Education System and Education Problematics in Indonesia

Indonesia is a country whose quality of education is still low when compared with other countries and even fellow ASEAN member countries also the quality of human resources of Indonesia into the lowest rank. This happens because education in Indonesia has not been able to function optimally. Therefore, education in Indonesia must be improved immediately in order to be able to give birth to a generation that has advantages in various fields so that the Indonesian people can compete with other nations and not to be left behind because of the fast-moving global currents.

     

To improve education in Indonesia requires an education system that is responsive to changes and demands of the times. The improvements were made from basic education, secondary education and higher education. Therefore, the Indonesian nation must use the education system and policy pattern in accordance with the state of Indonesia.

 The future of a nation depends on the quality of its human resources and the ability of its learners to master science and technology. It can be realized through education in the family, community education and school education.

Currently the school education must be accepted by all Indonesian people, because with education we can follow the global flow and can catch up with us from other nations. But in reality today there are still many people who have not been able to go to school because of economic factors. However, in this global era, it should not happen because it will hamper the development of human resources and the nation at large. Therefore, the Indonesian government should adopt a policy that can solve the problem.

 Education System adopted in Indonesia

     Indonesia now embraces the national education system. However, the national education system still can not be implemented properly. There are several systems in Indonesia that have been implemented, including:

• Value-oriented Indonesian Education System. This education system has been implemented since elementary school. Here learners are given the teachings of honesty, consideration, discipline, etc. This value is conveyed through Pkn lessons, even this value is also delivered at the level of secondary education and higher education.
• Indonesia adopts an open education system. According to this educational system, learners are required to compete with friends, think creatively and innovatively
• Educational systems are diverse. In Indonesia consists of various tribes, languages, regions, cultures, etc. And education of Indonesia consisting of formal education, non-formal and informal.
• An efficient education system in time management. In the KBM, time is set in such a way that learners do not feel burdened with the subject matter delivered because the time is too short or vice versa.
• Educational system adapted to changing times. In this system, the Indonesian nation must adapt the curriculum to its current state. Therefore, curriculum in Indonesia often experience change / change from time to time, until now Indonesia use curriculum KTSP.

Problems in Education
The problems facing the Indonesian nation in education include three principal proble, namely:

• Equity Education, Currently the Indonesian nation is still experiencing in the field of educational equity. This is because education in Indonesia can only be felt by middle to upper class. In order for education in Indonesia is not getting worse, then the government must take the right policy. For example, a 9-year compulsory education policy. This policy is implemented from elementary to junior high school. The government makes policy by leveling educators in each region.
• Cost of Education, Indonesia's economic situation is also worsening the impact on education in Indonesia. There are so many children who can not afford education because of the high cost of education. Therefore, in order for the Indonesian people not to be retarded, the Government started to issue BOS funds, which were given to students in elementary and junior high schools. This is done by freeing the tuition fee or creating a free-school policy for basic education. With the policy, it is expected that all education can be felt in all circles of Indonesian society.
• Education Quality, In addition to these two problems, the most fundamental issue is the quality of education. Because now our education is still far behind when compared with other countries. This is evidenced by the number of teaching staff who teach but not in accordance with the field. In addition, the level of honesty and discipline of students is still low. For example: with the frauds conducted during the National Examination of students tend to choose to get an answer instantly, for example by buying answers about the UN. Therefore, the quality of education should be improved, then the government makes a policy in the form of improving the quality of educators. What is done by re-evaluating educators to fit the conditions to become educators. In addition, the government should improve facilities and infrastructure, such as improving building facilities, reproduce books, etc.

Education is very important for a nation. Without education, the nation will be left behind from other nations. As well as the Indonesian people, education is one of the efforts needed to catch up from other nations, especially ASEAN nations. So education of Indonesia must be improved, both in terms of education system and infrastructure.

Indonesia consists of basic education, secondary education, and higher education. Currently the government is starting to improve the quality of education in Indonesia by making various policies and changing the system. Education Indonesia currently uses a national system that includes open systems, value-oriented systems, diverse educational systems, education systems adapted to changing times and an effective and efficient education system. To run the system, the government issued a 9-year compulsory education system aimed at elementary and junior high school students, free-school. Curriculum changes from time to time tailored to the current state of education, improving facilities, evaluating the performance of educators etc. With the efforts of education in Indonesia can be better so that the Indonesian nation can balance other countries, especially ASEAN countries.

The Differences of Ingenuity and Intelligence You Should Know

Sometimes we are specifically difficult to distinguish intelligence and intelligence possessed by humans. The results of the study of psychology expert stated that the ingenuity and intelligence that is a different matter. Where is the difference?

Here we will review the Ingenuity and intelligence Differences You Should Know.

Intelligence (Smart Peoples)

Intelligence is your ability to absorb information. When you can read and take knowledge of books or issues that you absorb, you are smart enough.

However, the ingenuity stop there. The scholar has a lot of knowledge, but sometimes hinders it in decision-making, the reason is that a lot of knowledge shows a lot of information.

Intelligence has limits, ie values, which are more closely related to the academic sphere, resembling if a high GPA means scholars, if a low GPA is stupid. Well, that's the limit of intelligence.

Ingenuity (Intelligence)

Ingenuity is the ability to manage intelligence. Successful people are sometimes people who are not very intellectual, but can manage smart people. Ingenuity makes you know who a scholar is suited to doing certain kinds of work. Ingenuity allows you to take advantage of a combination of intelligence.

Ingenuity does not just mean high IQ. But the meaning of Ingenuity includes several dimensions called Multiple Intellegences, which must be developed since toddlers, either through the process of education, the process of learning or other stimulation.

Originally the concept of Ingenuity has a meaning, as the ability to capture the gres situation and the ability to learn from one's past experiences, and this is supported by research that with high IQ test results, it will be academically successful. From here it was concluded that the IQ test only measures academic talent, while true Ingenuity includes a vastly broader range of skills.

The measure that states that intelligence only means high IQ, has been proven to be imperfect, with the emergence of emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence and so on, so that we become intelligent, without being limited by certain categories of intelligence itself. We can be smart according to our own dreams.

What is the concrete pattern of difference of intellectuals and intelligent people in everyday life?

According to Julio Kido resembles that launched from Kompasiana, Smart is doing something in a regular and neat way in accordance with the rules that apply without adding or reducing resembling memorize in accordance with what must be memorized. Being smart doing something without rules sometimes adds creative ideas and more improvisation.

Here's the pattern of intellectuals and intelligent people:

First, If the Smart person before departing already preparing scoop as his equipment. But if the Intelligent only carries the equipments, Soon the Smart person will bathe with his scoop while the intelligent people look for plastic bottles and then split up to behave like a scoop or maybe use coconut shells or other tools that can be used to replace scoops.

