Learning activities
Multimedia
- Adopt a multisensory approach to lectures (e.g. interactive whiteboards, PowerPoint, video, podcasts, a mixture of text and images, group discussions, role play).
- Explain concepts and information in different ways (e.g. explain text verbally, illustrate spoken ideas with graphics)
- Give in-session announcements in more than one form (e.g. tasks to complete for the following session, assignment advice)
“But, if we could stop for half an hour and have a task to do, like go in groups and discuss, 'like ask why we do that,why you think that?'that would be more engaging.”
Student focus group, PESE Project 2016
Facilitating learning
- Pace lectures to allow time for listening, note-taking, processing, and responding.
- Lectures should be well-structured: lecture outlines, regular recaps, summary at the end.
- Reiterate key points.
- Include regular pauses, brief summaries of what has been covered so far and opportunities for reflection and clarification.
“Makes a huge difference if a lecturer after even a 2 hour lecture stops and ask what (we) understood or if (we) have questions.”
Student focus group, PESE Project 2016
- Pace lectures to allow time for listening, note-taking, processing, and responding.
- Lectures should be well-structured: lecture outlines, regular recaps, summary at the end.
- Reiterate key points.
- Include regular pauses, brief summaries of what has been covered so far and opportunities for reflection and clarification.
“It’s ‘vital’ to stop during lectures.Especially for students with dyslexia because they ‘switch off’.”
Student focus group, PESE Project 2016
- Include active learning opportunities.
- Repeat student questions for the benefit of others in the class.
- Write down and explain new terms and concepts (e.g. on PowerPoint, whiteboard).
- Include formal refreshment breaks in longer sessions.
- Students should be allowed to record lectures (see University Regulation E19 for exceptions).
“… opportunity for questions if not understood.”
Student focus group, PESE Project 2016
- Provide seminar tasks in advance as far as possible.
- Set out seminar objectives in writing and at the start of the session.
- Allow students time to process written and verbal information and instructions.
- Provide individual and group learning activities.
“For me this is where I learn more, learning from other people.”
Student focus group, PESE Project 2016
- Encourage diversity awareness.
- Allow students to decide amongst themselves who should write notes and present information on behalf of the group.
- Allow sufficient time for students to finish tasks.
- Provide opportunities to answer questions and for clarification.
- Summarise key aspects at the end of the seminar.
“…problematic to put things in the whiteboard - difficulty to be the spokesman for a group.”
Student focus group, PESE Project 2016
- Provide a Placement Pack with useful information, standard procedures and a map of the building.
- Provide a list of key terminology with short explanations.
- Together with the student set SMART objectives (specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time related).
- Regularly meet with the student to discuss their progress and review agreed support strategies.
- Demonstrate required practical skills more than once.
- Allow the student to dictate notes to a digital recorder and video demonstrations when possible (ensure confidentiality is maintained).
- Use instruction sheets, diagrams and flow charts to present the sequence of a task.
- Provide instructions verbally and in writing.
- Provide the student with essential reading 24 hours in advance and highlight the important sections.
- Provide the student with opportunities to discuss their reading.
- Provide templates for all written communication.
- Provide a ‘model’ report to inform the student of the content required and the preferred format.
- Allow the student additional time for writing tasks.
- Some students may benefit from structuring their notes before they are written up in the required format or media.
- When performing drug calculations, encourage the student to use a calculator or notepad.
- Ensure the handover is not rushed and follows the same procedure each time.