Tips for Managing In-Class Activities

Madison, Wis.—September 12— If you’re an instructor new to higher education, you probably have questions about how to make in-class activities work. For example, how can you encourage students to use time working on in-class projects wisely? Use a timer, said Peter Saunders, director of Oregon State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning, during the recent Magna Online Seminar “15 Survival Strategies for New College Instructors.”

Except for taking examinations, most students have little experience relating time to task completion, Saunders said. The result is often unfocused, unproductive class time. "If you ask students, ‘What does four minutes feel like?’ or ‘Can you predict when four minutes are up?’ they’ll say, ‘No.’” But by emphasizing time on task, you will improve students’ productivity, as well as their ability to focus—a skill that will serve them well in all of their educational pursuits.

Saunders recommended using electronic timers to keep students on track during group work and keep excessive socializing from eating up time that could be spent accomplishing a goal. By asking students to complete a task within a short time—perhaps three or five minutes—and using a timer, students begin to internalize a sense of time and learn when they need to focus quickly, Saunders said. In many instances, when the timer rings, students say they can’t believe the time is up, he noted. “This will show up on your [instructor] evaluations,” Saunders said. “They’ll say, ‘Loved the course, hated the timers.’”