Summary of Student Panel Presentations
On October 31, and November 1, we assembled rotating panels of students to share with teachers how they learn, their interests, and their comments about being students.
These notes reflect a summary of what they have shared.
How do I learn best?
- Hands-on learning
- Dialogue with students and teacher
- Group work or working in pairs is helpful
- Sitting in circle for class discussions
- Class discussions where students can bounce ideas off of peers, learn together
- Interactive lectures, where students are participating with teacher in some way
- When student is an actual part of the lesson, remembers material better
- Use of visuals is helpful--like using document cameras/projectors
- Multiple approaches(visual, auditory)
- When subject matter is tied to real life examples, makes learning more interesting
- When subject matter is taught with creative humor, easier to remember information
- Teacher modeling how to do something
- Teacher writes notes on what is marked incorrect; doesn't just mark an "x";
- Teacher passing back tests for review so students understand how to improve
- Discussing the "what" behind the assignment, not just how to do it
- Room arrangement affects student comfort with group work; students like flexible spaces
- When teachers share their passion for subject
- When students feel like they are part of something
- When students have a good relationship with teacher--hard to let teacher down
- When teachers take a personal interest in students' activities
- When students are allowed to use their own passions to complete the assignment (like comic design, etc.)
- Music in the background during quiet activities helps focus students
- Projects where students can "make them their own."
- Choice and variety of projects--or students propose projects themselves
- Podcasts are helpful when you are absent
- When less stressed out, students learn better
- Competitive games make learning fun/interactive/motivating
- Would like focus of learning to be college but also "real world," careers, and life in general
- Open ended, higher level questions--Socratic method recommended; rather than busywork type of factual questions
- Test the multiple intelligences of classes at beginning of semester and try to adapt course to the students in class
- Students like "fill in the blank" notes or taking their own notes--have to pay attention that way.
- Using movies creatively to teach a concept or using YouTube videos
- When teachers encourage questioning
- Being able to listen iPod in order to focus when working alone
- When students can work together to solve a problem; teacher needs to let students know when this is okay
- Learning from peers
- Teacher provides fun and catchy ways to remember stuff
- Labs and hands on activities after a lecture help "cement" the real world learning
- When the environment is safe and not chaotic
- Rewards
- Would like ability to "place out of homework" or "opt out of homework" on occassion
Student recommendations for group work?
- Smaller groups(3-4) or pairs work best--easier to get group together and to keep all members working evenly; larger groups are too unwieldy and frustrating
- Grade group as individuals also
- Sites like wetpaint or wikis allow you to see how much work each student is doing
- Set up rubric before the assignment so students know what is expected of the group, or have the group come up with the rubric
- Allow group members to assign their other members a grade or rank
- Allow students choices of projects but need to be consistent
Technology use and projects--student comments?
- Powerpoint is overused--"You don't have to know anything about a project to make a powerpoint."
- Choice of media would be preferred
- Using laptops would be helpful for projects/notetaking
- Like audio recordings or podcasts of class so if absent, can catch up easily
- Sometimes students know more than the teachers do; if something goes wrong, teachers don't know what to do to help.
- Students would like to know more about design and making better looking, flashier, well designed projects
- Students use Facebook regularly at home to do study groups, get tips from former students, keep up with homework, etc.
- Students like when teachers have many materials available on their website; makes it easy to keep up.
- Online assignments are motivating
- Favorite sites; YouTube, iGoogle(can make your own homepage), Google, Wikipedia
- Students like having access to grades/assignments online
- Students like Office; also animation products and course
- Some students aren't very comfortable with technology
What causes students difficulty in learning?
- Homework, when it is too long and not meaningful or is "busywork"; definitions out of book aren't going to be remembered by copying them down, for example--other ways to learn them.
- Prefer homework that is concise but meaningful so it can be "absorbed"
- Stress caused by information/homework overload--Students need help managing stress
- Lecturing without students able to talk (droning on...)
- When teachers discourage or disparage questions
- Being rushed
- When teachers go on tangents unrelated to subject (they do like stories that are related to subject)
- When students are all at different paces and students have to wait too much; would like times when students could work at their own pace and move ahead when ready
- When teacher attitude is "business like" and not personal
New courses students would like:
For more information, please contact jadkins@eanes.k12.tx.us or cfoote@eanes.k12.tx.us
Westlake High School, Austin, Texas