Captivating Students
From KNILT
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Project Proposal
- In today’s classroom there are a variety of learners with their own individual needs and abilities. These learners take part in lessons and activities that the teacher designed based on their own personal interests in the given subject area. The problem is that what the learners find interesting is not always the same as what the teacher finds interesting.
- This mini-course is designed for teachers who are looking to engage their students in thought provoking lessons and activities that revolve around their interests. The objective is not to captivate every learner in every lesson and activity but to grab the interest of a few which will spill over to the rest of the class. An example of a student interest survey is provided however if you already have one available to you that will work just as well.
Needs Assessment
- Intent:
- Mathematics is an essential course that requires great attention to detail. Students are questioning their teachers, unsure of where and how these mathematics courses will fit into their immediate lives and future careers. Designing activities, lessons and projects that grab the student’s attention by incorporating their interests will actively engage and fulfill the student’s needs.
- Information
- Students in my class will randomly ask me why we are learning this and when will we use this in a practical situation. I like most teachers I work with try to come up with a situation in which the specific concept could be applied to a real life situation that applies to their interests. Having lessons and activities that tie in real life situations to the given concepts will alleviate the students concerns. Most teachers have some general ideas but are lacking the framework to design such lessons and activities.
- Learner Profile
- This mini-course is designed primarily for teachers of any age. The learners should have a bachelors or masters degree in education with an emphasis on mathematics. They must know their way around a computer and have access to the internet for the entire portion of the mini-course. Learners should expect to develop ideas and strategies that they can use when building lessons and activities for their classroom.
Performance Objectives
- Using the ARCS model of motivational design as a guide, mathematics teachers will develop engaging motivational activities that captivate students and help build a deeper understanding of mathematics and its application to real life situations. After participating in the course, teachers will conduct an interest survey to be taken by their students in order for the teacher to develop lessons/activities around their students interests.
Student Interest Survey
- Example Student Interest Survey [1]
