Becomes Attractive to Young Undergraduates

Distance learning is a form of education focusing on an instruction system that delivers education to students who are not physically present in a traditional classroom setting. The premier distance learning university in the UK is the Open University (OU), which is noted for having an open entry policy of having no prerequisite entry requirements for most of the university's undergraduate degrees.

The latest educational news about the Open University is that the percentage of young students enrolling in the university have constantly increased so that 25% of the new students in 2009 are in the age group from 17 to 25 years old. The university officials have cited several reasons for the recent popularity of the open university system.

The tuition fees are the most compelling reason because the average fees are between 4,000 to 5,000 pounds for an undergraduate degree, which is lower compared to the average of 9,000 pounds for a campus-based university degree.

Another reason for the popularity of the Open University educational system is the various distance learning methods available to students, which include audio and written materials, disc-based software, television programmes and the Internet.

In addition, many young students in the OU have full-time or part-time jobs who are usually working towards a first or additional degree as a way of career advancement in their present jobs or in future job prospects.

                     Educational Learnings