Here, we examine four of digital course materials biggest myths in the higher education space and determine the…, Active learning activities designed for in-person, hybrid or fully online courses, Read this ultimate guide to gain a solid understanding of instructional strategies, why they’re important and how they…, How leading Canadian business law textbooks fare in the higher ed marketplace, Read this Ultimate Guide to gain a deep understanding of Bloom's taxonomy, how it has evolved over the decades and how…, While exams are designed to test and score knowledge, they don’t always indicate how well students are progressing…, This end-to-end course solution makes teaching effective and engaging, with built-in learning assessments and…, Customized learning experiences, diverse content delivery mechanisms and data leveraged to improve student outcomes will…. They can also collaborate and discuss material online, via forum discussions with peers and subject matter experts. Timing is important, too. It’s best to do these kinds of student-led instructional strategies at the beginning of a class, so students can teach one another about what they know, sharing their knowledge and experiences that relate to course material. Instructional strategies for advanced students Think-pair-share can work especially well for the first few lessons of a class, keeping students on their toes and interested for the material that is to come. Informal checks of student progress throughout the year can be included too. How Dynamic Formative Assessment Can Improve Student Learning, 6 Teaching Strategies to Differentiate Instruction, How Teachers Can Build a Trusting Relationship With Their Principal, A Detailed Break Down of a Teacher's Job Description, 10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Design Your Educational Philosophy, Strategies for Teachers to Maximize Student Learning Time, Strategies for Teachers to Develop Positive Relationships With Students, What You Will Find in the Ideal Classroom, Strategies for Teachers: The Power of Preparation and Planning, What Teachers Do Beyond the Classroom When No One Is Looking, 7 Ways to Take Control of Your Classroom to Reduce Student Misbehavior, Creating a Great Lesson to Maximize Student Learning, 4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management, M.Ed., Educational Administration, Northeastern State University, B.Ed., Elementary Education, Oklahoma State University. These include: asking certain groups of students to only complete specific parts of a test, allowing students to respond orally versus in writing, or asking students to demonstrate what they’ve learned in a more hands-on way, like building something or drawing a diagram. 4. It can aid students in working towards a greater understanding of the material. Save Time Before, During and After Class with…, If Your Textbook Is Only Used for Readings,…, How Top Hat helped Brown University create a…, How Flipping the Classroom with Top Hat Gave…, How an Interactive Top Hat Textbook Helped This…, This mathematics professor has taught remotely for 19 years—and has some wisdom to share, Every course and educator is different. Knowledge charts Instructional Techniques There are hundreds of variations. Curriculum compacting frees students up to focus more on the areas where they need to develop a greater understanding, versus concepts with which they’re already proficient. This helps build student confidence and ensures the class runs smoothly. Start with a mid-level activity that would apply to most students in the class, than include one that’s a step-up in difficulty to challenge students with a better understanding of the material, and a simplified version for students still working to gain a full understanding of the concept. Work with the student to set out the requirements of the contract, and provide a blank calendar they can use to devise a doable timeline, determining what dates and times they plan to complete different parts of the assignment. Conclusion This active learning technique is another of the best-known instructional strategies. Educators who use instructional strategies allow students to have the capability to make meaningful connections between concepts learned in class and real-life situations. Get students even more involved in this cooperative learning activity by having them come up with their own questions that they then exchange with classmates, taking turns to answer. Read this ultimate guide to gain a solid understanding of instructional strategies, why they’re important and how they can be applied to the teaching and learning process to benefit both students. Another one of the active learning instructional strategies, the ‘muddiest point’ asks students to use index cards (or an app), to anonymously submit what part of the course material they’re having the most difficulty with. The most critical thing to remember with assessments is to try and stay focused on evaluating the concept that’s most important for the student to grasp. Get equipped to implement instructional strategies that are appropriate for your course in order to become more effective at teaching and engaging students. Contact us to book a product tour. Questions can be simple, like asking them to highlight what they want to learn more about, or what they found most interesting about the lesson. Teachers should put their own creative spin on these instructional strategies to make them their own. The purpose of reflection is to encourage students to consider what they have learned. ... A program is successful if a person is able to learn the