Using al 4 categories of learning preferences is of course ideal to teach students, as instructors are able to reach all or most of them with regard to their learning abilities, or prefernces. I think that an instructor automatically will use of the multiple inteligences to teach and reach students in different ways, as not every subject would be good to be taught a certain way - for example written only. As an instructor in these career colleges specific, the importnce becomes the skills of the students. Visual intelligence also becomes of the learning process, as the instructor will have to demonstrate a procedure, or kinesthetic, as the student will be taught how to hold an instrument and guide or work with it.
I try to make all of the material presented in the classroom relevant to the workplace. I try to express the importance of the application from class to workplace. I will try to give my examples of how I used these same skills and knowledge in the workplace.
Human being is logical. If I can appeal to a student's logic and sell the concepts mentioned in the lecture as an integral part of his/her career, then students focus and retain the information. I ask them during our first class about their expectations from the course? Then I ask them frequently throughout the entire course, how can they apply their knowledge that is acquired in our class so far, in their profession? Since brain registers and retains in the form of motion picture/pictures, hence I discuss topics of discussion by using real life and professional life experiences. I share my experiences and then they are inspired to share their experiences. I encourage them to consider me as their employer so that they can learn how to deal with their employers in reality, when I am not going to be around them to guide them.
Mary,
Good strategy. The students need to see relevance and application to what is being taught. If they don't they will not be engaged.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
It would be relevant in the fact that and adult learner has an expectation of what their final outcome will be and we as instructors must show them that the course we are teaching in going to directly affect what is going to happen in their career. I feel the best way to make the content relevant is through examples from life experience of what actually happens in a restaurant and when this happens to them how they can handle the situation correctly.
David,
Good point and very important for effective instruction. Students need to hear and observe examples of application and relevancy in terms of the course content. The more you can do this the greater the content retention is going to be.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think one of the mostissue that keep your students pay attention to your talk and instruction when you tell them how the information you are about to discuss will serve them in their career prfession, missing these information will make them less experienced and will effect their skill.
Its important for students to be able to relate to your class content. As a culinary instructor, I do this by relating my past professional experience in the culinary industry to my instruction. This paints a picture for the students allows them to have a goal and see the end.
Pattara,
Sharing stories and examples from your past is very important. The stories reinforce what you are teaching the students and it gives value to the content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Increasing the level of comfort of the student will help them to feel "safe" to actively engage in group as well solo learning. Once they feel safe the walls can come down and the learning process can be expedited.
This is a battle that is going to take some experimentation to be good at. Most students now have expectations of the classroom being fun and not feeling like work. Keeping on topic and having fun and learning takes a lot of effort and thought and planning on the part of the instructor, but fluid goals like this are ones that we have to be willing to strive for and miss and adjust our perspective and contiue trying for to be truly effective at this career.
Curran,
Good point about how you need to plan carefully to integrate learning activities that keep the students engaged and the course moving forward.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
My goal is to make as many assignments as possible relevant to the adult learner, in adult learning classes. I ask them to use their life experience as examples. To share their learnings with others. The skill being taught is tranferable and it is up to the adult learner to describe how they will transfer to their unique situation.
By knowing your students wants and needs is a start. If you know what field your students are looking at and where they have been you can use the past to map the futurefor these students.If you can use the past experiences that they already have mastered and mix it with something new it has unlimited possibilities.
Melissa,
When students get to use their live experiences in classes they really light up. Many adult learners are afraid that they will not be successful upon entering college after many years of being out of school. So the more connections between their life experiences and their classes the better.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Thomas,
Good point. Building on their past experiences to create future success is a great way to increase motivation as well as build confidence in their knowledge and skill development.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Service Learning is a great way to show students what they are learning and how it applys to where they want to be in the future. I think staying future focused will help the student to absorb more and apply more when they are going through the course and then when they graduate they will knwo exactly what's expected of them.
Monika,
I am a big supporter and user of service learning. It is a valuable tool for connecting students with the real world as you mention. It builds on their skills and lets them develop expertise in the field.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
When trying to make things relevant I try to tie the information to something they already know. that way the transisition is easier for their brain. I also try to show real world application for the matierial. If we are working on A&P then I relate it to the environment that they already live in and make the body parts relate to their world. Also, I try to show them how learning the material is what they need when they enter the industry by bringing in speakers and panels for discussion. This way the students see their "competition" and are able to see the quality of information they need to have to enter the industry.
Marjorie,
This is a great way to connect the course content to the lives of the students. The use of speakers reinforces the value of the content and will increase the retention of knowledge by the students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
