Making the Course Relevant
What are your strategies for making the course content relevant to the learning needs of students?
Making the course I teach(Cosmetology) relevant to a student can most effectively be done with the use of visual aids. Students need to see an assignment in it's many different stages of development. Having various visual aids set up in the classroom allows the student to look at a project and honestly compare their work with the visual aid at all times. This is effective for those students that struggle with a particular assignment and may feel uncomfortable asking for additional help. In particular, if their fellow students seem to be performing on or above task.
Using this technique allows the student to critique thier work and point out to the instructor thier own areas of strength or weakness. When a students identifies these areas honestly, it makes for a more comfortable and relaxed learning environment.
Students must always be able to relate the importance of a lesson to the real world, for it to be relevant to them.
Since humans like to use different senses to receive, store and then apply new information the use of visual stimulus is another way of getting them to look at the big picture of where their training will take them. Sometimes students forget how far they have progressed in a course until they see examples of skills they now have. As in Cosmetology, they can see themselves moving from just understanding color to use of the color wheel in meeting customer needs. Sometimes the “forest and trees†syndrome takes over. The instructor has the responsibility to keep clearing away the “trees†so the students can see clearly what they have learned.
Again, you have to know the personality of each group of students you teach. No class is the same. What works for the 'book worms' probably isn't going to work for the 'Play Station II' group.
Identifying the learning style of the students creates the strategy for instruction.
I attempt to make the content relevant by providing practical applications/examples and relating the content to the world we live in. In addition I always attempt to explain why it is important that they learn the materials.
For example in Business Math I use the current day's paper or a current magazine as a starting point to discuss such topics as percentages, charts, taxes etc.
It seems to me that the topic "Making The Course Relevant" in module 4 is more applicalbe to delivery methods that maintain interest and address different learning styles than "Relevancy". Am I missing the point?
One of the joys of being an instructor is that there is constant variety in each and every class that you teach. Getting to plan the instructional process for these students and trying to meet each of their needs is both a challenge and an opportunity. Your comments reflect your desire to be that kind of instructor, one that is truly a model, manager, and motivator for each class you teach. Keep up the good work.
Les
Great ideas for making the courses and content relevant. Anything an instructor can do to get the students to focus on the course content and then see application of the content will greatly facilitate relevancy.
In terms of Module 4, the use of different delivery methods and offering a variety of learning styles all contribute to relevancy. You are not missing the point at all, in fact you are very focused on it. You are observing that all of these different techniques of attempting to met student learning contribute to enhance student growth.
Keep up your attention to detail and you will continue to prosper as an instructor. You will then be able to enjoy the instructional process along with your students.
Gary
I teach in a Manufacturing Institute where we have alot of displaced workers mixed with younger people wanting to learn the trade. Thier skill levels vary greatly. Each class is different and I tend to teach what the industry requires to hire these students. As the technology changes, so does the material in my classroom. I want my students to graduate with the skills needed to gain employment and be satisfied with thier choice of education. Strategies change as our industry changes.
I use a combination of lecture, demo's, projects, and the such. I also adapt to the class fatigue factor and mix it up as much as possible based upon previous classes. I stop short of an hour when doing lectures and usually have them follow up with problems to work through, whether on paper, on a machine, on their own, or in a group.
Joe,
I know you have already completed the course and received your certificate, but I thought it would be good to discuss some of the components of what it takes from professional development, in case you had some additional input or questions.
What do you use as a measurement of how the strategies are changing within your field? What are your steps to keeping up to date with your field? These questions I believe are the foundation of what you are doing in the classroom and laboratory setting. I would be most interested in how you approach both of them.
Thanks Gary
Hi Dale,
The challenge of teaching adults is that they often times have the attention span of children while bringing to the class the experiences of adults. This makes for a real challenging mix when creating your teaching plan.
From what you have written it appears that you strive to meet the diverse learning needs of your students. The mixing up of delivery methods is essential to keep students focused. If you don't mix up the delivery, the students in many cases will have checked out of the class mentally and moved on to something that is more interesting to them. Then a real challenge is created on how to capture their attention again.
