It is very easy to find relevancy in a Cost Control class that a culinary student will take. We use several scenarios each day; either my own personal or ones shared by students working in the industry. I also like to use people grocery shopping experiences to point out that the importance of cost control applies to everyone. I'm making an effort to use more student examples versus having all of the scenarios come from my experiences.
Students expect to do different things within the classroom and once I have identified the various learning styles, we do different activities; then we discuss the objectives of what we were supposed to learn, versus how they defined the experiences. We dialogue much in my classes because I emphasize that it is their learning experience and they should be active participants in their education.
In my class, the students must research and present a potential future employer. This allows them to see what is available to them and gives a picture to each student as to what is possible.
I believe that cementing W.I.F.M factor is essential to student engagement. Although, a healthy backround or interest in topic is important, the students need to know the value of new methodoligies and content
In my automotive classromm i use real life scenarios in my everyday teachings that will show my students the relevancy of the lessons i am teaching in hopes that they will remember my stories when they encounter things in the field. This usually works when i talk to graduated students and they tell me they encountered a specific job and remembered my story which helped them decifer what to do next.
remind them of the value they will gain from the coures everyday
This reminds me of the old adage for elementary school when students will make remarks such as "I don't understand why we need to learn this math stuff", "when will we ever use Algebra", "Geometry...are you kidding me?" Then the reality sinks in...Did you see those alignment angles, how about Ohms law and the relationship of math to electrical flow? Pressure, bolt size, torque, the list goes on...Once the connection can be shown then the learning becomes validated. Some old world principles are still essential fundamental today. Just try and get the correct change from someone at a store these days and you will see the misunderstood value of basic math.
to know what knoweledge they are bringing into the class will tell you how to deliver the new lesson
I teach a job success and job strategy course. I thought that students would see the relevancy just within the title of the course. However, this is not always the case. Some of my students feel that since they are receiving an education that alone will be enough to secure them a position in the workforce. I tell them that obtaining an education is excellent, but they must be able to look their potential employer in the eyes and discuss what they learned while getting their education.
Some specific ways that I make my instructional content and delivery relevant for my students is by talking about personal experiences that I've had as I travel down my career path, and I ask students to share theirs as well.
Martha,
This is a common concern expressed by many instructors today. We need to strive to help the students to "connect the dots" between content and application--which is an ongoing challenge for sure.
Gary
Rajini,
Good methods. You are offering variety of instructional which enables the students to use their different learning preferences.
Gary
Sean,
Very true. They have to see value or ROI or they won't stay engaged for long.
Gary
Caryn,
Students like stories because they help them to see the value of the content that has been shared. They can make application of content as a result of the concrete examples that are shared through the stories. Keep up the story telling.
Gary
I teach many subjects at a culinary school, including Social Psychology. My original career was as an Executive Chef. I really have tailored the course to make it relevant for the culinary career path. I relate the theories and content interesting and unique ways that will assist them in their success.
Willis,
Sounds like an exciting course to take. You are able to help the students to see the psychology behind food appeal as well as how to target their efforts to enhance their careers. A very valuable course for them.
Gary
I often incorporate actual trade experiances into my lectures and tie in the current class lessons. This helps the students see that thier assignments and class work holds relevance to thier goals.
As adult learners, my students want information and skills which they can use immediately, and apply to their jobs tomorrow(Or in the very near future). Our course delivers hands on experience which solidifies these techniques, so that the students 'do' they retain the experience to a higher degree.This will expand their knowledge base and make them more valuable to their employer, which can improve their station in life(ultimately, their goal)
It is essential to understand what our learners expect from our course. It is nearly impossible to meet someone's expectations when we don't know what those expectations are. I like to interact with my students as the class begins. When I do this I can get a better understanding of who they are and what they want. Another thing I like to do is ask them. I like to have a conversation about what they expect from the course. That way I can manage those expectations from the beginning.
At our institution, we endeavor to build the application of our information into the various lab projects that we assign to students. We give them the information they need in the classroom, then they apply it for their projects.
Our learners expect a hands-on experience, so we try to tailor our classroom experiences to that in order to apply more of the information directly after it is disseminated.
E.A.W.
Francis,
You make a very good point. Students may have a different expectation for the course that what you planned. By knowing more about the students and what they see as outcomes you can customize and target your instruction more accurately.
Gary
