To beat boredom and maintain student interest, break up and mix up large subject areas into short, clearly defined sessions. Of course the actual time needed for each topic will vary depending on a number of factors, but educational research has shown that student retention declines rapidly after more than two weeks on one topic. Spending two weeks or less on a topic usually works well for me, and I rarely give students assignments that last more than three weeks.
Another way to keep students interested and focused is to give them a sense of accomplishment once they reach the end of a unit. You can do this by grading unit job sheets and giving the unit test before moving on. Doing this provides feedback and makes students feel they are ready for the next topic.
Most people would agree that spending too much time on a single topic is unpleasant for anyone. As instructors, we want to make sure our students cover every detail, but it’s important to remember that there can be too much of a good thing.
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