Helping Students Learn

Part of the job of teaching requires us to show students how to be students. I think this part often gets left out. We sometimes expect that students know how to learn already. Experience shows that this is not always a reasonable expectation.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

Although it is clearly the students' responsibility to learn the material presented in class, faculty can facilitate learning in many ways. College teachers suggest:

1. At the beginning of each class, write down and describe the format and your goals for the day.

2. Hand out study questions or a study guide.

3. Make specific suggestions for taking notes in your class.

4. When showing a film or video, begin with an overview. Then, ask a few key questions for
students to keep in mind as they watch it. End with a small group and/or whole class discussion.

5. Make learning as active as possible. In addition to lectures, provide opportunities for students to SEE and DO things with key concepts. Group discussions and projects, demonstrations, skits, cases, surveys, short papers and experiments are a few ways to employ active learning methods.

6. Giving a learning styles inventory helps students identify how they learn, and helps you select appropriate teaching methods.

7. Describe good learning habits: how to study you subject area, preparing before topics are discussed in class.

8. Explain how to study for your tests. Give concrete examples and answers.

9. Assign written summaries of difficult material.

10. Provide study aids such as practice exercises, study tips, supplemental readings, and lists of new vocabulary words.

11. Increase retention: if students are absent for 2 or more consecutive classes, phone them.

12. Usually miscommunications are brought to the surface and resolved with one quick call.

13. Arrange for a tour of the library and provide instructions for using their materials, especially as they relate to your class.

14. Give midterm grades and offer suggestions for improving.