- Info
lesson design page
Describes the principles of effective lesson design and provides examples from modules as well as external links for more information
The following 16 points summarize
basic guidelines for good practice in teaching. They contain
useful information for both using and creating MOCHA modules. The
guidelines have been compiled by Priya Sharma (contact).
Download the pdf file here (must be
logged in)
For more information, click 
to see external resources or 
to see an example from a MOCHA module
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Planning the lesson
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Beginning the lesson
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During the lesson
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Ending the lesson
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A. Planning the lesson
1. Identify the skills and knowledge your students are coming in
with so you can address the appropriate level of content.
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2. Plan your lesson in approximately 20 minute chunks of
lecturing, interspersed with 5-10 minutes of activity (e.g. discussion
or problem) to keep the students refreshed and engaged.
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3. Ensure that your slides and presentation materials are
well designed and clear.
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B. Beginning the lesson
4. Begin every module/unit/lesson with a list of objectives for the
lesson. Objectives help students to focus on what they have to
learn and also provide a goal for the session.
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5. Objectives should be short, clear statements about what a
student will be able to do at the end of a lesson. E.g.,
"Students will apply available measurement techniques (for properties,
fluxes and states) including their limitations".
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6. Phrase objectives in SMART terms - i.e.
so that they are:
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a. Specific - Avoid using words like
understand or appreciate. Use an active verb that describes what
students can do as a result of learning
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b. Measurable - Use concrete outcomes to
frame student learning, i.e. 'students will accurately describe
problems related to XXX', as opposed to 'students will appreciate
problems related to XXX'.
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c. Achievable - Ensure that the objectives
are achievable within the scope of the lesson, i.e., 'students will
solve problems related to XXX', as opposed to 'students will solve
problems'.
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d. Relevant - This indicates that the
objectives are relevant to the content being addressed. Avoid
writing objectives about material that is not being addressed in the
specific unit.
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e. Timely - This is not always needed, but
is used to indicate any time frame attached to achieving the
objective.
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7. Activate student attention and establish instructional
purpose - If you grab student interest in the beginning, they are
likely to pay more sustained attention through the lesson. For
example, use a current problem or novel and paradoxical events related
to the topic; make a clear link between the content and students' prior
knowledge - tell them why it matters to them; make it clear how the
present learning relates to other learning tasks.
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8. Provide a structure or an advance organizer for the
information you want to present - Use an outline or a chart or graphic
to demonstrate what information you plan to present and in what
sequence - this should help students identify what's coming next.
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9. Trigger students' previous knowledge about the topic - Try
to make connections between what students already know and the content
you are trying to present. Students are likely to remember
information better when they can link it to knowledge that they already
have.
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C. During the lesson
10. Arouse interest and motivation throughout the lesson - Relate
the lesson objective to future job requirements and make instructional
goals relevant to students' personal lives.
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11. Use different strategies to deliver information - Useful
strategies include using graphics or videos to enhance slides, using
examples and metaphors to clarify concepts, presenting smaller and more
simple chunks of information before presenting bigger and more
complicated chunks of information, talking through the steps and
reasoning involved in different procedures, and engaging students in
small exercises and group work to solve problems and case
studies.
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12. Focus attention - Focus your attention on the students'
reactions, and use teacher effect such as gestures, eye contact,
animation, vocal inflection, enthusiasm, etc to give students your
feedback.
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13. Practice - Give students the chance to practice what they have
learned. Every 10-20 minutes or after every ~5 slides, insert
some questions based on the material just presented. This gives
students a chance to show what they have learned and also breaks up the
monotony of a long lecture.
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D. Ending the lesson
14. Summarize and review - Summarize and review what you have
taught in order to reinforce the students' knowledge.
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15. Transfer knowledge to new settings - Explicitly state how the
newly learning information can be applied in different settings.
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16. Assess student knowledge - Use a quick quiz or ask a
series of questions of the students to assess student learning.
Also, from students' feedback, you can evaluate your teaching and
remediate your lesson plan for next time.
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