Tag Archives: Labyrinth Learning

Enhance Lessons with the Labyrinth Learning Video Library

June 3, 2014Teaching Tips & StrategiesEducational Uses of Video in the Classroom, Labyrinth Learning, Labyrinth Learning Video Library, Using Video in the Classroomlablearning

Teaching with video tools, in addition to traditional lectures, group work, and assessments, can be an effective way to engage a wide spectrum of learners. However, if videos aren’t used correctly, they can become a “passive” teaching tool and will not have the same impact on your students’ learning process.

Here are tips for enhancing your lessons with the Labyrinth Learning video library:

Provide a synopsis. Take a little time before the video begins to “prime the intellectual pumps”. Explain what the video is about, the highlights and the key takeaway points students should be watching/listening for. This pre-viewing period is especially helpful if you feel there will be parts of the video or lesson that will challenge the students. Highlighting them beforehand will make the information more accessible.

Viewing activities. While you don’t want to interrupt the video too much, or assign a viewing activity that is too distracting, providing a few questions for students to answer, and/or selecting specific “pause points” to recap a video lesson’s main points, can be a productive way to keep students engaged.

Post-video review. Afterwards, to ensure the video’s lessons are translated to students, you should have a post-video review session, going over whatever worksheet, questions and assignments students were to complete during the video. Discuss the new material so students can further synthesize what they have learned.

Contact Labyrinth Learning for more information about teaching with video and other multi-media tools that will make your classroom a more dynamic learning environment.

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Easy Strategies to Increase Your Typing Speed

June 2, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & StrategiesLabyrinth Learning, teaching computer literacy, teaching in a computer lab, teaching tips for computer instructorslablearning

Have you been looking to improve your words-per-minute on the keyboard? Here are some quick and easy shortcuts on how to increase your typing speed:

Research has shown typing ability is broken down into 80 percent technique, 10 percent speed, and 10 percent accuracy. Proper hand placement technique is vital for increasing typing speed.
Practice makes perfect when it comes to improving your typing skills. While practicing might not seem like a very quick strategy, as little as 30 minutes a day works wonders on increasing your speed.
Fast and accurate typing skills are based on muscle memory and just as when learning anything new, repetition is the best way to train those muscles.
Keep your eyes off the keyboard. This might be difficult at first, so try covering the keyboard or consider starting out with a blank keyboard until you build up your confidence.
Correct posture while sitting at the keyboard ensures your hands are resting in the proper position and reduces strain on your back and neck. This also keeps your energy levels up and allows you to type faster and without injury.
Realize your errors are great learning tools. While it is frustrating to make the same mistake over and over, keeping a positive mindset while working to correct the problem goes a long way in improving both speed and accuracy.

If you’re looking to update and improve your teaching style and curriculum, please feel free to contact us today at Labyrinth Learning for more information on everything we offer!

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How You Can Engage Introverts and Extroverts in the Classroom

May 29, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & Strategiesassessing student performance, Labyrinth Learning, tips for teaching computer skills, tips on teaching adultslablearning

One of the biggest issues in teaching is being able to engage a large number of students at the same time despite their differences. The teaching strategies that capture and retain the interest of extroverts won’t produce the same results in introverts — extroverts tend to be more eager to participate in the open.

Teaching extroverts and introverts at the same time is not an impossible task, though it does mean that teachers will have to be observant and take both groups into account when crafting their lesson plans.

Here are some suggestions for teaching extroverts and introverts in the same classroom:

Facilitating both extroverts and introverts begins with telling which people are which. Extroverts tend to be more social, meaning that they will make more of an effort to talk with more people. In contrast, introverts tend to be more reserved — they need time to process their thoughts before participating. Bear in mind that both extroverts and introverts fall on the same spectrum, meaning that teachers must be flexible in handling their students.
In class, let extroverts speak first so that the introverts will have time to mull over their thoughts. This ensures that both will be able to participate without being pulled out of their comfort zones.
Set up a means for the class to communicate outside of meetings. Extroverts can continue to socialize, while introverts can communicate at their leisure.