Second, Smart People will prepare Hanger before leaving, Smart People always improvise. After arriving and want to change clothes Smart People will use the Hanger he brought while the Smart will look for the branches of the tree and look for the rope and then the branch in the middle tied with a rope and hung on the tree so that its function will be the same as hanger.

Learning and Vacation

Who does not like the holidays. Although it only has a short time, this activity can teach many things to your toddler. What things can he learn?

a. Planning & Decision Making

When making a vacation plan to decide which destinations to choose, there's nothing wrong to invite children to get involved so he learned to plan and choose something.

b. Geography

Who says New Geography can be learned in junior high school? When selecting the city or country you want to visit, show the location of the city or country with the help of a map or globe. Can also be explained how long the journey will be taken if using a car, train or airplane.

c. Finance

When choosing the exact type of transportation and accommodation you will choose the appropriate budget. From here children learn about finance. Teach that there is a limit on the amount of money and tell the consequences. For example, if you choose a cheaper hotel, then vacation time can be longer, or eat more delicious.

d. Socialize

Whether on the trip or when arriving at a holiday destination, there will be many people with different shapes, looks and traits to be encountered by him. This is the best time to teach children to socialize, interact with strangers and learn to respect differences. However, do not let you neglect the safety factor. Keep a look at the child when your family is in a crowded place.

e. Patience & Ethics

Density of recreation when the holiday season makes you and your child must be willing to queue up. This is the opportunity to teach him about the ethics of orderly queuing up and patiently waiting for his turn.

f. Sharing

Less valid if traveling without bringing souvenirs for friends and relatives at home. By buying gifts for grandparents, nannies, and friends, children learn to care and share with others.

g. Culture, History & Nature

In the area where the child is on vacation, you can introduce it to the history, the natural richness and the local culture. Invite him to visit a local museum, a traditional market that sells things on Monday, watching dance performances and playing to the beach or mountains.

h. Culinary

It's time to train your taste buds and smell your toddler with a variety of local culinary specialties. Different textures, colors, aromas and different food flavors become the best 'guru' mouth and tongue.

Educate Children Smarter (For 2 years Old)

Many studies reveal that the first year of child development is also called the golden stage or Golden Age that takes place in the first 1000 days of the baby's life. And in this time frame is the main time or prime time for the learning phase of the child. But as the development of children there may be some ha that make parents difficult to stimulate child development. Here are some tips to help parents teach children in this golden age to be more intelligent.

1. Introduce with music

According to research, revealed that music helps the development of children become more intelligent. The average child who studies music has a more prominent achievement than children who do not know music at all. Even music is also very useful when the child is still in the womb, as one way to make a smart child since the womb. And from the study also revealed that within 6 months only when a child learning the music of cognitive abilities experienced significant improvement.

2. Provide adequate nutrition

Nutrition is very important for the development of children, especially in the golden age of growth. Adequacy of nutrients and nutrients that enter the child's body will help support the development of children as a whole. A healthy child will certainly be smarter when compared to a malnourished child or suffering from malnutrition. Breast milk is one of them, because it contains the complete nutrition that children need during their development for at least the first two years.

At the age of 2 years, the child's brain needs the right balance of nutritional intake such as glucose, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B, zinc, and folic acid. Children who eat breakfast regularly have better memory and focus. One of the good breakfast foods is cereal and oatmeal made from wheat.

3. Include in every activity

Educating 2-year-old child is certainly a little different from how to educate children aged 1 year, in addition to child's growing age is much different. At the age of 2 years, the child can be invited and involved in doing family activities together. If when the 1-year-old maaih is still dangerous because the child may still learn the way, certainly different from the 2-year-old child who may have been able to run. This age invites children to engage in every activity of the house such as putting his drink bottle on the table, watering flowers, tidying his own toys and all the fun things at home. When inviting children involved, note that there are no dangerous objects nearby.

4. Adequate playing time

Children instinctively love to play, anything can be a media play for children. Do not forbid or try to stop the wishes of this one child. It would be better if the parents provide a place for him to play and also beraktifitas freely. Play can also make children become more intelligent, so choose educational gear. For example, puzzles, beams, balls, drawing paper and toys that can pull out music like toy pianos. Do not forget to always watch and keep the child as he plays. Because the child could have fallen or hit his maianan when he was busy playing.

5. Invite to read

Although not yet able to read, but invites children at the age of 2 years to start to know the book and reading will provide good stimulation for brain development. Do not just read a story or story to a child but invite him to read. According to research, invites children to read colorful fairy tale books, able to stimulate the ability to read early on. Because when reading a child's fairy tale not only see the visual of the book but also hear the words spoken by the mother or father who would be recorded in the child's brain memory.

6. Speak up

By inviting children at the age of 2 years to chat, indirectly parents will teach him various kinds of vocabulary. So the child will love to talk and also imitate speech. It will also improve the intelligence of the child and as a way to educate the child to be confident in speaking well.

7. Teach with good habits

The name of good habits must be built by getting children to do good things. For example throw samoah in place, pray, and should not say rude and also shout. Also teach children also simple activities such as pee in the toilet, eating with a spoon, wearing pants or clothes themselves. It is very good as one way to educate 2-year-olds to be disciplined and responsible.

8. Teach sleep on time

Sleep has an important role in helping the child's growth become more optimal. Indeed, many things that can be a cause of difficulty sleeping the night that can reduce the quality of child's sleep. But by teaching children to sleep on time it can be slightly reduced. At least the child's sleep time in these times until the age of 5 years should be no less than 11 hours or more than 13 hours in a day.

9. Limit time to watch tv

Television is now very developed with the number of programs offered. As a parent should be wise in giving television spectacle to the child, because this is a bit more able to give effect to the development of children. Give the right time to watch television, because children aged 2 years can already addicted to watching tv and this is not good for the attitude and behavior of the next child. Moreover, watching tv for two-year-olds does not have any meaningful benefits.

Indeed educate the child can not be equally - leveled out at all ages, because each child has his ability - each. So even with the intelligence of children, although it can be sharpened to be more intelligent but that does not mean parents can impose on the child. At this stage of age two, children are still in the exploration stage. So the way to educate it should be more inviting play and fun activities so that children do not experience pressure or stress.

15 Ways to Educate a True 2-Year-Old Child

Educating 2-year-olds is not easy, especially if your child is too critical or just too quiet and passive. Educating 2-year-olds is also quite difficult where the child can not yet be understood, but their visual reasoning is working well.

This fact that makes many parents, especially new parents to be confused how to take care of their children who turn 2 years of age. It is not easy and trivial to educate 2-year-olds, where they should model good things to be imitated by 2-year-olds, because they still use the viewing and reasoning system so bad or good will be absorbed and followed. Even if not stopped they will grow into the wrong person. Here are 15 tips for educating 2 year olds, anything?