Good luck with your instruction.
Gary
The most obvious thing I can think of that I do is that I use my own experience in the field as examples of why the information presented in the course is important to the students. Along with this, I ask the students in the class who also have worked in the field to relate some of their first hand experiences.
Even i there is only one or two others with work experience we still have a good time talking about each others' "war stories" and it helps everyone to understand why we never quit learning and to focus on the reasons for being in this particular class.
Hi Al,
I am sure that your classes are enjoyed by your students as a result of your desire to be an instructor of quality. Your previous responses to the forums have created a understanding of your professionalism. I commend you for this.
In Forum 4 your use of “war stories†helps to bring realism to the instructional setting. By using your students with work experience you are expanding even further the opportunity for your students to gain in site into their career field.
A suggestion would be to keep a record of those stories and where they best fit in the course sequence this way you will be sure to always include them. Sometimes in the rush of teaching we forget to cover an example, case study, personal experience that would really “beef†up that instructional unit.
Best wishes in your teaching effort, I know you are and will continue to do well.
Gary
Getting people from a beginer to someone who just wants to better there skill.I have the classmates that are already working in and area to bring work in. That is a great help because it keep the ones wanting to better them selfs work with thing they know and the one that are learning just fall right in.If work is not able to come in I go back to the first thing were I asked the student what he or she is there for.That gives me info to start my class in the path I believe they need to start.
Hi Joseph,
Everyone seems to want to see someone that is successful in order to have a model to follow. By having successful graduates come back and share their stories with the students inspiration is being shared that hopefully will lead to excitement about course completion.
I also strive to find out what each student's individual goal for taking the course is. I know in many cases the course is required and the student only sees the course as such. I talking with the student I try to explain and illustrate how the course is a building block to their total career development. By gaining the knowledge and skills within this course they will be moving towards a better life and greater career opportunity. Sometimes they become so bogged down with everyday life that they forget what their ultimate goal is and that is the time for you to step in and refocus the student.
Gary
Since I teach in three fields that are all very technical (basic cnc programing,cad/cam programing, and cnc lathe set up and programing )
All which are changing on a day to day basis.
I must be in constant search for any new and exciting things in a lot of areas.
I spend a lot of time reading teck mag`s and also spend time as a trouble shooter in the trade to keep up to date.
I believe that it is importante to be able to help the students .Many are working in the trade and are trying to advance there job or position. It is my responsability to see that they have accurate and understandable information in a timley manner.
Gary,
The points you made in your response is exactly what is needed to reflect the requirements of your industry. If you or your lab is not current then the students are not receiving the maximum training for their dollars. In addition they will not be as competitive.
Through your reading of tech manual, magazines, trade journals you are keeping yourself on the cutting edge. I commend you for this. I know all of this takes time, but I know you find that this effort helps you to maintain a professional edge that is necessary for personal satisfaction as a professional educator.
Gary
Well for me this is quite simple since we deal with a lot of dis-placed workers. They already know the relevence of what we teach. But the ones that might not understand I use real world scenarios. I also use multimedia over heads and research projects. Not to mention hands on learning. I also at times invite other instructors to the classroom and perhaps the occasional business owner for discussions.
Hi Larry,
You use all of the key components to keep the students engaged in the learning process. Real life scenarios and past graduates are ways to create a future vision for the students. The quickly learn from the past graduates that I have to work hard and from the real life scenarios they learn about problem solving. Now they can create for themselves a career path of learning if they want to succeed. They have examples, now they need application of their own effort in order to succeed.
Gary
I feel the keys to making the content relevant are simple. I try to find out what kind of work the students' company does,ie production or single pieces. That way I can really try to steer the course to fit that need. You have to have a good plan,but still be flexible. You must deal with individual skill levels and their desire to learn. I mix the class up with lecture,theory,and of course,a lot of hands-on time. I believe that this keeps them interested and confident in their new found skills.