Are you looking for more tips on teach introverts and extroverts? Contact us at Labyrinth Learning about more resources for engaging students.

Using eBooks to Prepare Students for College

May 28, 2014Teaching Tips & Strategiese-learning resources, Labyrinth Learning, teaching tips for online course instructors, technology in the classroomlablearning

Although learning in a classroom environment is the strongest foundation for students, eBooks are a great way to supplement their education. Not only are they beneficial for teachers, but they are a great way to prepare students for college.

Here is detailed list on how teaching with eBooks can be beneficial for students about to head into college:

Preparing for the use of technology – Students will most likely be introduced to new uses of technology for their education in college. eBooks are a great way for them to acclimate to the use of technology for studying.
Improve problem-solving skills – Students that use eBooks enough will most likely run into a few glitches like they would with any technology. Learning to face and handle such problems is a valuable experience.
Learning to try new things – Using eBooks for the first time will take students out of their comfort zones, an experience they should become accustomed to if they are to learn to try new things in life.
Learning to collaborate – Many eBook platforms allow students to interact and collaborate within the text. This type of collaboration is a great learning experience, especially for students planning on taking online courses.
Learn to think outside the box – Using eBooks is a way for students to learn in a nontraditional manner forcing them to think for themselves without the help of an instructor.

Teaching with eBooks is a great way to prepare students for college. For more information, contact us at Labyrinth Learning today.

Effective Ways to Use PowerPoint in a College Classroom

May 27, 2014Teaching Tips & StrategiesLabyrinth Learning, PowerPoint in the Classroom, Teaching on a College Campus, Tips on Using PowerPointlablearning

Once an office staple, PowerPoint has gained new respect in the classroom. More instructors are incorporating it into their lesson plans because lectures can quickly be updated and additional multi-media features like video, images and audio can easily be added.

Students are much more sophisticated than in the past due to rapidly changing technology. No longer are they satisfied to learn by rote. They want and expect to be challenged and engaged, therefore, when teaching with PowerPoint, it is paramount that PowerPoint lesson plans be carefully thought out.

Getting students interested in a lecture from the opening sentence can easily be achieved using a PowerPoint presentation. Including highlights of the lecture at the beginning gives students a visual aid as to what they will be learning. Building off that by asking open ended questions allow students’ prior knowledge to be gauged and lesson plans adjusted.

The body of the lecture should be broken down into short 10-15 minute segments. Often instructors get so wrapped up in what they are teaching that they forget this important tip. Remember to design a PowerPoint presentation to include active learning strategies so everyone can take a break and redirect their focus.

When teaching with PowerPoint, the conclusion is just as important as the beginning. Determine how effective the lecture was by including a slide requesting students write down what they felt was unclear or hard to understand.

For additional information on adding PowerPoint in your classroom, please contact Labyrinth Learning today.

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Technology Use in the Classroom Will Become More Important Over Time

May 1, 2014News & EventsLabyrinth Learning, Technology Trends in Higher Learning, Trends in Higher Education, Using Technology in the Classroomlablearning

The days of traditional textbooks, white boards and students in one setting, all being taught the same material, is slowly dying out only to be replaced with rapidly developing classroom technology. Educators, parents and students are quickly realizing technology in higher education is becoming more commonplace and embracing the change.

computer lab — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Because of technological advancements, educators are having to rethink the established teaching methods of presenting information and then having students repeat it back in rote. The future of education is requiring teachers to develop techniques on how to present critical thinking and long-range problem solving.

For all the negatives that people think of with new age technology, like concerns surrounding social media interactions, online gaming and off-topic websites, the positives are so much stronger.

Some of the advantages of classroom technology include:

Keeping students attention even longer
Increases in students willingness to learn
Freedom for students to learn at their own pace
Better preparation of students for more advanced technology

Of course, no article on technology in higher education can be complete without a nod to the long range advantages and potential impact that remote classrooms are already having worldwide. Cultural, geographical and financial boundaries are all reduced through nothing more than a strong internet connection, a webcam and a microphone.