1. Firmly

Being firm is the first thing you should do. Firm does not mean fierce, because basically, firmly is something that can make it easier for someone to be able to analyze our principles ourselves. For children aged 2 years they will be confused if a rule change. Today you forbid, then they cry and you allow it. With such inconsequential events the children will belittle you as parents. If you have applied a strict Sika from an early age, the child's brain sensor will easily absorb the attitude and will instinctively act on the firmness you apply to your child.

2. Show Love

Compassion is the most expensive and can not be exchanged. As you know that a 2-year-old child still needs a thing whose name is affection with a very high level or percentage not just a mere one. With these facts love can be one of the best educating ways for children.

3. Invite to Play

Inviting play is certainly the most appropriate way to educate children aged 2 years. Playing is indeed their world and not learning, but you can embed lessons into all their games to make it easier to remember. Taking 2-year-olds also adds to the closeness of mothers and children or children with other family members. Playing and outside activities is very helpful to improve the sensory and motor nerves of the child.

4. Speak Up

Speaking may sound trivial, but do you know that taking a 2-year-old child to talk can then train them to communicate, what they are like and how they communicate. Whether good or not, polite or not and anything else. Speaking can also help them to speak fluently and not lisp or stammer.

5. Show Good Things

Showing good things certainly not only in 2-year-olds who can learn, but to all children and even adults. Especially if you can show the immediate effect or "gift" that they will receive by doing good. Teaching children good things from an early age is considered very good because the ability to absorb children when he was 2 years very good and easy to practice by the child.

However, it does not mean you as a parent can give the lure and give a gift for them to do good. That's not the right thing, because many parents do that and make the kids never do something sincerely or expecting a pamrih. If you continue to be rewarded, your children will continue to do good things just because they will get rewards, and that is not good for the child's psychic development.

6. Recommend Good Habits

Introduce good habits not merely about helping to cross the parents and so on. 2 year old child does not know yet. To introduce good habits from the smallest such as taking your own drink, eating your own food, eating with your right hand, answering children's questions carefully or answering questions in good language.

7. Show Bad Things

Showing bad things for a 2-year-old child? what could possibly be. Should not show good things? no, to train their reasoning you can show bad things and show what things are forbidden. If necessary you show how the effects or impacts are received if doing the worst. In addition, showing bad things will help them analyze what is actually prohibited or what is allowed.

8. Teach Punishment

Teaching punishment helps you become a smart and assertive parent. What if they cry? the humane thing a 2 year old boy is punished and weeping. But with the punishment then you have taught that the life of 2-year-old child-had already had a rule or a good restriction or not. But the punishment must be adjusted and not too heavy. For example, when your child picks up his friend's toys then you should punish him by giving your child a toy to a friend who picked up his toys. Will a 2 year old child be crying? it is clear, but with that little thing you remove the nature or personality of your child's greed.

9. Stop Crying With Other Ways

Stop the crying not merely with praise and reward or lure. But to stop the crying is not also angry or beat them. Stopping a cry can be included in how to educate a child, at the age of 2 years the child should be taught to reduce the whimper by crying. Train them to talk about what is being asked not by crying.

10. Give the Rules

Providing rules helps them with a better life. 2-year-olds still need freedom of expression, they are growing up. However, that does not mean the rules are lost and specified. For example the child wants a cake 2 then the cake is gone, then he should not take his sister's cake or his sister. Because he already ate his cake. This is called a rule that can be applied to a 2-year-old child.

11. Let Them Contend

2 year olds are still 100% old? not necessarily, too. A 2-year-old child is able to present the desires and things most needed for himself. So let them think and express their desires and intentions. That way you can examine the extent to which your child has developed or not. Let them dare to express their wishes and opinions correctly since the age of 2 years. Because by arguing, the child will be able to understand what is meant by cause and effect.

12. Do not Limit Interest and Talent

Do not limit the interest and talent of 2-year-olds. For 2-year-olds are usually new to many things and recognize new objects that previously may never be known or never seen. So do not limit their interests and talents, some children sometimes have seen interest and talent since the age of 2 years.

For example, the child is happy with the color puzzle or may have been happy to play beams of interest then and talent can be seen from the game or their activities even if only vague. Because 2-year-olds are still familiar with a variety of things not including can be categorized as having liked a particular interest or talent.

13. Do not Snap

Snapping is the most prohibited thing in educating children especially those who are still 2 years old. Barking will only add to their fear, where snapping just shows the wrong thing in children aged 2 years. They will imitate you to yell at others to be heard, so you can grow the nature and personality of tempramen to the child who is still 2 years old. Snapping also can only grow a child into a thug and try to arrange other people including his friends.

14. Do not Use Hands

Using the hands is the most forbidden before snapping or after snapping. Using a hand will only cause a 2-year-old child to be terrified and traumatic. Especially if using hands to educate them minded that other people do cruel things and they should not be wrong, so the child will never want to try or want to do things at risk. It is clear the child will not develop well. If there is a use of the hand should be reminded, especially if the do is your spouse who together became parents with you.

15. Spend More Time

2-year-olds need high attention, great curiosity but not being able to take care of themselves cause you as a parent should be able to spend better time. Not only that, taking the time can help you provide better quality of education and more targeted. If you want to help a 2-year-old learn to speak well, then you should spend time better to keep talking and train your child to talk.

Similarly, a full explanation of some ways that can be followed to teach your child who is 2 years old, so that your child grows and develops positively, both physical and psychic.

Role of Education in Development

Education has the task to transform and prepare the human resources development. Pace of development is always sought in tune with the demands of the times. Development of the age always raises new issues that have never thought about before. This chapter will examine the main problems of education, and the interplay between the principal serve targeted, the factors influencing the development and actual problems and ways to overcome it.

What happens if the development in Indonesia is not accompanied by the development in education?. Although his physical development is good, but what’s the point when the nation’s moral decline. If this happens, the economy would be problematic, because each person will be corruption. So sooner or later will come the day when the state and the nation is destroyed. Therefore, for prevention, education must be one of the priorities in the development of the country.

Government Education Problems and Solutions

Regarding the problem of education, the attention of our government still feels very minimal. The picture is reflected in the diversity of an increasingly complex educational problems. The quality of students is still low, less professional instructors, cost of education is expensive, even chaotic rule of the Education Act. The impact of poor education, the future of our country getting worse. This downturn may also result from an average size of budget allocations for education both at the national, provincial, and city and county.

Solving the problems of education should not be done separately, but must be taken measures or actions that are comprehensive. That is, we not only pay attention to the increase in expenditure. Because it’s useless, if the quality of human resources and quality of education in Indonesia is still low. Problems organizing Nine-year Compulsory Education is actually still a big homework for us. The fact that we can see that many in the periphery areas that do not have adequate educational facilities. With the abandonment of the nine-year compulsory education program resulted in Indonesia’s children are still many who drop out of school before completing their nine-year compulsory education. Under these conditions, when no significant change in policy, it is difficult for this nation out of the educational problems that exist, let alone survive in the competition in the global era.