strategies and techniques in a fitness program and incorporate these into their lifestyle. If different students are working on the same part of an assignment at the same time, consider allowing them to work together during class. These projects should allow them to focus on a single concept around material discussed in class. Tiered instructional strategies Set up three or four activities of varying complexity for students to participate in. By the end of this collaborative exercise, each group will have a greater understanding of the material. They offer an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and course correct on their own when needed. Strategically adjust the questions you ask based on who you plan to call upon. Types of instructional strategies 2. Instructional strategies such as Grade As You Go also help educator pinpoint students who have a superior grasp of the material, allowing them to move on to a more challenging assignment. 3.1. Think pair share There are far too many types of instructional strategies to catalog, nor is there only one, specific way to group them together. Case studies can help prepare them for life after college or university. A common approach to online course design is to Tell, Show, and Do. Difference Between Instructional Strategies And Teaching Methods (2001:184) “ instructional strategy is used generally to cover the various aspects of Pedagogic, Many do not understand the differences between strategies, The Differences between Strategies, Models, Aproaches, Methods, and Techniques of Teaching.. Agendas It helps prepare students for when they enter the workforce, where problem solving on the fly is an essential skill. Give them just a few minutes to talk amongst themselves and come to a collective conclusion. Flipping your classroom is one of the most popular forms of active learning and among the most well-known instructional strategies. To use this effectively, assign homework based on the student’s skill level, ensuring it aligns with the areas they need more practice in. Telling also allows you to speed things along and make acquisition of the information faster. We can answer your questions and set your course up on Top Hat. Abstract. Homework gives students extra time to master concepts studied in class and further refine their learning. Scaffolding refers to the educational technique of delivering content gradually to support high-quality and organic learning. These learning strategies motivate students by improving their engagement, capturing their attention and encouraging them to focus on not only remembering course material, but truly understanding it. They’re often concise, posted to sites like YouTube, or presented in the form of a podcast they can listen to at home or during their commute. Not every instructional strategy will be the perfect fit for every situation, so teachers must become adept at evaluating which strategy will be the best fit. 4.4. Have students work on assignments either alone or in pairs, checking and marking their work. 8. With the teacher’s guidance, students can prepare and present course material in class, encouraging interaction with peers. 6.1. When a teacher uses the same strategy over and over again, it becomes boring to students. While developing the Learner Plan, you make decisions about what the learner needs to learn. Definition of Instructional Methods: Instructional methods are kinds of instructional ways or activities used to guide the facilitation of learning in each phase of the instructional process. These strategies drive a teacher's instruction as they work to meet specific learning objectives and ensure that their students are equipped with the tools they need to be successful. Educators can then utilize the responses to determine where extra instruction is needed and adjust lessons accordingly. Have them hand the “tickets” to you as they exit, then go through the responses. Once presented in class, having a debate can also introduce new perspectives on topics, and convince students to conduct further research in order to build stronger arguments, or intelligently counter those of the opposing side. It’s ideal when working with individual students or small groups. Some make reference to them when talking about pedagogical issues and seem to use them interchangeably as The majority of students learn best through active, engaging learning opportunities. 5.3. This method will encompass the methods, techniques and devices you will choose to instruct, and it will be deeply tied to the needs of your audience and your objectives. Pose a question about the day’s teaching, and give the students a moment to reflect before writing down their answer on their own or in pairs. Debates And it makes good use of downtime by allowing students to combine workout or commute time with further learning, when it’s most convenient for them. 5. Specifically, which methods of questioning work, and which leave students struggling to stay awake or staring out the window looking for cloud animals. Prepare questions, and, once they’ve had some time to discuss with their partner(s), have them take turns presenting their observations to the rest of the class. 8.2. 