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LEARNING BEGINS. WITH WONDER. ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGH. TEACHING WITH MAGIC. THANOS HATZIAPOSTOLOU. Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science. ENGAGEMENT, MOTIVATION, LEARNING. Research shows that motivation and engagement are essential for effective learning.
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LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGH TEACHING WITH MAGIC THANOS HATZIAPOSTOLOU Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science
ENGAGEMENT, MOTIVATION, LEARNING • Research shows that motivation and engagement are essential for effective learning. • Keeping students motivated and engaged in learning is not an easy task to achieve. • Many teaching and learning conditions can play a role on student motivation. Just to name a few: • active student-centered learning, • formal and informal interaction, • well-structured course, • meaningful assessment, • detailed feedback LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
ROLE OF LEARNING CONDITIONS • Learning and teaching conditions are critical since they: • may promote motivation and engagement • or may trigger negative moods, anxiety, disengagement and boredom • The challenge for educators lies in not only sparking the fire of engagement but keeping the fire burning. LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT • One important learning condition is the teaching style of the educator • Educators are constantly trying to find methods to provide content in a way that will be remembered and keep students engaged in learning • Examples of such strategies include using humor, using real-life examples, using technology etc. • A very innovative way to maximize the chances for strong and lasting engagement and motivation of students is to use MAGIC. LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
MAGIC: WHY USE IT IN CLASS? • MAGIC is a performing art or skill of producing baffling effects or seemingly impossible illusions by sleight of hand or apparatus • There are many categories of magic effects such as vanishing, transformation, penetration, teleportation, prediction etc. • Magic is both visual and auditory, it is intellectually challenging, it is surrounded by mystery, contains the element of surprise, triggers feelings, emotions and imagination, draws the focus and attention • Magic can act as natural stimulant increasing alertness and energy, puts students in a much more receptive state for learning and overall, strengthen emotional, congnitive and behavioral engagement LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
10 YEARS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • The purpose of this presentation is: • to present the benefits of integrating magic effects and illusions in the teaching/learning process • after ten years of: • giving lectures, presentations, seminars and speeches • in various topics (technology, computing, business, innovation, entrepreneurship and many others) • to audiences from ten years old to fifty years old LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • MAGIC can demonstrate and highlight academic concepts • regardless of the level (primary, secondary or tertiary education) • and regardless of the discipline (physics, psychology, computer science, economics, law etc) MAGIC CAN BE USED TO ILLUSTRATE MANY ACADEMIC CONCEPTS LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • Lecturers emphasize key points in a lecture. • Some use anecdotes to illustrate main points, others use real-life examples. • MAGIC can be a strong method to clarify, visualize and emphasize key points. • Students, ask themselves: “What does this magic effect teach me?” MAGIC CAN BE EMPLOYED TO EMPHASIZE MAJOR POINTS OF A LECTURE LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • Many studies reveal that a percentage of students thinks lectures are monotonous and sometimes even boring. • MAGIC effects and illusions injected with humor can break the monotony of a lecture, make students more receptive and engage them in active learning. MAGIC CAN BREAK THE MONOTONY OF A LECTURE LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • MAGIC effects and illusions can spark and sustain students’ energy, excitement, and love of learning, and cultivate a thriving and passionate community of learners MAGIC CAN GENERATE PASSION AND ENERGY AND BRING THE CURRICULUM TO LIFE LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
MAGIC IS AN EXCELLENT ICE-BREAKER AND INTRODUCTION TO A PRESENTATION BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • The first impression of the teacher and the material to be presented are very important. • Learning is more fun when the environment isn’t too rigid. • MAGIC effects can break the ice and set the appropriate atmosphere for each class. LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH MAGIC • Student/teacher rapport is an essential element for effective teaching since positive rapport seems to facilitate both student motivation for learning and their enjoyment of the course. • MAGIC illusions related to class material can greatly enhance student/teacher rapport. MAGIC CAN CREATE AND MAINTAIN POSITIVE STUDENT/TEACHER RAPPORT LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS • Practice, practice more and keep practicing • Practice the inner workings of an effect • Practice in front of a mirror • Practice in front of a friendly live audience • Magic is not done, it’s performed • Presentation adds value and makes the difference • Appropriate presentation types: • Strong integration with taught material • Story-telling for lifelong skills • Story-telling with humor LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
AFTER ADOPTION SUGGESTIONS • Some things are better left unsaid • Avoid using the words ‘trick’ and ‘misdirection’ • The secret to a magic effect: reveal it or not? • Revealing the secret destroys the mystery • Only expose if it is part of the teaching process • Personal teach-by-magic style • Perform magic that corresponds to your teaching style • Repetition is not suggested • Not interesting to experience same or similar effects • Principle of surprise is difficult to accomplish LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
SUMMARY • Teaching through Magic Effects and Illusions does require time, effort and practice! • not only to learn to perform magic effects • but also to find the proper ways to effectively and efficiently integrate magic in the learning and teaching process • BUT IT’S WORTH THE RESULT! MAGIC EFFECTS CAN MAKE YOUR CLASSES UNFORGETTABLE LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER - Engaging Students through Teaching with Magic
LEARNING BEGINS WITH WONDER ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGH TEACHING WITH MAGIC THANOS HATZIAPOSTOLOU Senior Lecturer, Computer Science Department CITY COLLLEGE, Int. Faculty of the University of Sheffield Email: hatziapostolou@city.academic.gr Website: http://www.city.academic.gr/csd/hatziapostolou/