Ideal conditions in the field of education in Indonesia is that every child can go to school at least until the high school level regardless of their status because that is their right. But it is very difficult to realize at this time. Therefore, at least everyone has the same opportunity to get an education. If you look at the above problems, there was an inequality between the rich and the poor. Seemed to belong only to the rich school just so that people who lack feel inferior to school and hang out with them. Plus publication of the school about scholarships is severely limited.

Free schools in Indonesia should have adequate facilities, competent faculty, appropriate curriculum, and has the administrative and bureaucratic system is good and straightforward. However, in reality, free schools are schools located in remote areas of slums and everything was not able to support the school bench which raised the question, “Is the school for free? If yes, yes fair because it is very worrying.Role of Education in Development

Education has the task to transform and prepare the human resources development. Pace of development is always sought in tune with the demands of the times. Development of the age always raises new issues that have never thought about before. This chapter will examine the main problems of education, and the interplay between the principal serve targeted, the factors influencing the development and actual problems and ways to overcome it.

What happens if the development in Indonesia is not accompanied by the development in education?. Although his physical development is good, but what’s the point when the nation’s moral decline. If this happens, the economy would be problematic, because each person will be corruption. So sooner or later will come the day when the state and the nation is destroyed. Therefore, for prevention, education must be one of the priorities in the development of the country.

Government Education Problems and Solutions

Regarding the problem of education, the attention of our government still feels very minimal. The picture is reflected in the diversity of an increasingly complex educational problems. The quality of students is still low, less professional instructors, cost of education is expensive, even chaotic rule of the Education Act. The impact of poor education, the future of our country getting worse. This downturn may also result from an average size of budget allocations for education both at the national, provincial, and city and county.

Solving the problems of education should not be done separately, but must be taken measures or actions that are comprehensive. That is, we not only pay attention to the increase in expenditure. Because it’s useless, if the quality of human resources and quality of education in Indonesia is still low. Problems organizing Nine-year Compulsory Education is actually still a big homework for us. The fact that we can see that many in the periphery areas that do not have adequate educational facilities. With the abandonment of the nine-year compulsory education program resulted in Indonesia’s children are still many who drop out of school before completing their nine-year compulsory education. Under these conditions, when no significant change in policy, it is difficult for this nation out of the educational problems that exist, let alone survive in the competition in the global era.

Ideal conditions in the field of education in Indonesia is that every child can go to school at least until the high school level regardless of their status because that is their right. But it is very difficult to realize at this time. Therefore, at least everyone has the same opportunity to get an education. If you look at the above problems, there was an inequality between the rich and the poor. Seemed to belong only to the rich school just so that people who lack feel inferior to school and hang out with them. Plus publication of the school about scholarships is severely limited.

Free schools in Indonesia should have adequate facilities, competent faculty, appropriate curriculum, and has the administrative and bureaucratic system is good and straightforward. However, in reality, free schools are schools located in remote areas of slums and everything was not able to support the school bench which raised the question, “Is the school for free? If yes, yes fair because it is very worrying.

10 Tips to Communicate With Children Needs to Know For Each Parent

Is a struggle that is not easy for us to be able to continue close to the child. Yet this is one of the keys to our success.

It must be recognized that we are coming from a different time with our children. They will never like the "Rod Stewart", until we understand and know about the "One Direction".

Before it's too late, let's try 10 tips to communicate with these children so that our relationship with the child continues harmony.

1. Take time
Always include a schedule for the activity with the child on a schedule harianParents. Allow the Small to choose the activities he likes, even if it's just watching MTV at home. This way Parents will know how in fact the character of the little one at home, what he likes and so forth.

2. Give them your full attention
We often complain that our children often ignore or do not care about our busyness. But who knows, beginning precisely from our mistakes.

Often as parents we go home already in a state of fatigue. Or though the activity in the house, but we instead choose TV or gadget as a friend of children, so that we can immediately finish the housework or take care of our business.

We are always busy, busy, and busy constantly. Until now, they need us, we always say, "Sorry Mom / Dad did not have time," or "Oh, Father / Mother was tired, boy, can we talk tomorrow".
From now on, let's provide a little more effort to pay attention and to communicate to them. Let's do this in order to maintain our close relationship and children.

3. Respect them
Appreciating the efforts of our toddler, or teenager on good behavior, will create a positive relationship. And positive relationship will of course be an effective way to communicate or talk to them.

4. Respect the wishes of children
Problem children often underestimated by parents. But be aware that the "trivial" is actually even crucial to a child would help the relationship between parents and children.

So let's, we value and respect every word, and their desires. Our appreciation to them will lead to trust and strengthen our relationship with the children.

5. Use good body language
It is advisable that parents lowered his voice and spoke more slowly to children. Moreover, seeking to speak with an equal height is recommended, for example by lowering the body or even sit. This will reduce the fear and intimidation that children may feel when talking to his parents.

6. Speak more often
Make communicate with the child as a habit. If the little one in the house was still a toddler, then talk things simple with it. Initially it may be difficult, but this habit will make the little one knows that his parents will always try to connect with him.

7. Be a Flexible
When the children are teenagers, they could have questioned our rules and tried to ask for more freedom. For that when the full freedom

8. Love them sincerely
Wise proverb says that children will never be too old to be told that our parents, love them. So, to say "I love you" on the Toddlers and show through deeds, our love to the teenages.

9. Give clear reasons
When about to scold the child, hold on emotion, especially of utterances accused. Instead, speak well to children and show that Parents are ready to explain what became of their mistake. Practice and try to communicate well even in a state full of emotion.

10. Involve children
Lastly, always involve the children in the family activities. Suppose decide where want to travel, what kind of food to be cooked today, and so forth.
This will make the children always felt close to Parents though perhaps, eventually Parents and children will be living far away or years apart.

How to Get Scholarships

Scholarships are not open to them with a resounding academic achievement alone, Bright Friends. Many ways to reach scholarship opportunities in accordance with the qualifications you have. How to?

Believed that higher education can change a person's future for the better. Just get better access to higher education is not cheap. In addition to the entry fee, a good student, students S1, S2 and doctoral inevitably expend considerable cost to buy books and do research.

Scholarship is one perfect solution to address the financial problems of the students. In addition to ease the financial burden, if winning a scholarship will certainly add value to your resume. Who are the institutions that will provide scholarship assistance? Consider the following tips before you "hunting"!

Scholarships from the university

Usually many universities both at home and abroad that provide scholarships for new students. So, before enrolling at university you're going, it's good to ask if the university provides scholarships for new students.

