Our teaching methods for this course are varied to encourage a diverse student learning experience. We believe that the following teaching methods will help students succeed in the class:
Presentation
We have built several presentations to help students better understand the course content. We have created the presentation Where is the USA (found on theCourse Materials page) to help students better place themselves within the world geographically. These presentations will also help students to contextualize geography and understand the different factors that affect how we view different areas.
Demonstration
We will be demonstrating to the students throughout the course, and we will also be asking the students to demonstrate things themselves. We will demonstrate to the students how to effectively present content to a class, in this case their assigned presentation on two states. By showing the students what an informative presentation looks like, using our class presentation Where is the USA, we will also be preparing them for their own presentations. The students will then be able to show us that they understand both the content of their research and the art of demonstration itself.
Reinforcement
Using tools like tutorial and quiz software, websites, and educational games, we hope to entice students into learning. Many of these tools can be found on theResources page of this website. Additionally, on the Course Materials page, you will find numerous links to resources that students can use at home to help them memorize and understand content, like blank maps and videos. We will use these tools to reinforce learning performed at home and in the classroom.
Remediation
To help students review the content that they have learned, we will implement several remediation strategies. We have created a student technology survey (found on the Course Materials page) to help us determine what software and hardware the students are familiar with, and which technologies they need support in. This will allow us to determine which review options are more beneficial for each student, and help us to individualize the review process.
Formative Assessment
The students will complete several formal assessments throughout the course. These include, but are not limited to, a presentation on two states that the student has researched, and a one-page paper on their researched states. These assessments will allow us to evaluate each student’s performance and understanding of different aspects of the course. With the information gathered from these formative assessments, we will be able to determine if students have grasped the heart of the subject matter.
Author: Rachel Long Creation Date: August 8, 2020 Copyright 2020 Last Updated: August 12, 2020