Conducting Demonstrations

1
Conducting Demonstrations

• Methods and Materials in Teaching Agriculture
• AGEE 430

2
Uses of Demonstrations

• Necessary for psychomotor domain of learning
• Useful when talking about it will not produce
  the ability
• Demonstrations must be accompanied by
  explanations, illustrations, and practice
• Demonstrations are not a panacea

3
Requisites of a Successful Demonstration

• Determine what you wish to accomplish
• Appropriate
• Appropriate scope
• Appropriate level of student readiness
• Properly plan for demonstration
• Planned in advance
• Carefully select and assemble necessary items
• Rehearse each important demonstration

4
Planning a Demonstration

• Select a demonstration of the appropriate scope
• Write down the basic steps
• Decide upon what key information is needed at
  each step (key points)
• Safety precautions
• Basic theory
• Tricks of the trade
• Decide how best to get the key points across
• Ranges from telling them to detailed written
  scripts
• Review the list and make a list of materials,
  etc. needed
• Develop an effective interest approach
• Create a felt need to know

5
Procedures to Follow in Giving a Demonstration

• Assemble the material, tools, and equipment
  needed
• Create a felt need (motivation)
• Present an overview
• Point out important steps, techniques, and
  operations
• Present the demonstration in a step-by-step
  fashion
• Label with words Explain (key points)
• Some steps may need to be shown more than once
• It may be helpful to repeat the demonstration
• Have students practice under your supervision

6
Pitfalls to Avoid

• The teacher does not have mastery of the skills
  and procedures
• Every student cannot see the demonstration
• Students see a mirror image
• Teachers are so familiar with the process they
  forget key steps
• Teachers fail to get feedback from the students

7
Providing for Student Practice

• All students should have practice??
• There needs to be structure to the practice
• Assignment sheets, task sheets
• Guide the practice through good supervision