There are several considerations put forward by the university before accepting you as a participant scholarships. Each university, faculty and department usually has a different requirement. There is a priority to academic achievement with a minimum value limit, there is also a consideration based on economic status scholarship applicants.

But there are also universities that consider granting scholarships for non-academic achievement as extracurricular who you follow. For example, academic achievement you are not so good, but you are reliable in the sport of basketball.

Each year, the regulations regarding grants scholarships from universities usually different. Some Universities offers scholarships since the beginning of college, but some offer scholarships only to students of a particular level. But not infrequently also universities that offer full scholarships (full time) for a specific program or department annually. We recommend that you consult with your academic advisor in order to obtain a clearer explanation of the terms and conditions of the scholarship.

Government scholarship

If the university does not provide scholarships, you can switch on the scholarship program launched by the government, both domestically and abroad. Usually a scholarship from the government more specifically its kind, based on merit or the needs of the recipients.

Many government scholarships are intended for those who are unable, for example, to those living in remote areas, women, students who suffer from physical disabilities, or indeed not well off financially.

Scholarships for master's and doctoral programs was widely shared by the government. It's just that the competition is intense. But once the scholarship is worth a try, because the funds were given often covers all the total tuition until you pass. Consultation with the academic advisor to find out if you are eligible to participate in the scholarship program offered by the government.

Scholarships from private companies

If you just graduated from high school and want to find a scholarship to continue S1, ask the parents whether their employers offer scholarships to children of employees.

So also with you who are already working, ask HR if it is possible to get a scholarship for employees.

Scholarships from foundations

Universities and private companies are not the only sources of scholarships. You can also try some of the charitable foundation and scholarship of the individual. Usually the scholarship is not only true for learning purposes in the country, but also abroad.

As well as government scholarships, scholarships granted by the charitable foundation aimed at those who are less fortunate or specific targets. Sometimes this type of scholarship only certain educational program offers scholarships to students from areas that have not been considered advanced. But, from the charitable foundation scholarships is also not rule out the possibility for those who are active in organizations or active in social work.

Do not hesitate: immediately register!

As well as schools, scholarships sertiap also has its own prestige. Do not hesitate to sign up scholarships that demand little, or only offer education costs are not much. To overcome this problem, list several scholarships at the same time, in order to accumulate sufficient funds for education that all the costs that you need to continue studies.

Do your research, read the terms and conditions of the scholarship clearly before you start to register. Do not get discouraged before trying, because scholarship is not only intended for those who have a perfect academic achievement. Talent and talent can only be a major capital to achieve the dream scholarship. Happy hunting scholarship, Bright Friends!

5 Tips on Child Education Plan

Every parent would want to provide the best for their child, including in education. Maximizing the interests and talents of children with the best education course is a parent's dream.

Therefore, the cost of a child's education is one of the things that you should not neglect to prepare. Moreover, the estimated cost of education rose by 20% annually, far greater than changes in inflation and salary increases!

With this increase, the best way to set up a fund a child's education is through investment. Hopefully the following five tips can help you:

1. Prepare early

Investments take time to develop. Cost of education is usually a long-term target that takes more than 5 years to be achieved. Therefore, the sooner you start setting aside money and investing, the better.

2. Plan your child's education level

Plan your child's education, such as the type of school you want (public and private schools or abroad), the type of education according to their interests and talents of your child (school of art, or medicine, etc.). After that, use a child's education cost calculator that you can get on the internet to calculate the estimated cost of education in the future.

3. Calculate the amount of investment you need to do

After getting the target cost of education, you can calculate the amount of investment you need to do to achieve these targets. The investment amount is influenced also by the type of investment you are making, for example, education savings, mutual funds, etc.

4. Consider Need for Life Insurance

You also have to think of the worst possibilities. What would happen if you or your partner as a family breadwinner could no longer support a family, for example due to illness or death? Prepare protection for your child, so when the worst happens, your child can still live decently and get the best education.

5. Do not Doubt inquiry

Knowledge of financial planning you can get from books, the Internet, financial news, or ask family or friends that were / are being invested. If necessary, you can also consult a financial planner to make education funding plan is best for your child.

After having a good plan for the preparation of educational funds, you'll need next is the discipline to execute the plan. Reevaluate your plan within a certain period, for example once a year, to adapt to economic conditions, the condition of your finances, etc. All for the sake of providing the best for your child!

Wise Words

God does not require us to succeed; He only asks us to try. "

"Remorse for the day yesterday, and the fear of tomorrow are two thieves who take joy today"


"Sometimes God remove an instant sun, then he bring thunder and lightning also, satisfied we cried find where the sun ?? Apparently God wants a present we rainbow"


"And when there is a problem do not say" O God, My problem is Great !! "but say," O my problem !!! That God is Great !!!! "
sure just the same God because every problem can be solved if God willing, we want to work "


"Love and love your mother, actually 1 roses that you give to your mother much better than 1000 roses you gave on the grave mother when mother is gone"

"Unemployment is not due to the narrowness of jobs, but because of the narrowness of spirit to work with open heart"


"A friend is if the world gave you a thousand sadness, then he'll give you a million happiness"

"When asked how much of the meaning of friendship? Then I will answer 'just the tip of the nail', as though cut nails and spent continuously, but he continued to grow and grow until the end of life."


"Great is to do a common thing in an unusual way."

"Do not use those to build the Great Work, But Use The work was to build the Great"


"People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care"

"Rule number one for the people who truly civilized man is to let different"


"During my life, I never had any lessons from those who agree with me"

"Getting the respect of those you respect more valuable than the applause of many people"


"Be a tree that is in the side of the road and a lot of fruit, thrown the stones but rewarded with fruit"

"Anyone can criticize, denounce, and complain. But only the character who can control themselves to understand and forgive."


"I'll find a way, or I will make a way"

"Could but HARD !, or difficult but CAN !?"


"Working fixed or fixed Work ??"

"You're got a 'problem' or get 'Challenge' ??? all depends on your attitude"

6 New Teaching Techniques You Should Know!

Teaching techniques Education, like almost every other area of our society, has evolved in leaps and bounds in recent years. Traditional teaching techniques, based mainly on a teacher explaining a topic and students taking notes, may still be useful on occasion, but education today revolves more around encouraging the student to awaken their curiosity and desire to learn. 

A number of different teaching techniques have emerged due to this change in education. Many of these teaching techniques are not actually new however! The use of technology in the classroom has simply given education a new lease of life allowing us to approach old ideas in new ways.

Outlined below are some popular teaching techniques that have arisen from the integration of technology in education.