3.2. want to learn what they are learning. This helps them set their own learning goals and practice time management skills—both of which are useful in the real world. Each should have the same common goal of helping students understand a specific element of the subject material. Good Knowledge of your subject - Your students soon pick up on „Surface Knowledge‟. Early childhood classrooms should include a balance of large and small group instruction, as well as indoor and outdoor activities daily. He previously served as a school principal and middle school science teacher. An instructional design strategy is in fact a high-level approach of how something will be taught. Students, naturally, will pick the terms they are most comfortable with. Use technology like clickers to administer things like multiple choice quizzes that can be tabulated immediately for large classes, with questions that challenge or check an assumption before a lecture begins. One of the most used instructional strategies, assessments are any test, quiz, project, or exam that is graded is considered assessment. A person will usually learn best if they: know why they are learning. For new learners, the context is important and helps them understand where the learning fits in the big picture. 3. The questions/commands can relate to describing, comparing, contrasting, applying, predicting or imagining concepts. Instructional strategies, when used correctly, keep students from becoming bored with how they learn. 3.6. Questioning is one of the best tools you have when you are teaching a class. Two teachers can be using the same instructional strategy completely differently based on their own individual preferences and needs. Instructional Strategies. Assign students to work in groups—have each group of students write or dictate their answers to the questions on their cube. For students equipped to take on greater challenges, add more categories or requirements. Fill in this brief form to get our free guide. A lack of a great delivery system will fail to make connections with even the most interesting content. This article provides information on the three main instructional techniques preschool teachers will use. And since grades have already been given, it reduces after-class grading time for teachers. Instructional Techniques. Instructional strategies include all approaches that a teacher may take to engage students in the learning process actively. Jeanine M. Williamson, in Teaching to Individual Differences in Science and Engineering Librarianship, 2018. Another one of the several instructional strategies aimed at more advanced students is the learning contract. Consider your learning objectives, your students and the merits of each method to guide your…, Set yourself up for success when teaching college students in an online learning environment. Anchor activities might include the student revisiting a question posed in the previous day’s class and composing a response to it, or presenting and discussing an answer out loud to a partner. Advance your instructional techniques & style. For example, it might be different experiments that all explain the basic concept of physics. Instructional methods. Christine Persaud is a Toronto-based editor and writer with more than 17 years of experience. Grade as you go While this isn’t by any means an exhaustive list, instructional strategies often fall under general groupings. When teachers are continuously exploring and tweaking their delivery system, a beautiful thing happens. techniques used by educators plus learning and development professionals to instruct and teach students and train workers Students are then free to do more interactive and collaborative work in class, including discussions and tasks with their peers and teacher. 6 Teaching Techniques You Should Know: 1. Then, assess their prior knowledge on the subject, and get a feel for how interested they are in a topic. The first question requires students to think quickly, recall class material, decide on the main points, and put it into their own words. Within each level the potential exists for developing both the science and the art of teaching. (We saw this earlier in our instructional strategies list, under ‘exit ticket.’) They then ask students to answer what the most important thing they learned today was and what questions they still have. 5.1. 5.4. Teachers must be equipped with a well-rounded arsenal of effective instructional strategies to maximize their effectiveness and to increase student learning opportunities. Assessment-based instructional strategies Fill in the brief form below to get a customizable, easy to use exit ticket guide that will help you to assess your students at the end of every lecture. Cori: Hi. Having the opportunity to visualize, model or role-play in dynamic situations promotes curiosity, exploration and problem-solving. Case studies, as instructional strategies, are more spontaneous than structured group projects. Learn about the powerful active learning features of Top Hat Pro and our new, free offering, Top Hat Basic. The objective of using instructional strategies beyond subject comprehension is to create students who are independent strategic learners. Further reading. These include: active learning, group-based, assessment-based, organizational (or classroom management). Place students at similar levels of understanding, or who have similar views on a topic, together. Many instructional strategies embrace this and feature components that ensure learning is fun and engaging. The rubrics should all contain the same basic categories, but the point value or required elements should be adjusted based on the student’s readiness. Includes tips on how to teach in each of these situations, as well as using room setup and the daily schedule in order to decrease discipline troubles. Below are pdf files of the FC Cosmetology Prerequisite Challenge form & Instructional Techniques and Pivot Point Instruction Information. 