WE such a diverse population in the GE-100 sections I utilize a variety of techniques: Open discussion, group forums, one-on one. Every adult learns in a different style so it is imperative to change or teaching styles and not simply read and recite

There are numerous best practices to apply towards meeting the learning needs of adult learners, to name a few: • Take an inventory of your students’ prior knowledge and experiences. When instructing students, make efforts to acknowledge students’ experiences and build on what they already know. • Determine why students are motivated to be adult learners. Work with students to meet their personal goals. • Identify your students’ learning styles. Use a variety of teaching techniques that will work with a variety of learning styles. Along with those practices mentioned, we may also sometimes ask the learners who seem to be struggling, exactly what they need in order to do better. Recently I asked a learner aged 33 who was constantly nervous and apprehensive, exactly what she needed. Her answer was simply to know that someone was there to understand her and support her in her learning. As a result of gaining that understanding of her particular need, I simply made supportive comments before and after class, and wrote a few more words of encouragement on the assignments she turned in. Those little bits of extra effort paid off, and the student now is now brimming with confidence and doing earning higher scores! Sometimes just asking the learner what he/she needs, can provide the information you as the instructor require in order to meet that need. -CAJE-

It is amazing to me how the subconscious is always hard at work and how even when we are not focusing on the problem we want to solve, the subconscious can come up with solutions to that problem. I wonder if this is the ultimate cause of why students blank out when they take tests. Is it because they are thinking too hard, and the subconscious doesn't really want it to? Does the subconscious work more productively when in the relaxed state?

Each term, I have my students take a learning style assessment, in which they determine if they are auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners. I was wondering if there has ever been any research or findings as to whether a person's intelligence types (top three) is correlated to their preferred learning styles?

I am wondering if certainly personality types are more prone to being effective critical thinkers from the start. While I believe that everyone has the potential to develop these skills, my question is if there is an known correlation between a person's personality type and ability to think well critically?

What role does a person's personal environment play on their desire to learn?

I may be teaching a class on critical thinking at some point, and I was just wondering if anyone had any "fun" exercises that I could incorporate into that class. While a major component of that class will be to teach the class about critical thinking, it is very important to have the students involved in the application of what they have learned. Any ideas that you may have are greatly appreciated!

The appeopriate resources usually make a difference. But empathy for the subject is more important to the solution.

Teaching that taking a time out and reflecting on your actions are vital in your chosen field.

Showing the student that good evaluation of actions plays an important role in making the right choices in life.

Students should be given an opportunity to show how good judgement plays an important in life and the educational process.

In the crminal justice field this is an important aspect of being successful and making the right decisions

I personally believe graphic organizers are an excellent tool. When used, I find that my students are able to retain the information better. The simple,straight forward visual allows one to remember just what's important while eliminating any extra information that may not be useful or unnecessary to memorize.

I try to maintain the autonomy of my students by frequently requesting their input. Whether it be a choice between two forms of review or choices between which assignment they would like to complete in class vs. homework. I find that with a predominantly adult group, this sense of autonomy is important to them. Many already feel a little insecure about becoming a student again. I am also a younger educator and I think that sometimes causes older people to resist asking for extra help. However, making them feel like they are part of the process it helps them become more comfortable and open to being taught.

I find that it is sometimes difficult to identify the different learning styles in my classrooms. Many of the students we serve have been out of school for a long time. Therefore, coming back to school, they are sometimes unsure of how they learn best or where their intellectual strength lies. Therefore, it becomes difficult to address these differences and reach everyone. Many of them are also very independent and resistant to working with others that may share similar strengths.

Being that my classes are fairly large and time is fairly limited, I incorporate several different tools for memorization and learning in my lessons. For the lectures, I use an outline with fill in the blank slots. That way students are engaged and participating in order to complete their outline. I also use many real life examples to show them how information can be applied outside of the classroom. Prior to exams, I also develop flashcards. Lastly we also do review games similar to Jeopardy. This way, there's a tool for everyone.

How do you address multiple intelligences in a classroom in which personalities are strong as well? Sometimes the discussion can overwhelm the presentation of curriculum when there are multiple intelligences combined with several strong personalities. How do you stay "on task" with the subject matter?

I always tell my students, "you don't know my story" or "you don't know your patient's story" so you have to address all learning styles. A patient or a student can be nodding in affirmation and still not understand what you are saying. As educators we have to be diverse in our approach.

I have theory heavy classes such as ethics and political science. I've been incorporating more group discussion, film clips, current news internet clips, and anonymous surveys into class, but I'm dying for new ideas for other group or individual activities that are not so discussion oriented. I want to maintain a balance between discussion and other types of lessons. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thank you, Melville

When working with adults, there are several things you can be doing to ensure you meet their learning needs. These are a few best practices: • Take an inventory of your students’ prior knowledge and experiences. When instructing students, make efforts to acknowledge students’ experiences and build on what they already know. • Determine why students are motivated to be adult learners. Work with students to meet their personal goals. • Identify your students’ learning styles. Use a variety of teaching techniques that will work with a variety of learning styles. • Consider memory-building techniques, such as advanced organizers, that may help older learners organize the information they learn in your class. • Provide students with opportunities to self-direct, or at least plan, their learning. • Provide students with a supportive environment for learning. Once touching on the different techniques, which is best to tailor or gear the course towards because one may not be able to execute more than two.