U Nvr No…

We have all been conditioned to get information in 8 - 12-minute segments.  Do you know what has conditioned us?  You are correct, TV.  Americans watch an average of almost 4 hours of TV per day - WOW!  The TV advertisers and marketing folks know to capitalize on how the human brain takes in information; that is why they break up your favorite show with commercials every 8 - 12 minutes.

Here are a few things we can learn from TV about how to help our learners learn:
1.    We need to chunk our stuff.  Divide your instruction into “bite-size” pieces of lecture with interaction build it.
2.    We need to use the 10-minute rule.  Try to interrupt your lecture about every 10 minutes and have the learners do something with the information.
3.    Close enough is okay.  10-minutes is a guide, it may be every 12 minutes or longer if you have never included interactive pieces before.
4.    Every ten minutes, we change something.  You can change the environment/classroom, you can change the learners, or you can change yourself. Just moving around the room as you lecture or having the learners pair up for a discussion are ways of making a change.
5.    Whenever possible, we need to use images to teach concepts.  Use stories, metaphors, analogies, diagrams, doodles, cartoons, mind maps, and graphics.

The main thing is we need to engage our learners to help the learning stick!!!!!

-Marcia
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