7. When a teacher varies activities, changes them up, and uses a wide range of instructional strategies students stay engaged. 4.1. What instructional technique (or techniques) should be used to implement the instructional strategy? Use that information to devise more instructor-led sessions on the concepts that most students are confused about, or that require more clarification, to eventually complete the entire list. Muddiest point Figure 2 also illustrates the levels of approaches in instruction ranging from an instructional model, a broad approach, to an instructional skill, which represents a specific teaching behavior or technique. Homework practice It involves writing a command or question on each of the six sides of a cube, then having students roll the cube like a die and respond to the question or command accordingly. Students need to understand what type of learning methods and techniques will be used within your course. Learning contracts … Specific instructions for reading narrative prose with rhymes: Pages 4, 6, 32, 41, 42, 56, and 57: Read the words in a sing-song rhythmic voice, emphasizing the … Methods are the instructional techniques that facilitate learning. Reflection Once they identify the mistakes, they can translate that learning to subsequent questions, instead of completing the entire assignment incorrectly. Or, make it more involved, like asking them to connect what they learned to a real-life situation, or telling them to explain why what they learned is important. For example, methods include demonstrations, animations, examples, practice, and feedback. These strategies drive a teacher's instruction as they work to meet specific learning objectives and ensure that their students are equipped with the tools they need to be successful. Instead of using classroom time for lecturing, educators provide students with a pre-recorded lecture to watch prior to class. 7.3. Independent study projects usually run anywhere from three to four weeks. Tell them what they need to knowor provide context that is critical to what they need to learn. In math and science fields, for example, students can experiment with simulated projects that would otherwise be difficult or cost-prohibitive to do in real settings. 3.3. Debates require students to research concepts and think critically in order to present their positions in a convincing and justifiable way. Educators can then use classroom time to engage students in learning activities related to the lecture they’ve already seen or heard. Teachers are best served when they utilize a variety of instructional strategies as opposed to one or two. A teacher that scaffolds their instruction unfolds new material slowly and builds numerous supports into their teaching, moving on … Educators, too, can benefit by using different strategies throughout the semester to determine the efficacy of lesson plans, and how each student is progressing through each concept. We have 18 preschool classrooms, and I'm lucky to have a coach who works closely together with me. Flipped learning helps keep students continuously engaged in class instead of just passively listening. The responses can provide valuable insight into student comprehension of the material. Examples include: designing a model of a roller coaster to understand slopes, angles and speed; using a hard-boiled egg to demonstrate Newton’s Law of Motion; or building a model volcano to understand what makes them erupt. Instructional strategies can also be completely customized, meaning that they can be tweaked and configured to fit any situation. 7.2. 7.1. Instructional strategies are the techniques or methods that a teacher can adopt to meet the various learning objectives. As teachers, we change our instruction frequently to meet the needs of our students. Defining the Instructional Framework 2. In a practical work environment, students can’t just do what they’re told and expect to succeed. INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUE The Six Ps PRIOR PLANNING AND PRACTICE PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE QUALITIES REQUIRED The main qualities you need as an instructor are: Enthusiasm – boredom is infectious. What is Instructional Methods? They can complete these activities at the beginning of every class or right after, but the idea is to keep the learning and educational process going. But it can also help recapture student enthusiasm near the middle of a term, reminding students that they aren’t alone in their learning and that others share their views or concerns, and that there are different perspectives to support an issue that are worth considering beyond their own. For the second, they must think further about what they’ve understood thus far. These strategies help students to walk on the path of independent learning and become strategic learners. Instructional Techniques for Concepts. This ultimately helps them learn more. The hope is, with time and practice, students will be able to select the right strategies on their own and use them effectively to complete tasks. Flipped Classrooms Therefore we must be clear what type of learning outcomes we expect from our teaching- knowledge, […] Instructional strategies enhance instruction and boost learning. Most fitting for concepts with opposing points of view, debates help students develop listening and oratory skills. Use the data to determine which students should work on which concepts come assignment time. Try to do this without the use of slides as an aid, so students have to communicate more with classmates and discover more creative ways to present the material. Instructional technology includes practical techniques of instructional delivery that systematically aim for effective learning, whether or not they involve the use of media. Teachers can also provide students with notes they can copy to use as a reference when they’re studying for exams. 