Too little verses too much
As instructors in our particular field we can have students in our classes that are at two ends of the ability spectrum. Some have very little exposure and very little perceived aptitude. Others may already be working in our field and have very high exposure and perceived aptitude. Considering both of these types of students, how do you adapt your methods to achieve the most successful outcome for both?
Hi Steve:
Good question! The reality is we have who we have to work with. Stronger students can be used to assist weaker students. Alternate assignements that challenge the better students can be developed to be performed while the instructor is working on simpler assignments with the "lesser" students.
I think peer tutorials are a great way involve both spectrums of students you describe.
Regards, Barry
in our culinary field we have students who nnever entered a kitchen before and others who are already experienced chefs. since we do our practical assignments usually in groups, the experienced students are usually selected as group leaders, which helps them to hone their management skills, while they bond with the less experienced students who will benefit from the more experienced students advanced knowledge and skills. usually, both groups profit knowingly.
Hi Hans:
Great!. I'm a believer in peer tutorial or student mentors. I think they are able to provide a perspective that is different than how the instructor may present similar information. I call it "student-speak". It's like the same information I would try to convey, but somehow, coming from a trusted student (one of their own?), they grasp the needed information. Very interesting.
Regards, Barry
We run into this often and our problem is that these students want to remain in the same groups throughout all of their classes. This causes one or more groups to be finished a day earlier than the rest. So to keep them from just sitting and getting into trouble, we have them make repairs, give them troubleshooting projects, or have them do some worksheets that are on reserve. We also will do a lottery drawing for groups after each class if the majority agrees to do it that way. This will also allow students to learn to work with different people that they are not familiar with which helps them in the real world.
Hi Eric:
Good ideas! It's a challenge to pace a course to meet the needs of learners with varying degrees of comprehension and understanding.
Another thing you might try is having the more senior or stronger students work with the weaker students. Peer mentoring or tutorials can be quite helpful because a weaker student will tend to relate to another student in their class differently than they do with their instructor. This also keeps everyone busy.
Regards, Barry
It is very difficult to find the middle ground. i use the experienced students to somtimes explain thing in there ouwn words. this way the least experienced student get more than one explanation.
Having material that falls in the middle challenges those that fall behind a little and gives those than can get it done a sense of accomplishment. For those that have experience, I always kept challenging tasks ready so if they completed things early they were working on something that challenged them.
Hi Steve:
I agree with you that having students provide explanations is a good way for other student to lear. When someone has to explain something, it helps identify how well that person understands the point. So, it's good for everyone.
Regards, Barry
Hi Misty:
Good! Sounds like you're ready to go with the flow. I know I do better when the students are tracking with me rather than a mental "tug-of-war". So, you've got a good thing established there.
Regards, Barry
I never thought it was right to subject a bright student to what he thought was material that was too basic. What I do is present basic material in a different way so that my inexperienced student is learning from the bottm up and my advanced student is getting info in a different way than he is used to. A certain amount of cleverness is required to be able to pull this off but the results are quite good!
Also, helping the less skilled student before and after class can also go a long way toward keeping the class on a near even keel.
Hi Bob:
Awesome! It is a good instructor that can relate to all of their students (experienced/inexperienced) in the same lesson. I would think it would take some thought and preparation to do this well. Kudo's to you (and others) who are proficient in this manner.
Regards, Barry
i try to team up students so they can work with each other and help or coach each other along. i find that by telling them that they are all different in learning methods and capabilities and that they can also learn from each other as well as me, they relax a little and dont worry as much about each other or competing with each other. i base my grades on eash individuals ability and work, and as a team.
Hi Bill:
Student coaching, (mentoring, tutoring, assisting) is a very effective method of engaging students in their learning. Mixing this technique up with other instructional strategies should produce great student learning outcomes.
Regards, Barry
I like to ask questions in the begining of the course. This gives me a general understanding to the student expierence. I like to partner the more seasoned students with the students that may be not as expierenced. This style tends to allow the student with less experience to increase their knowledge while confiming the more expirenced students skill level. Both studnets grow from thsi style instruction.
Hi Kenneth:
Yes! And it's a proven method you've decribed for students to learn. The "student-speak" makes for a more comfortable (or less threatening) learning setting too. The bigget part of the success is that students are engaging in their learning - participants in their own success!
Regards, Barry
Yes changing up the groups gives the group the chance to have different points of view from different people and how they think.
I start out the course explaining to the students what it takes to get each grade level in the course. If you want an A this is what it takes a B this is what it takes a C and so on. There will be those that will strive for each area and an A is achievable for every student if they work hard in class and lab. For those at the top of the scale so to speak use them to help the other students, give them more difficult tasks to get the same lab assignment done, other items of this nature helps the top tier student stay engaged when the material is written at the average student level. For the students who struggle be proactive in creating additional short projects breaking up the major project into smaller steps allowing them to complete each task and succeed.
Hi Anthony:
Regrouping students from their comfor zone is a challenge, especially for adults. They sit where they want because thats where they like it.
None-the-less, breaking into different groups can be an effective learn ing tool. Perhaps, an instructor can selct different topics, then randomly have students assigned to the "topic" (rather than the group. In this way, they will free to participate within their comfort zone easier.
Regards, Barry
Hi William:
What you've described is essentially a grading rubric, something like a table that explains how and what it will take to earn a certain grade. MOst rubrics are comprehensive, but they don't have to be. Simple ones work wel, too.
Regards, Barry