6 Teaching Techniques You Should Know:

1. Flipped Classroom (Inverting your class):

The Flipped Classroom Model basically involves encouraging students to prepare for the lesson before class. Thus, the class becomes a dynamic environment in which students elaborate on what they have already studied. Students prepare a topic at home so that the class the next day can be devoted to answering any questions they have about the topic. This allows students to go beyond their normal boundaries and explore their natural curiosity.

ExamTime’s free online learning tools can be integrated into the Flipped Classroom teaching model. Using ExamTime, you can easily share resources with a group, in this case a class, allowing students to study these resources from home and prepare for the next class.

2. Design Thinking (Case Method):

This technique is based on resolving real-life cases through group analysis, brainstorming, innovation and creative ideas. Although “Design Thinking” is a structured method, in practice it can be quite messy as some cases may have no possible solution. 

However, the Case Method prepares students for the real world and arouses their curiosity, analytical skills and creativity. This technique is often used in popular MBA or Masters classes to analyze real cases experienced by companies in the past.

Ewan McIntosh, an advocate of Design Thinking, created The Design Thinking School as part of his “No Tosh” consulting group. No Tosh harnesses the creative practices of some of the best media and tech companies in the world to coach educators methods to implement the concept. Design Thinking for Educators also provides teachers with an online toolkit with instructions to explore Design Thinking in any classroom. Click here to download the free toolkit now.

3. Self-learning:

Curiosity is the main driver of learning. As a basic principle of learning, it makes little sense to force students to memorize large reams of text that they will either begrudgingly recall or instantly forget. The key is to let students focus on exploring an area which interests them and learn about it for themselves.

A perfect example of a teaching technique based on self-learning is outlined by Sugata Mitra at the TED conference. In a series of experiments in New Delhi, South Africa and Italy, the educational researcher Sugata Mitra gave children self-supervised access to the web. The results obtained could revolutionize how we think about teaching. The children, who until then did not even know what the internet was, were capable of training themselves in multiple subjects with unexpected ease.

A common technique for exploring self-learning is the use of Mind Maps. Teachers can create a central node on a Mind Map and allow students the freedom to expand and develop ideas. For example, if the focus is the Human Body, some students may create Mind Maps on the organs, Bones or Diseases that affect the human body. Later the students would be evaluated according to the Mind Maps they have created and could collaborate with each other to improve each others Mind Maps and come to a more comprehensive understanding of the Human Body.

4. Gamification:

teaching techniquesLearning through the use of games is a method that has already been explored by some teachers, especially in elementary and preschool education. By using games, students learn without even realizing. Therefore, learning through play or ‘Gamification‘ is a learning technique that can be very effective at any age. It is also a very useful technique to keep students motivated.

The teacher should design projects that are appropriate for their students, taking into account their age and knowledge, while making them attractive enough to provide extra motivation. One idea may be to encourage students to create quizzes online on a certain topic. Students can challenge their peers to test themselves and see who gets a higher score. In this way, students can enjoy the competition with peers while also having fun and learning.

5. Social Media:

 A variant of the previous section is to utilize social media in the classroom. Students today are always connected to their social network and so will need little motivation to get them engaged with social media in the classroom. The ways you can use this method of teaching are quite varied as there are hundreds of social networks and possibilities. 

A good example is the initiative carried out by the Brazilian Academy of Languages ​​”Red Ballon“, which encouraged students to review the tweets of their favorite artists and correct grammatical errors that they committed in an effort to improve their English language skills!

6. Free Online Learning Tools:

There is an array of free online learning tools available which teachers can use to encourage engagement, participation and a sense of fun into the classroom. Teachers can create an interactive and dynamic classroom environment using, for example, online quizzes to test student’s knowledge. 

If you haven’t used ExamTime’s free online learning tools yet, sign up now to create Mind Maps, Flashcards, Quizzes & Notes. Encourage your students to sign up to ExamTime too so you can create a Group and invite each of your students to become a member. This means you can share study resources directly with each student online and even apply the Flipped Classroom Model to your method of teaching.

Active Learning

Research consistently has shown that traditional lecture methods, in which professors talk and students listen, dominate college and university classrooms. It is therefore important to know the nature of active learning, the empirical research on its use, the common obstacles and barriers that give rise to faculty members' resistance to interactive instructional techniques, and how faculty, faculty developers, administrators, and educational researchers can make real the promise of active learning.

WHAT IS ACTIVE LEARNING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Surprisingly, educators' use of the term "active learning" has relied more on intuitive understanding than a common definition. Consequently, many faculty assert that all learning is inherently active and that students are therefore actively involved while listening to formal presentations in the classroom. Analysis of the research literature (Chickering and Gamson 1987), however, suggests that students must do more than just listen: They must read, write, discuss, or be engaged in solving problems. Most important, to be actively involved, students must engage in such higher-order thinking tasks as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Within this context, it is proposed that strategies promoting active learning be defined as instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing.

Use of these techniques in the classroom is vital because of their powerful impact upon students' learning. For example, several studies have shown that students prefer strategies promoting active learning to traditional lectures. Other research studies evaluating students' achievement have demonstrated that many strategies promoting active learning are comparable to lectures in promoting the mastery of content but superior to lectures in promoting the development of students' skills in thinking and writing. Further, some cognitive research has shown that a significant numbe of individuals have learning styles best served by pedagogical techniques other than lecturing. Therefore, a thoughtful and scholarly approach to skillful teaching requires that faculty become knowledgeable about the many ways strategies promoting active learning have been successfully used across the disciplines. Further, each faculty member should engage in self-reflection, exploring his or her personal willingness to experiment with alternative approaches to instruction.

HOW CAN ACTIVE LEARNING BE INCORPORATED IN THE CLASSROOM?

The modification of traditional lectures (Penner 1984) is one way to incorporate active learning in the classroom. Research has demonstrated, for example, that if a faculty member allows students to consolidate their notes by pausing three times for two minutes each during a lecture, students will learn significantly more information (Ruhl, Hughes, and Schloss 1987). Two other simple yet effective ways to involve students during a lecture are to insert brief demonstrations or short, ungraded writing exercises followed by class discussion. Certain alternatives to the lecture format further increase student level of engagement: (1) the feedback lecture, which consists of two minilectures separated by a small-group study session built around a study guide, and (2) the guided lecture, in which students listen to a 20- to 30-minute presentation without taking notes, followed by their writing for five minutes what they remember and spending the remainder of the class period in small groups clarifying and elaborating the material.

Discussion in class is one of the most common strategies promoting active learningmwith good reason. If the objectives of a course are to promote long-term retention of information, to motivate students toward further learning, to allow students to apply information in new settings, or to develop students' thinking skills, then discussion is preferable to lecture (McKeachie et al. 1986). Research has suggested, however, that to achieve these goals faculty must be knowledgeable of alternative techniques and strategies for questioning and discussion (Hyman 1980) and must create a supportive intellectual and emotional environment that encourages students to take risks (Lowman 1984).