1. Students will inevitably worry if the quiz is going to impact their overall grade for the class. Instructional strategies provide teachers with the flexibility necessary to meet, Instructional strategies can make teaching and learning fun. In a classroom setting, working on case studies encourages students to think critically about what they’ve learned, not just recite points back to the class. Also referred to as “sponge” activities, anchor activities are assignments that students must work on immediately in order to maximize instruction time. It makes sense because it covers the basics. Organization instructional strategies Ask students to identify topics they feel they need clarification on and consolidate these into a list. Students can decide how they want to complete the work and in what order. Present a couple of rubrics (scoring guides) to students, based on their current level, so they have the skills needed in order to better focus and be successful in class. Questioning Techniques for Teachers That Work. 8.1. This course is part of the following part-time on campus and/or online program(s): Teachers and Trainers of Adults; In today's complex learning environment, the most successful instructors/trainers demonstrate instructional strategies … If students are able to choose which group they join, the teacher will also get a feel for the comfort level of each student. Like a number of other instructional strategies in this list, It also gives the teacher an idea of where students stand on a topic or issue so they can use this information to help better prepare for the next lesson. 1. Instructional strategies serve as a backbone for teaching, and, when applied correctly, can help students gain a deeper understanding of course material and encourage critical thinking, beyond basic retention and surface understanding. Educators can determine how effective the lesson was and see if they need to revisit the subject matter again, or can confidently move on to the next topic. Cross it off the list, and move on to the next. Conversely, group students with opposing views together in order to foster debate and conversation. Direct instruction is the use of straightforward, explicit teaching techniques, usually to teach a specific skill. Another option could be drawing a picture to represent a concept they just learned, or writing down an opinion about a key issue. Instructional strategies like these work as a structured form of argumentation. These strategies also offer them a chance to practice their interpersonal skills in an environment in which they are comfortable and familiar. Likewise, when students are exposed to a variety of instructional strategies it broadens the scope of how they learn — essentially giving them multiple ways to process and learn new information. Hand out blank index cards at the end of a class session and ask students to use them to submit a response to a question about the day’s lesson. Instructional strategies encompass any type of learning technique a teacher uses to help students learn or gain a better understanding of the course material. Once the project is completed, the student can share what he or she learned with the class, demonstrating their mastery of the concept, and further educating the rest of the class on a specific area or example. This might mean your assessments have to be more practical. You could include one question mandatory for responding, but allow students to choose which ones they want to answer among the remaining ones. Minute papers help students avoid illusions of fluency, where they think they’ve mastered something that they actually haven’t. After presenting a lesson, pause the lecture for a moment to ask students to pair up with a partner or two. The feedback can help educators determine which students need additional teaching in specific areas. Instructional Techniques - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. They allow teachers to make the learning experience more fun and practical and can also encourage … 4.5. It’s not just “what” they will learn but how the training will take place. Instructional strategies are the how, and content is the what. Media are the means of implementing those methods (as well as conveying the material to be learned). Self confidence – through following the 6 P‟s. Quite often than not educators make much use of the terms teaching methods, teaching strategies, teaching techniques and teaching approach. Assessment When the class starts, or there’s a pause between concepts or topics, you can administer a quick quiz to get an understanding of how far along students are in their learning. Being familiar with a wide variety of instructional strategies is quite helpful when differentiating instruction. Examples – After you define a concept, explain it further with the help of examples. Using this approach, teachers gain a quick understanding of how well the class is grasping and reacting to the material. Ultimately, a teacher should align the instructional strategies they are using with the students they are serving and the content they are teaching. 