Involving the career history or students and letting them voice their experiences is something that allows that particular student to feel involved as well as gives other students real world feedback from experience. Understanding what the students are looking for out of a career will help make supplemental information and projects a more relevant fit for those students and their goals.
By using there everyday life as part of what they are learning. Structure of the human mind is yet to be opened. One way of effecting learning is going some place in there thoughts were no one has before.
Bob,
What are some ways you do this with your students? Thanks for you input on this.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have barrowed the phrase "knowledge bite" for the start of my class. I use it to bring relevance from the previous day's lab projects to a "what would be the customer complaint if this was misadjusted or if this was broken". This bring the relevance to the work place and helps students see their way to being contributors.
Brandon,
Like this approach. You are breaking down the content in a way that the students are not overwhelmed but are able to see how they can learn a little at a time and as a result they will soon have the complete picture of the key concepts and knowledge they need to acquire.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Adult learners need relevancy in order to learn. Directing a question to a student that asks them, "How would you imagine this thing we are talking about would impact how you performed your job" would be a way of relevancy through reflection.
I need to make sure that they can see what the end result is out in the "real world". That what they are doing will benefit them in the long run and the expectation should be they can use this info in the industry.
Susan,
The more of these connections you can make the better. They need to see how the course is moving them closer to their career goals and the life that they want for themselves.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my case as a Pastry Arts Instructor, the selection of the program by adult learners is the first relevant item. They choose this career and now are wanting to be taught the skills to be successful. Everyday they will want to know how that specific lesson will carry over into their future jobs. I will lecture in class on methods and relevancy and then carry it over to the lab for the hands on approach. Relating each step to the importance the future job. They need to know what they are learning is what they will be producing later on.
Joseph,
This is a good point in relation to helping students see the value of the information they are developing and skills they acquiring. The more connection they can see the more important the course will become to them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I teach a performance class, With questions to each student what they want to get out of the class or the motive to be in it to start. Then show them how to get to the point the wish to seek.
Allowing the students to make the connections first really enables relevant instruction. Also they are the ones that know the most about their field of study, so asking for connection first from them is a very positive experience.
Adult learner needs and expectations serve as a foundation to relevant instruction by providing a loose framework to build and guide the students' learning. I am listening to this course content closely and tentatively applying the lessons learned to the last few weeks of my quarter.
Deborah,
Great to hear about the strategies you are following. I am excited for you and your students as you expand your expertise in the area of effective instruction. I wish continued success as an educator.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
For my classes I write the topics that we will be covering, go over the material, talk about it, and then do some sort of work sheet/study guide to have a written form of the chapter.
Ashley,
Good way to keep everyone on the same page and looking forward to what is going to be covered next. The result will be less anxious students that are comfortable with the instructional setting.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to express how the lessons we do in class translate to the actual job the student will be completing in their specific field.
I feel once that learner needs and expectations of an adult learner are assessed, the instructor can then assess what the adult learner's needs are in an effort to relay the relevant instruction to them.
True. they need to see real world use ok the knowledge and its applicability to their situation.
Carmen,
This strategy helps the learners to zero in on the concepts that they need to learn and then apply those concepts to their career growth. This creates a realistic picture for the students as they transition to employment.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
