They're
all in their places, with bright shiny faces —
and scribbling in notebooks like mad.
Students
should be encouraged to learn how to take effective notes
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Most students use
some form of recording during your presentations to be sure they
have all the information. The majority of students take notes by
hand since it's not only less expensive than a recording device and
tapes, but the mere act of writing helps cement the information in
their minds. In my experience, students who don't take notes or
record and play back lecture information usually have the most
difficulty with retention, and usually score lower on quizzes and
exams.
Students should be
encouraged to learn how to take effective notes. Many colleges and
instructional facilities have a plethora of information directed
towards effective note taking. A search on the Internet will garner
you thousands of links on this same subject. While it's important
for a student to know how to effectively take notes in class, we
instructors can make note taking less effective, even detrimental,
by the structure of our presentations. Good note taking actually
begins with the instructor.
Prepare students
to learn and to take notes:
Students must be prepared to take notes and to learn. This can only
be done if they are effectively reading, comprehending, and studying
the material prior to the lecture. (See my column, "R2D2, C3PO,
and SQ3R.") Keep in mind that many who participate in an EMT
course may not have taken classes for years. They may need initial
assistance in taking good notes. Develop a sample page, a master
page, and some brief directions on note taking. Provide these in a
form they can reproduce. (Be sure to bring extra copies of the
master page for the first day, or provide student access to a copy
machine.)
Develop
"Note-Taking-Friendly" Materials:
Develop presentations in a format that students can actually read
without straining or becoming overwhelmed. For example, use
note-friendly audio-visuals.
Avoid note
panic: Note
panic occurs when you have too much information on a single
overhead, have inconsistent materials, or speak too rapidly.
Students will desperately attempt to write down your quickly spoken
words and everything on the overhead, and struggle to adjust to an
inconsistent format. If you use a busy chart or graph, be sure to
indicate the figure number or page in the text where it can be
found. If it isn't in the text, provide a handout of the same chart.
On visuals, don't
use whole paragraphs. (An exception may be made if you're engaging
in a class exercise, such as patient documentation, and are working
through how to write a narrative report.) Also, consider structuring
your visual aids to look similar to a note-taking page by writing
major points on the left and sub points on the right.
Allow time at the
end of each lecture for students to flesh out their notes either
individually or by comparing their notes with other students. (You
can use this time to set up for the next lecture or scenario, or
take a break yourself!)
Be consistent:
While we may get sick of looking at the same background and
structure of the material, consistency is important for students.
Use the same background unless it's meant to set a mood or expand
upon an idea. Be sure the text is readable over the background. Use
the same layout — either horizontal or vertical. Abbreviate
consistently after first exposing students to abbreviations with the
full term or name. For example, it's acceptable to write "BVM"
after they see "bag-valve-mask (BVM)" a few times.
10
reminders on
developing overheads:
- Sans
serif typefaces, such as Arial or Helvetica, are
generally more readable when projected. Avoid fine type
or type with both thick and thin strokes.
- Write
text in caps and small letters. Do not use all caps
except for short titles.
- Use
italics sparingly.
- For best
visibility, don’t use drop shadows or letters with
shading or patterns.
- Choose a
type size that is at least 1/4 inch in height (24
point).
- Borders
should "frame" the message, not overpower what
you are trying to convey.
- Limit
colors. Be sure to have high contrast. Only use red for
very important points.
- Limit
the amount of text on a single overhead. Keep it to a
single subject.
- Select
either a vertical or horizontal format, and use it
throughout your presentation.
- Leave
enough light on in the room so students can see to take
notes.
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- Replicate
your overhead on paper handouts:
The most dramatic example of this is the option in PowerPoint®
to print the actual overheads in mini (but fully readable) form
with accompanying right side page lines for note taking.
Students love this. However, the expense of so much copy work
can be prohibitive unless you only develop materials with the
barest information, which may be self-defeating. One way to
mitigate the expense is to offer these on disk for students who
have access to PowerPoint so they can print off their own pages.
The down side concerns your copyrights and having your materials
passed around indiscriminately.
Use Layers:
Some concepts are built upon previous information, or are best
learned in a step-by-step approach. Use layers to convey those
items, but be prepared for the student to take more time to write
notes from layered overheads. Be sure your layers line up properly.
If it becomes too complicated, it's better to do a live demonstrate
or use a manikin.
Lecture in a
manner conducive to note taking:
It's all in the timing — listening and taking notes is an intense
activity. Keep it in short bursts interspersed with brief breaks.
This allows students to stretch or fill in the blanks under major
points they've recorded. The material should only have the high
points briefly listed. More time spent copying from the overhead
leaves less time to focus on what you're saying; and it's important
for them to take notes on what you emphasize verbally.
Some educators
disagree about using a blank sheet to uncover one point at time, but
this technique does force the student to stop copying strictly from
the media and instead focus on what you're saying.
Pause!
Give students time to record what you've said or they'll miss the
next few points. Allow some time for them to formulate any immediate
questions or ask for clarifications. After a subject has been
covered, again let them have a few minutes to flesh out their notes.
Additionally,
students who take notes should also be able to do so when you show a
film. Tell the students what you want them to get from the film, and
important points to look for. This is like a mini set of objectives
for the film, if you will. If you have no objectives to achieve with
the film, reconsider why you're showing it. (However, I must say
that upon occasion a film can be shown for entertainment — as a
reward for a job well done.)
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