6.2. The template includes questions and tips to make your exit ticket effective and thorough. “Cubing” is a version of the above. Assessment-based instructional strategies, 6. Active learning instructional strategies The use of simulations and games in your instructional toolkit can give you a deeper look at the impact of learning, as well as demonstrate how students can invent and experiment with learned concepts. In exploring various types of instructional strategies, you’ll find that there’s something to suit every type of student level, subject and lecture format. ADVERTISEMENTS: Read this article to learn about the purpose and methods of stating instructional objectives in the teaching learning process. 9. Place students in groups based on their perceived level, or give a brief description of each of the assignments and let them choose which level they feel most comfortable working in. Instructional strategies for advanced students, How Online Educators Get It Done: A Conversation with Andrea Hendricks, Remote Teaching: When and How to Use Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Methods, 7 Ways for Professors to Manage the Transition to Online Teaching During COVID-19, Learn what instructional strategies are, and the various types educators can use to teach more effectively, Gain a deeper knowledge of how methods like assessment, case studies, debates, flipped classrooms and more play into the overall student learning and instructional experience. Learn how to manage a class using Top Hat. Instructional strategies include all approaches that a teacher may take to engage students in the learning process actively. It is a basic purpose of the field of instructional technology to promote and aid the application of these known and validated procedures in the design and delivery of instruction. Teachers must make every effort to feature instructional strategies that. But this is a good thing. In addition to encouraging students to come up with a structure they can follow, agendas help them practice time management skills. New instructional strategies are being developed and implemented in classrooms on an almost daily basis. Techniques for Improving Instructional Support. Your syllabus should explain how you plan to conduct your class. 10. Techniques support the strategy, and generally can be thought as peers of each other– that is, we can substitute one technique with another, and the learner outcome should be the same (although the experience will vary extensively). 3. An agenda sets out a comprehensive list of the assignments, activities, projects and tests students are responsible for working on and completing throughout the year, along with a timeline for each. This lets them see the proper sequence of events a… This teaching technique is motivational because students instantly know if they’re on the right track, allowing them to gauge their achievement level. My name's Cori, and I'm an education manager at DTL Head Start. Exit tickets Let's learn more about these five instructional models. These instructional strategies encourage educators to identify students who already have advanced knowledge of a subject, skill or concept so they can spend less time on these areas. The simplest way to gauge student understanding of course material is to ask them questions about it. Tiered rubrics Knowledge charts, as instructional tools, can also be used at various times to see how students are progressing, and if their interest in the topic is waning or growing. Cubing This is a great way to cause students to lose focus and lose interest in learning. Once the contract and timeline is set, put students who are working on the same parts of the assignment at the same time to work together. Once this is realized, both students and teachers can identify and address weaknesses. What are instructional strategies? Question-asking is among the simplest of the instructional strategies, but it can still be strategically complex. Be mindful of anchor activities that are simply ‘busy work’ to pass the time. Count this as formative, rather than summative, assessment. She holds a Bachelor's degree (with honors) in Communications and Psychology from York University. 3.5. Tiered activities Questions and quizzes Top Hat is the higher education app that makes teaching fun and effective. They can also work on a separate but related topic for which they’ve expressed an interest or passion, making this an inquiry based learning exercise. If they can’t, it can should serve as a red flag to both student and educator. 3.4. Learn what master trainers do to create a positive climate for learning, successfully lead groups and motivate learners, deal … Today class, we’re exploring Questioning Techniques for Teachers. Group instructional strategies To use case studies, put students into groups and task them with finding a way to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired from reading course materials and listening to lectures into real-world scenarios. Instructional Scaffolding Instructional Strategies for Teachers These are useful methods and techniques meant to help teachers reach and teach every type of student in the classroom. There are a variety of different instructional approaches and strategies that can be used effectively at all levels and subject areas, with a wide range of learning styles. Over time, they become more effective at not only finding great instructional strategies but also with implementing them into their class. By the end, it will be easy to see which concepts students are having the most issues with by process of elimination: if terms haven’t been selected, they are being avoided for a reason. Derrick Meador, M.Ed., is the superintendent for Jennings Public Schools in Oklahoma. Have them discuss the material they just learned.