This TIP will provide you with insight as to how to keep the balance between structured and discussion-based tutorials or classes.
Students learn more effectively by 'doing'. By actively engaging students, greater ownership of learning is made.
Developing your lecture/tutorial to support engaging and active participation is very important.
Provide a clear context for each class. Let your students know what you are going to do and why you are going to do it. Dot point this plan on your whiteboard so that students can follow the class progress.
To ensure active engagement, make your lessons interesting to hold student's attention span.
Think about incorporating:
- Small group activities
- Using active questioning
- Changing the mode of delivery (overhead/whiteboard/articles/videos etc)
- Using role play
- Debates
- Simulate a meeting environment
- Use innovative games, puzzles and interactive simulation etc.
Whilst you watch the video, consider the following questions:
Basic Questions:
- What do students think of having structured and discussion-based tutorials?
- What do you think is the role of tutorials in your unit of study?
- In what important ways is a tutorial different from a lecture?
Extended Questions:
- As a teacher, how much time would you want to spend in whole-class, individualised and small-group discussion in your tutorials?
- Would subject matter and the nature of students in class influence your decision?
- What criteria would you use to guide your judgement?
- How would you determine when a particular approach is effective?
- What are the risks of overusing a single approach in running tutorials?