Use Varied Instructional Methods

Providing students with different ways to access material creates an accessible environment for all students. Some students thrive in lectures; others obtain information effectively from text, while still others learn best through visual media such as diagrams, illustrations, charts, or video.

What range of instructional strategies or methods are available to you? (Remember that what is possible is determined by such factors as class size, available technology, your course's place in a sequence of courses, etc.) Here are some proven instructional strategies you might consider:

• case study
• lecture
• PowerPoint presentation of key ideas
• active lab in combination with demonstration or virtual lab
• Web supports such as archived lecture notes
• discussion (face-to-face and technology mediated)
• collaborative strategies
• group editing
• group problem-solving

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Sample scenarios

Test your ability to think broadly about instructional strategies by considering these scenarios:

Art History Scenario

You teach an art history class and have always used slides to show art from the different periods. Who in your class might you be excluding from participation? What can be done to make the material more inclusive?

Science Lab Scenario

You teach a soils science laboratory. To what extent must each student manipulate all measurement devices to satisfy course requirements? Are there alternatives to individual manual manipulation that are consistent with course goals?

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