Using Variety in Your Instruction to Motivate Students and Maximize Learning
By Dennis Burin, Ed.D.
CMU Adjunct Faculty-Off Campus Programs

One of the biggest complaints by students today and a major reason why many students drop out of school is being bored with their classes.  They often see little relevance to the real world in their classes.  Further, boredom often sets in when teachers do not engage the students in the learning process.  Educators often blame the students for lack of motivation and, in many cases, they are correct.  However, the teaching strategies and techniques that we use in the classroom are the #1 factors in student achievement and motivation.  There is debate as to whether or not the instructor should be the “sage on the stage or the guide on the side.”  I say that there is a place for both.  Using variety in your instruction is one way to reach students with various learning styles and to break up the monotony of a four-hour lecture.  Effective instructors have a repertoire of teaching strategies that are used to accomplish different goals.  This article will discuss four teaching strategies:  cooperative learning, direct instruction, classroom discussion and problem based learning.  All four are “must haves” in an effective teacher’s “bag of tricks”.

Cooperative learning has both its critics and proponents.  If used effectively, it is a great way to teach how to work with people from different backgrounds, teach teamwork, and allow for more meaningful hands-on learning.  Depending on the instructor’s goals, it is often advantageous for the teacher to assign students to a group (so they do not merely gravitate to others with similar backgrounds) and to have well-defined grading rubric that indicates how a final grade will be assigned.  Additionally, I have always found it beneficial to give a group grade and an individual grade based on the students’ contributions and quality of work.  Cooperative learning activities often culminate in a presentation, paper, or project.  Jigsawing and think/pair/share are also effective  cooperative learning activities.  Jigsawing involves forming groups of 4-5 students, assigning each student in the group a textbook chapter, have all students meet who are assigned the same chapter from various groups in the class, have the students discuss the chapter, and finally, return to their original group as an “expert” and teach the main points of that chapter to the original group.  Think/pair/share is also a simple cooperative learning activity in which the instructor asks a question, students discuss the question with a nearby student, and then report back to the class on what they discussed.

Direct instruction, also known as mastery learning, is the most common and, in my opinion, one of the most important teaching methods.  It allows for the teaching of large amounts of often basic information in the shortest amount of time.  Direct instruction usually begins with a good motivator (anticipatory set) that prepares the students for what is to come and grabs their attention.  It connects prior knowledge with what will soon be presented.  A good question or a demonstration is usually effective as a motivator.  Also, an advanced organizer is often used at this stage which lays out the “big picture” of what is about to be presented.  Advanced organizers are not merely agendas of the lesson but, instead, they tell the students what the major themes are in the upcoming presentation.  After the motivator and the advanced organizer, it is important to provide lots of verbal and visual examples, check for student understanding of the material, provide ample opportunities for the students to practice what they have learned, and, if possible, use mnemonic devices to aid retention,.  A strong conclusion in the form of a summary provided by the students during the closing discussion is also a great way to reinforce learning and to demonstrate that they truly understand what the instructor has presented.

Classroom discussion has always been the most enjoyable part of instruction in my 25 years of classroom teaching.  Seeing students excited about what they are learning and fully participating in the discussions is one of the joys of teaching.  However, one of the complaints of many teachers is that only a small minority of the students actually participate in the discussions.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to employ one of a myriad of methods to engage more students instead of frequently calling on his/her “go to guy/gal” who always seems to have the correct answer.  It is also important to allow for “wait time” of about 3-5 seconds before calling on a student.  This allows all students to fully comprehend and analyze the question.  Further, it is important that all bias be put aside when calling on students and listening to their responses.  Classroom discussion allows the instructor to tap into the students higher order thinking skills, assists the teacher in checking for understanding, and lets the students be active instead of passive learners.

Lastly, Problem Based Learning is yet another way that instructors can tap into higher order thinking skills and promote “real world” learning.  Projects can be assigned that give the students a somewhat vague problem to solve.  Students must research and look at “the problem” from many different angles.  This is “real world” active learning and research shows that this is most effective for motivation and comprehension.  Once again, it is active as opposed to passive learning.

My conclusion is clear and simple; teachers make the difference in the classroom!

Editor’s Note:  If you desire additional information on any of these techniques or would like additional resources please contact Todd Zakrajsek, Director of the Faculty Center for Innovative Teaching at CMU at zakra1t@cmich.edu or 989-774-3615.