Pro-Tip to Add Interaction to a Presentation
Pro-tip: Get some green index cards and some red index cards and pass them out to your class. Tell them that throughout the period they can hold up either card – green for “I get it,” red for “I don’t get it.” If you have time, draw symbols on the cards for color-blind students. Now you can see immediately when people in your class are getting lost, and use that information to adapt your lecture in real time. It’s much easier to see the cards than to analyze the body language of 30 people. Omg, lecture 2.0.
Some people will be hesitant, because this is kind of dorky and kind of risky if you don’t know it. Prompt everyone to hold up one card or the other occasionally. The field of color is easier to register than individual cards, plus you’ll get some more participation from shy people.
Pro-tip: at the beginning, say, “Does everyone understand how to use the cards?” and wiggle your eyebrows suggestively. And by suggestively I of course mean, “suggesting that they should hold up the green card.” They won’t get it at first, but then they’ll laugh and reluctantly hold up their cards. Throw out a few more silly ones like “so everyone read the chapter on thermodynamics, right?” to prompt for the red cards. This’ll give everyone practice with the cards and break the ice.
Pro-wrestling tips: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_wrestling_attacks
Quid-Pro-Quo tip: it means “an exchange that’s pretty much fair.” Who knew?
I use all of these tips in my presentations (e.g. lectures about trigonometry), and they work well in ActiveGrade too. Caution: only use the Boom Drop in advanced classes.
gasstationwithoutpumps
December 16, 2011 at 5:33 pm
You can avoid the color-blindness problem by using blue and yellow (“sad” and “sunny”, if you want mnemonic metaphors).
Tim Erickson
December 16, 2011 at 7:46 pm
I actually used this during my year as a college teacher, in calculus. This was about 20 years ago, in a lecture hall, so I forgive myself the lecturing. It really helped me get feedback, and of course it served both to keep students’ interest and give them some ownership of the process.
Jayme King
September 4, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Does this actually work? I’ve considered trying something similar in my classes, but I feel like I (as a student) would never actually do this, so I don’t really expect it of my students. Do you find that they only use the cards when prompted, or do they volunteer information? Also, do you use this as a year-long thing, or is it specific to a particular day/subject?
Riley Lark
September 6, 2012 at 4:00 pm
I admit that I used copious charm in getting this to work. It took some convincing, which I did (as always) almost entirely by modeling (I held up the cards when they were presenting) and affirmation (smiling when they held them up and saying “thanks for holding up the cards” after a lot of them held them up).
You said you feel like you would never actually do this? Why not? Because it would feel stupid or childish? Whatever your reasons, I think you can be genuine and say “look, I think this would make me feel stupid or childish at first, but I’m looking for ways to improve the class. I’ve been feeling lately like I don’t really know where you guys are when I’m up here lecturing, so I thought I’d give this a try. If it doesn’t work we can spend some time thinking of other ways to improve that communication. Ok?”
Riley Lark
September 6, 2012 at 4:16 pm
I just read your post re. sarcasm (https://missjfk.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/5-ways-im-going-to-be-a-better-teacher/) and this makes more sense to me now. Don’t worry, once the genuine communication starts creeping in, you’ll feel right at home doing touchy-feely things like this