Hello, and welcome to my first blog post! I’m currently a Freshman and enrolled as a Biology major. As a Biology major I am interested in articles that talk about how to make learning Biology as interesting and enjoyable as possible. Although some people may argue that learning about Biology is boring and tiresome, I cannot help but disagree. Learning about Biology can become fun and interesting if you know how to make it that way. Twitter makes it easy for us to find information by hash tagging out interests like #biology, #science, and #edtech.
While scrolling through Twitter, I came across this article that not only caught my eye, but also may help many students who dread science courses:
https://elearningindustry.com/dull-dynamic-engage-learners-in-an-online-science-course
This article was written by Pamela Wirth. Wirth brings up topics about how non-science major students dread taking any form of science classes. The most heard comments by students when asked why they decided to take the science course according to the author are:
“I am taking this course because it is required for my degree.”
Pamela Wirth (2015)
“I am not sure how this course will support my career goals.”
Pamela Wirth (2015)
“After looking over the course requirements, I am a little nervous and intimidated!”
Pamela Wirth (2015)
Wirth introduces 3 different ways on how you can motivate your students in the classroom.
Here is a short outline of all three of them.
1.Help the student to feel more cared about as a person – Science courses can be very intimidating with the large amount of work presented in the first week. To prevent students from fear or resistance of the course, one of the best ways to engage a learner is by tapping into any prior knowledge they possess. During the first week of the class, get to know your students. Having an emotional connection with your students not only will make you look like someone that genuinely cares about them, but it also helps them engage more into the class.
2.Recognize all students for their contribution – Many students to take science courses are non-science majors. Each student has a unique perspective on the course itself. By allowing students to have options on a projects or assignments will expand their interest and and help them engage in that specific science course. Not only will in help your students, it can attract many other students to the idea of engaging in a required course and not having to dread over it.
3.Provide opportunities for networking and social engagement – Give opportunities for your students to pair up with others for assignments. By providing social links, group forums, discussion boards, or even group activities allows your students to have a chance to working with others and discuss the topic with different people. Discussion boards are a great chance for students of 2 or 3 to collaborate and discuss the topic at hand.
I genuinely think that these techniques can help you in any classroom setting, whether it be a physical classroom, or an online classroom. Even just praising your students once in a while can boost their engagement in the class. Every learner has a different learning style that can help them engage in the class. It is the college professor’s job to learn about the student’s learning style.
Thank you for reading today’s blog post! Make sure you follow my Twitter: https://twitter.com/sul_1229 for more updates on my blog!