For more ways to help engage your students and improve your classroom, feel free to contact us at Labyrinth Learning.

The Benefits to Asynchronous Learning

April 21, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & Strategiese-learning resources, Labyrinth Learning, teaching tips for computer instructors, tips for teaching computer skillslablearning

The traditional form of learning in a classroom setting has already been demonstrated as useful in an online format. While these interactive – or synchronous – forms have held sway in the educational community for the last several centuries, it is the new, asynchronous form that is leading the way in the online community of the 21st century.

laptop — Asynchronous learning is changing the way that modern students approach course material.

Here are just a few benefits to asynchronous learning:

It is Unbiased – Teachers are people and will exhibit their biases whether they realize it or not. Asynchronous seminars avoid this problem altogether as there is no “face-to-face” interaction between teacher and student. This means no cultural bias and no bias against those in other time zones.

They are Available 24/7 – The world no longer runs on a 9-to-5, Monday through Friday, schedule. People work all through the day and night and on weekends. Asynchronous learning allows them to schedule their classes at a time that is convenient and most learning-efficient for them.

They Do Not Rely on Expensive Technology – Many synchronous meetings utilize bandwidth-intensive graphics and videos. For those students without the necessary “high-end” equipment, these seminars may be all but useless. Asynchronous ones, on the other hand, allow a slow connection to buffer the signal and transmit the entire seminar.

For more information on the benefits of asynchronous learning and other, creative teaching techniques, please contact us at Labyrinth Learning, today.

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Tips New Professors Can Use in the Lecture Hall

April 11, 2014Teaching Tips & StrategiesLabyrinth Learning, Teaching Tips for New Teachers, teaching tips for online course instructors, Tips on Teaching an Online Courselablearning

Are you new to teaching college courses and lectures? Teaching at the college level can be very rewarding and more than a little daunting. Here are some tips for new professors when standing up in front of a lecture room full of students for the first time.

1. It’s OK to be nervous- Standing in front a room of people is always a bit nerve racking, but above all else you must exude confidence! Students need to know that you are an expert in your field, especially during the beginning of a semester.

2. Innovate- Sitting for two hours and listening to a lecture can be less than entertaining. More and more professors are implementing multimedia into lectures. Video, for example, will continue to play an important role in education.

3. Don’t over-prepare– Spending to much time preparing for a lesson may overwhelm you when the school year rolls around. Prepare your course outline and learning expectations early, develop an assessment standard, and take it one step at a time.

4. Be honest- If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t fuddle an answer. Instead, just say, “Let me get back to you.” You don’t want to lose credibility by giving a false answer.

Above all else make the lecture fun! Get creative in your lesson plans and make use of all resources available to you.

To find more tips for new professors and other resources, contact us at Labyrinth Learning to see how we can help you prepare for the school year.

Improving the Quality of Higher Education Through Digital Means

April 9, 2014News & Eventse-learning resources, Labyrinth Learning, Technology in Higher Learning, Using Technology in the Classroomlablearning

The future has come to colleges all across the world in the form of digital technology. Nowadays, both students and professors are seeing how this new medium is improving the quality of higher education in real time.

Going digital has given educators the ability to determine and rate program efficiency through analysis of collected data. Student performance can be tracked, and the curriculum can be finely tuned, depending on what information these data cuts reveal.
While professors are often reluctant to begin an online teaching program because they feel it is not an effective time management experience, investing in the necessary hours at the beginning reduces time commitments in the future.
Online classrooms have the ability to assist in improving the quality of higher education in a larger group of students. For example, ESL students, who perhaps are having difficulty composing complex grammatically correct sentences, can begin the semester with a specialized interactive tool allowing them to learn at their own pace. This digital technology also gives the instructor the capacity to track each student’s individual progress.
With digital learning platforms, the potential is there to establish a more personalized interactive relationship. Everything from feedback about test scores to questions that a student needs answered can be responded to in real time.

Please connect with us today online or call 800-522-9746 for more information on the tools and assistance we offer at Labyrinth Learning. Our products can improve the quality of higher education in your classroom.

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