Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Spring, Achieving the many career-oriented skills and knowledge is an assumed goal. Beyond that, getting graduates to think critically is a learned skill that will help them in both work and life. Pushing students this direction is an admirable action. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Goal of educating students

Heather, These are wonderful goals, and worthy for any career student to strive for. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Organized and prepared to teach

Spring, Great! Planning and putting in the time to make great (vs. just OK) class sessions is recognized and appreciated by students. There is nothing better than arriving to class with everything organized and ready to go. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Making field trips and guest speakers a part of instruction

Heather, All great reasons and rationale for consideration of introducing the field trip or guest speaker to the classroom setting. Students rarely complain or give a "bad" report regarding the field trip experience. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Awarding extra credit

Andrea, Right, and I agree. Some instructors or institutions have fixed policies, others just have to decide for themselves what bis best for their students. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Using pretests as planning tools

Andrea, Right. And the biggest boost a pretest provides is tro the instructor, who can increase trheir effectiveness by being able to focus their attention where emphasis is needed. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Using senses in learning

Jonathan, Taste is a powerful sense, as are all the senses. But memory and retention of information is inhanced when muiltiple senses are involved. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Goal of educating students

Andrea, Nice sentiment. I wonder if a career of experience can ever be conveyed in a few hours of instruction? Nonetheless, we are hired to instruct a set collection of skills and knowledge and so we are responsible to do the best we can to achieve thiose objectives. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Organized and prepared to teach

Andrea, Good point and basic to a fundamental purpose of education: lead by example. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Organized and prepared to teach

Sherry, Hiccups do occur, and that's a great time to have good back up plans in place. Last minute hurried busyness, scrambling to get class started doesn't convey a good image of a prepared instructor, and in some cases, diminishes the effectiveness of the instructor. It definitely pays to be ready for the planned and unplanned. Barry Westling