Several additional strategies promoting active learning have been similarly shown to influence favorably students' attitudes and achievement. Visual-based instruction, for example, can provide a helpful focal point for other interactive techniques. In-class writing across the disciplines is another productive way to involve students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing. Two popular instructional strategies based on problem-solving model include the case study method of instruction and Guided Design. Other active learning pedagogies worthy of instructors' use include cooperative learning, debates, drama, role playing and simulation, and peer teaching. In short, the published literature on alternatives to traditional classroom presentations provides a rich menu of different approaches faculty can readily add to their repertoire of instructional skills.

WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS?

To address adequately why most faculty have not embraced recent calls for educational reform, it is necessary first to identify and understand common barriers to instructional change, including the powerful influence of educational tradition; faculty self-perceptions and self-definition of roles; the discomfort and anxiety that change creates; and the limited incentives for faculty to change.

But certain specific obstacles are associated with the use of active learning including limited class time; a possible increase in preparation time; the potential difficulty of using active learning in large classes; and a lack of needed materials, equipment, or resources.

Perhaps the single greatest barrier of all, however, is the fact that faculty members' efforts to employ active learning involve risk--the risks that students will not participate, use higher-order thinking, or learn sufficient content, that faculty members will feel a loss of control, lack necessary skills, or be criticized for teaching in unorthodox ways. Each obstacle or barrier and type of risk, however, can be successfully overcome through careful, thoughtful planning.

WHAT CONCLUSIONS SHOULD BE DRAWN AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE?

The reform of instructional practice in higher education must begin with faculty members' efforts. An excellent first step is to select strategies promoting active learning that one can feel comfortable with. Such low-risk strategies are typically of short duration, structured and planned, focused on subject matter that is neither too abstract nor too controversial, and familiar to both the faculty member and the students.

Faculty developers can help stimulate and support faculty members' efforts to change by highlighting the instructional importance of active learning in the newsletters and publications they distribute. Further, the use of active learning should become both the subject matter of faculty development workshops and the instructional method used to facilitate such programs. And it is important that faculty developers recognize the need to provide follow-up to, and support for, faculty members' efforts to change.

Academic administrators can help these initiatives by recognizing and rewarding excellent teaching in general and the adoption of instructional innovations in particular. Comprehensive programs to demonstrate this type of administrative commitment (Cochran 1989) should address institutional employment policies and practices, the allocation of adequate resources for instructional development, and the development of strategic administrative action plans.

Equally important is the need for more rigorous research to provide a scientific foundation to guide future practices in the classroom. Currently, most published articles on active learning have been descriptive accounts rather than empirical investigations, many are out of date, either chronologically or methodologically, and a large number of important conceptual issues have never been explored. New qualitative and quantitative research should examine strategies that enhance students' learning from presentations; explore the impact of previously overlooked, yet educationally significant, characteristics of students, such as gender, different learning styles, or stage of intellectual development; and be disseminated in journals widely read by faculty.

In retrospect, it appears that previous classroom initiatives and written materials about active learning have all too often been isolated and fragmented. The resulting pedagogical efforts have therefore lacked coherence, and the goal of interactive classrooms has remained unfulfilled. Through the coordinated efforts of individual faculty, faculty developers, academic administrators, and educational researchers, however, higher education in the coming decade CAN make real the promise of active learning!

SELECTED REFERENCES

Chickering, Arthur W., and Zelda F. Gamson. March 1987. "Seven Principles for Good Practice." AAHE Bulletin 39: 3-7. ED 282 491. 6 pp. MF-01; PC-01.

Cochran, Leslie H. 1989. Administrative Commitment to Teaching. Cape Girardeau, Mo.: Step Up, Inc.

Hyman, Ronald T. 1980. Improving Discussion Leadership. New York: Columbia Univ., Teachers College Press.

Lowman, Joseph. 1984. Mastering the Techniques of Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

McKeachie, Wilbert J., Paul R. Pintrich, Yi-Guang Lin, and David A.F. Smith. 1986. Teaching and Learning in the College Classroom: A Review of the Research Literature. Ann Arbor: Regents of The Univ. of Michigan. ED 314 999. 124 pp. MF-01; PC-05.

Penner, Jon G. 1984. Why Many College Teachers Cannot Lecture. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas.

Ruhl, Kathy L., Charles A. Hughes, and Patrick J. Schloss. Winter 1987. "Using the Pause Procedure to Enhance Lecture Recall." Teacher Education and Special Education 10: 14-18.

Original Posted : http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-4/active.htm

ERIC Identifier: ED340272 

Publication Date: 1991-09-00 

Author: Bonwell, Charles C. - Eison, James A. 

Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education Washington DC.| George Washington Univ. Washington DC. 

Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom. ERIC Digest.

Alternative Strategies and Active Learning # 2

As you consider various modes of instruction, keep in mind that student learning depends primarily on what the students do, both in and out of class, rather than what the teacher does. Your task is to select activities through which students can master course objectives. Lectures, discussions, written exercises, reading assignments, tests, group work, individualized instruction, field trips, observations, experiments, and many other kinds of experiences may be necessary for students to learn the things you want them to learn. Your choice of strategies is affected by a number of considerations: the level of the objectives, the abilities of the students, your teaching skills and preferences, the size of the class. However, since college is supposed to help students sharpen their higher-order thinking skills, strategies that promote active involvement in learning should be the goal of every teacher.

Simulations

Like case studies, simulations provide students with practice in decision making, but in a different, more engaging, format. Since simulations are based on real-life situations, they present students with choices and constraints that reflect real-world problems. For example, a class in political science might simulate a city council meeting to decide on the location of a halfway house for juvenile offenders. Students are given particular roles to play: members of the police department, representatives of neighborhood associations, social workers trying to reintegrate juvenile offenders into society, and others with conflicting concerns. The task facing the class is to come to agreement about the placement of the halfway house. The instructional objectives are to practice negotiation skills, engage in proble solving, and discover techniques for reaching compromise.

Simulations are more difficult and time-consuming to write than case studies, and they usually take more time in class, although the teacher’s role is less directive than in the case study method. They also require more explanation before the exercise and, when completed, a careful exposition of what has been learned by relating students’ experiences to the general principles involved. Nonetheless, simulations can be very effective in teaching problem solving and in developing students’ self-confidence.

Games

Games and simulations are closely related, and there are mixed varieties: simulation games, nonsimulation games, and non-game simulations. Games are activities in which there are winners and

losers, definite sets of rules for “moves,” and frequent use of props or other paraphernalia. For example, in a game used in sociology classes, players are randomly assigned to several different groups and provided with colored markers that represent money. They are told to maximize their cash through negotiations and trade with other groups, but the rules for trading markers are actually stacked against certain groups — they literally cannot win. This game allows students to experience in a small way life in a rigid class society in which improvement of one’s condition is made difficult or impossible by the society’s economic rules.Although it is possible to devise games yourself, hundreds of instructional games and simulations have been published by organizations involved in education and training.

