Comments on: Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/ Faculty Focus publishes articles on effective teaching strategies for the college classroom, both face-to-face and online. Sign-up for our free newsletter. Wed, 22 May 2013 07:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Take Note . . . | Teach Mary http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-10194 Take Note . . . | Teach Mary Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:09:25 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-10194 [...] from Part 1 Technology Outside the classroom, but a blog post from The Teaching Professor on Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes inspired me.  Maryellen Weimer is a college professor and writes for the professor crowd, but she [...] [...] from Part 1 Technology Outside the classroom, but a blog post from The Teaching Professor on Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes inspired me.  Maryellen Weimer is a college professor and writes for the professor crowd, but she [...]

]]> By: Sara http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-9196 Sara Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:02:52 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-9196 In recent years I have prepared several pdf (as many as lessons are) with the text of the slide I later will project in class. Being mine a visual subject (history of art and history of fashion) slide vision is essential. But I alert my student to download before class the text of the slide so that they can be able to add on it their notes of what I'm actually talking: comment, new interpretation, development of ideas, focus points and the discussion it may follow with them. In this way they are usually able to understand better what the subject of the day will be and - through the reading of the mandatory readings which every week they have to do - being able to participate to the lesson in a more active way. If the student does his "homework" usually it is very beneficial, and I see it in the exams. The most noticeable between the students is often developing a true understanding of the topic and add his/her critical thinking on it, which actually is of high benefit for the entire class. In recent years I have prepared several pdf (as many as lessons are) with the text of the slide I later will project in class. Being mine a visual subject (history of art and history of fashion) slide vision is essential. But I alert my student to download before class the text of the slide so that they can be able to add on it their notes of what I'm actually talking: comment, new interpretation, development of ideas, focus points and the discussion it may follow with them. In this way they are usually able to understand better what the subject of the day will be and – through the reading of the mandatory readings which every week they have to do – being able to participate to the lesson in a more active way. If the student does his "homework" usually it is very beneficial, and I see it in the exams. The most noticeable between the students is often developing a true understanding of the topic and add his/her critical thinking on it, which actually is of high benefit for the entire class.

]]> By: Take Note . . . « Teach Mary http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-9140 Take Note . . . « Teach Mary Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:59:54 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-9140 [...] from Part 1 Technology Outside the classroom, but a blog post from The Teaching Professor on Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes inspired me.  Maryellen Weimer is a college professor and writes for the professor crowd, but she [...] [...] from Part 1 Technology Outside the classroom, but a blog post from The Teaching Professor on Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes inspired me.  Maryellen Weimer is a college professor and writes for the professor crowd, but she [...]

]]> By: Ellen Wardzala http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-8910 Ellen Wardzala Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:45:19 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-8910 I use a Bamboo tablet (Wacom tablet) so that I can write interactively on the Power Points as the students take notes - what I am writing or further explanations. Slows me down to their pace and enables me to elaborate on-screen. Same idea as Smartboard technology or an AirLiner. I use a Bamboo tablet (Wacom tablet) so that I can write interactively on the Power Points as the students take notes – what I am writing or further explanations. Slows me down to their pace and enables me to elaborate on-screen. Same idea as Smartboard technology or an AirLiner.

]]> By: Note Taking: How Do you Teach it? « My Educational Technology Blog http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-8887 Note Taking: How Do you Teach it? « My Educational Technology Blog Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:57:36 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-8887 [...] post your comments below in response to the article link Share this:TwitterMoreFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like [...] [...] post your comments below in response to the article link Share this:TwitterMoreFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like [...]

]]> By: Tim Frusti http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-8884 Tim Frusti Thu, 31 Jan 2013 03:27:36 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-8884 I ask students to use a new 5x7 index card as bookmark for each chapter in the textbook, jotting notes on one side as they read. I sometimes suggest they record at least one idea that seems especially useful, one that seems ridiculusly obvious, and one that they find hard to swallow. Those note cards are then used to guide and support class and small group discussions of the assigned readings. Occassionallly, students are allowed to use them during pop quizzes about the chapter. Following class discussions (or during short breaks interspersing the discussions) additional notes about key ideas are added on the back of the card. I ask students to use a new 5×7 index card as bookmark for each chapter in the textbook, jotting notes on one side as they read. I sometimes suggest they record at least one idea that seems especially useful, one that seems ridiculusly obvious, and one that they find hard to swallow. Those note cards are then used to guide and support class and small group discussions of the assigned readings. Occassionallly, students are allowed to use them during pop quizzes about the chapter. Following class discussions (or during short breaks interspersing the discussions) additional notes about key ideas are added on the back of the card.

]]> By: Mark A Palmer http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/helping-students-discover-the-value-of-a-good-set-of-notes/#comment-8882 Mark A Palmer Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:43:15 +0000 http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=38040#comment-8882 Students need to be able to take notes while reading and studying as well. I tell them "jokingly" it is a way to stay awake. I think we need to better enable students to take notes. The newest version of Adobe Reader is awesome for this. The students can add text and other annotation to PDF Files (on a side note it is great for correcting HW as well). The challenge lies in what do we provide students so that they can take notes. The following statement may not have been true 15 years ago, but I think it is today. Copies of the "slides" (no matter how many per page) and nothing (expecting the student to just take notes on a blank sheet of paper) are equally useful. Try googling "Death by Powerpoint". I think it hits home. It is not the slides, it is not the presentation, it is the tools we give our audience to take notes. For example does it make any sense that a bullet point be the same size and font on the slide as on the printouts. This often also means a key image is too small on a printout to be useful. I think that an instructor needs to design the printouts as carefully as the slides. The good news is the technology is readily available. Finally why would one use a screen to display the presentations. Even in the old days of overhead projectors; it was possible to display on a whiteboard. This allows the faculty member to elaborate on the board either as part of a planned presentation, in response to student comments or both. Students need to be able to take notes while reading and studying as well. I tell them "jokingly" it is a way to stay awake. I think we need to better enable students to take notes. The newest version of Adobe Reader is awesome for this. The students can add text and other annotation to PDF Files (on a side note it is great for correcting HW as well). The challenge lies in what do we provide students so that they can take notes. The following statement may not have been true 15 years ago, but I think it is today.

Copies of the "slides" (no matter how many per page) and nothing (expecting the student to just take notes on a blank sheet of paper) are equally useful. Try googling "Death by Powerpoint". I think it hits home. It is not the slides, it is not the presentation, it is the tools we give our audience to take notes. For example does it make any sense that a bullet point be the same size and font on the slide as on the printouts. This often also means a key image is too small on a printout to be useful.

I think that an instructor needs to design the printouts as carefully as the slides. The good news is the technology is readily available.

Finally why would one use a screen to display the presentations. Even in the old days of overhead projectors; it was possible to display on a whiteboard. This allows the faculty member to elaborate on the board either as part of a planned presentation, in response to student comments or both.

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