Active Learners
Preparing students in becoming willing participants, as active learners, can sometimes be challenging for instructors. Many will silently ask themselves, "What is in it for me?"
Helping students to see the importance of what they are learning and how that information can prepare them for success is beneficial for instructors and students.
Hi Deborah,
I concur! It is imperative that students fully understand how they are going to benefit from the course. On Day 1 I tell my students how the course will prepare them for their career so that they buy into the course.
Patricia Scales
I have found that when the key point from the text book is related to an everyday event or something simple as what one encounters during the day, the relationship of the textbook fact is easier to understand. Then for discussion purposes, I ask others to give examples of something simple in their life that they can explain the concept for understanding. An example is teaching the management principle of chain of command or span of control and to use the family structure to show that these terms are used in their everyday life. The correlation of having students gives another example using everyday life activities makes the students think of how to explain complex concepts into simplified understanding. This will also create discussion and debates between students with different view of understanding. This is only one technique that can be used.
Hi Geary,
Great way to show how book theory really applies to every day living. Concepts make more sense to students when they can apply the concept to something in their every day life.
Patricia Scales
