Making Course Content Relevant
Through my experience, students are usually waning to bring their life experiences to the learning environment such as their work-related activities, family responsibilities and previous education. It’s a way for them to see a reason for learning something.
Throughout their learning progress, it’s a natural progression for them to feel the need to connect their past with the present. Perhaps this is the reason why they are constantly asking and seeking to see how what they are being taught is relevant to their career goals.
Before I begin my new day’ discussion, I usually explain to the students how today's topic fits into what has been covered days before. I believe it’s sort of refreshing their memories before new information will be taking in. A brief enthusiastic summary of what has been previously covered will help them to see the relevance of the new material. It’s the best way to build a bridge between previous work and the current topic each time I start a class. Certainly, this is the way that I always like to be taught when I was a student.
K. Boodparset
I do agree with what you are saying. I like to build the new things we are learning on top of what we already learned. It is retained in their memory better. They seem to understand things better and stay on track.
natural progression for them to feel the need to connect their past with the present. Perhaps this is the reason why they are constantly asking and seeking to see how what they are being taught is relevant to their career goals.
It is easy for students to loose their exitement if they get discrouge. It is always benefical to all concern providing for students friedly envirement and engaging them with the class meterials. Role play help students remember the subject being tought.
I always make sure that on the first day of the class that I make sure the students understand the revelance of the course they are taking so they do not get discouraged (using examples, etc.). I use repeat this topic throughout the course itself so they remember and continue to understand the importance.
In adult education settings, a way to make course content relevant is to let students' life and professional experience flow to see the link between the cognitive process and its application in their professional careers.
I agree that most adults like to learn and learn best when they can relate topics to actual life experience.
It is important to constantly be trying to find the link that is going to grab each student's attention. That is when you get the best "AHA" moments; when the bigger picture begins to form.
By teaching in a Culinary College each day builds on the next. Stressing the importance of learning each technique before moving on to the next is perimount in my class. Therefore they realize the relevance the new material.
By giving the students real world examples and asking them to contribute real world examples of what they have personally experienced helps them understand why things are the way they are, and why they are important
Students application of the material to their own lives or from guided examples from the instructor assist them in learning the material
As a relatively new college instructor, I find this helpful information in beginning a new class at a career college. By the time I got to graduate school I realized how education and work experience enhance each other. I could share this with career college students who could apply their experiences to what they are learning in class. Some, but very few have shared they find what they are learning in class helpful to the application of their own lives.
I usually get this expression from when I take my material and show it in a real job perspective. By taking the information and showing how useful it is to be productive in the studio environment.