Written Assignments and Out-of-Class Exercises

Written assignments can be more original and exciting than the usual term papers, book reports, and homework assignments. Students are capable of producing fairly sophisticated work if the assignment is clearly explained and carefully structured. For example, you might require students to observe and report on a city council meeting, fundamentalist revival, ballet, construction site, archeological excavation, bus station, or protest march. Of course, you would need to teach them how to take observational notes and suggest an organizational framework for the final report.

To help students sharpen writing skills, you may decide to assign shorter papers and allow rewrites until their work is acceptable. In general, many short writing assignments are preferable to a single long paper, depending upon the goals of the course and the level of student skills. Regardless of the length of the assignment, clearly written instructions are indispensable (giving such assignments orally is usually not effective). For more on using writing in your teaching, see pages 76-79.

Class time can be used for focused activities in which students can practice essential skills. For example, in math-related subjects, after fifteen to twenty minutes of instruction on a particular kind of problem, you could require students to work examples alone for fifteen minutes. This technique forces them to try to apply the concepts that have just been taught, and usually produces questions they didn’t think to ask during the lecture (and also provides a powerful antidote to boredom). Since students typically defer their homework problems until the night before the next class, they often lose the thread of the explanation by that time - immediate practice in class helps reinforce the explanation. Also in math-related courses, requiring students to work homework problems on the chalkboard provides an opportunity to correct their errors and misconceptions and to ask questions about other homework problems while they are at the board.

In the social sciences and humanities, requiring short in-class writing exercises is analogous to working math problems in class. These exercises can take many different forms - for example: a paragraph defending or attacking a particular point of view, a one-page analysis of a reading assignment, or a short essay summarizing the student’s impression of a class discussion. The variety of these short writing  assignments is endless, and they need not take huge amounts of class time — many can be accomplished in ten minutes or less.

*Adapted from Teaching at Carolina (1998). Chapel Hill: Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Carolin

Alternative Strategies and Active Learning # 1

As you consider various modes of instruction, keep in mind that student learning depends primarily on what the students do, both in and out of class, rather than what the teacher does. Your task is to select activities through which students can master course objectives. Lectures, discussions, written exercises, reading assignments, tests, group work, individualized instruction, field trips, observations, experiments, and many other kinds of experiences may be necessary for students to learn the things you want them to learn. Your choice of strategies is affected by a number of considerations: the level of the objectives, the abilities of the students, your teaching skills and preferences, the size of the class. However, since college is supposed to help students sharpen their higher-order thinking skills, strategies that promote active involvement in learning should be the goal of every teacher.

Peer teaching

Research has shown that students who are required to teach something learn concepts better than if they are taught the material in conventional ways. In other words, teaching is a more effective learning strategy than being taught, and it makes sense to use this principle in the classroom to increase learning. Pairing students atlearning tasks is more effective than having students work alone (a good reason for having lab partners in the natural sciences).Peer teaching can easily be incorporated in most classes. For example, you could make an assignment in which students must prepare their own questions on the main points of a reading selection; in class, have students work in pairs or small groups, alternately asking and answering questions they have prepared.

During the session, you can move from group to group, giving feedback and asking and answering questions yourself. Students are more willing to share their views in small groups and often develop deeper insights about the material than they would working alone. In math-related courses, students could be required to make up original problems to solve (after completing a regular homework assignment). Instead of the dreary oral report so often used in social science classes, why not require students to prepare a lesson on the topic? Their grades could depend, in part, on how well the class answers test questions on that topic. Exercise caution in using this strategy, however, for undergraduates not only need instructions about how to teach a lesson, they also should know the criteria you will use for evaluating their performance.

Cooperative Learning Groups

Many teachers will occasionally break their classes into small groups for discussions, but only a few use the technique as a fundamental teaching tool. A class can be divided into learning teams that are periodically given instructional tasks to complete, either in or out of class. Research has shown that, with careful planning, this technique increases the efficiency and effectiveness of learning. 

Groups of six or seven work best because this size is small enough for everyone to participate in problem solving or debate, yet large enough for a spectrum of views to be represented. To work successfully, groups require a wide variety of viewpoints and intellectual skills, so it is important to make them as heterogeneous as possible. The individual data cards you collect on the first day of class can yield important information about your students’ backgrounds and preparation and make it easier to create heterogeneous groups. 

A professor of political science who uses long-term groups in his class tries to insure that each team has someone with a math background and at least one political science major. He creates groups with maximum diversity with respect to major, gender, race, and other characteristics. The tasks you assign for group work should challenge students to analyze phenomena, solve problems, apply theories, exercise judgment, or perform some combination of these activities. Clearly written instructions are vital to the success of this kind of exercise, which means the teacher must analyze the task carefully and break it down into its component parts. 

During the exercise, the teacher moves from group to group, answering questions, clarifying instructions, giving advice, and observing the group process. Group exercises can be designed for 15- to 20-minute periods, and need not consume an entire class period.In a well-designed group activity, there should be little need for direct intervention by the teacher. It is true that many teachers are uncomfortable with the loss of direct control that accompanies small-group work, but you still govern the process and outcome by the instructions you provide for the groups. Small groups can be used with a variety of other techniques, such as peer teaching, case studies, and simulations; imaginative teachers are discovering new ways to use the technique every day.

Case Studies

Case studies are appropriate for learning about information analysis, decision making, or problem solving. The method, made famous by the Harvard Business School, requires the development of a set of cases that reflect problems or issues in the course material. For example, in an anthropology course, a case might describe the artifacts discovered in a real or hypothetical excavation. The students, as a group, would be expected to infer information about the life and culture of the people who lived at the site, based on knowledge and techniques they had learned in other parts of the course.

Depending upon the nature of the material and the sophistication of the students, cases can be quite lengthy and complex. You can divide the class into small groups to work on the case and circulate among them to facilitate the process. Over the semester, cases can be made more complex and challenging as students become more knowledgeable.

The development of case studies for an entire course requires research into the method to master its subtleties. Cases must provide enough information to elicit analytical thought, but not so much that the solutions are obvious. This process can be very time-consuming, but once the cases are written, they may need only a few revisions to run successfully semester after semester. Remember that students need to master a common knowledge base before they will be ready to tackle a case study, and they need to understand clearly the steps in the analytical process they will use. Finally, managing the discussion of case studies requires techniques that differ from generalized discussion methods, and it would be helpful to observe a teacher experienced in the method before trying it yourself.

*Adapted from Teaching at Carolina (1998). Chapel Hill: Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Carolin