Using Student Needs as Learning Tools | Origin: ED108
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Learning Theory and Practice --> Using Student Needs as Learning Tools
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Helping students retain course content requires more than simply presenting information. Retention improves when students actively engage with the material through discussion, practice, review, and real-world application. I learned that strategies such as connecting new concepts to prior knowledge, using examples, providing frequent feedback, and incorporating periodic reviews can strengthen memory and understanding. Student motivation and relevance also play important roles in retention. I intend to apply these principles by using interactive learning activities, encouraging reflection, and regularly reviewing key concepts. These strategies will help students retain information longer and apply their learning more effectively.
We all require relevance in what we are learning, to be able to understand how it will impact our lives.
Students must see the big picture and the revelance in what is being learned.
Performing reviews allows students to retain more information. Hands on evolutions allows for more retention
Incorporating pretest may be helpful in getting a baseline assessment of learning to further guide instructional material to help facilitate learning
Let your students run your reviews. It is not a time for you to give insight to the test. It is a time where you can redirect if you sense they are spending inordinate amounts of time on things that should not be.
I've learned that we have to be able to incorporate our objectives and somehow relate it to their own personal lives and goals. I feel like as instructors we should not just review topics for their pretest but also do a post test review to ensure understanding and comprehension.
i have learned the importance of review, pretests, showing where it will be relevant in their upcoming careers. and that showing relevance is very important to allow the students to retain the information as it is very important to know in the real world.
For us to effectively help students stay engaged and retain information, it’s important to present content during a class in manageable chunks rather than overwhelming them with everything at once.
This module reminded me of the saying “meet them where they’re at” and of concepts from health coaching that also apply to teaching—particularly the importance of understanding someone’s motivation in order to inspire behavior change. I really appreciated the idea of using a pretest and reinforcing the big picture, both of which can be woven into lectures and opening questions to engage students right from the start. In my own experience working with continuing education groups, it can sometimes be challenging to help participants see why they’re there. A pretest could be a valuable tool for bridging those shorter trainings with their larger goals.
Making the connection between how the new class will build up to a better understanding of the entire picture or goal of the student will help them want to retain more of the information, because there is a chance they will need it in the future.
Autonomy is important to adult learners because they feel involved in their learning. Background knowledge is needed by students to process, store, and apply course content.
application for new knowledge is critical for max retention. when students make new content applicable they are able to store it to their working memory
Humans need three things in life: something to do, someone to love, something to look forward to (hope). This sounds like the Gospel!
Relevancy and pre-testing so that you don't make assumptions on what your students know are two topics I am thinking of improving upon.
I have found that varying the pace of review helps; review material from the previous session; review material from several weeks ago; review materials in the context of the strategy of the course, etc.
The "making the course content relevant" could work in my situation. I teach "pre-release" which is a required course that is designed to cover areas that will help our incarcerated residents stay out of prison. If I could start each session with a discussion of how a particular class may help them in staying out of prison, maybe that provides some motivation.
By using an effective learning tool will help me discover how much information the students are attaining.
Multiple intelligences refer to the different ways we process and understand information. According to Howard Gardner's theory, we have various intelligences, such as linguistic, logical, musical, and bodily-kinesthetic, that influence how we learn and approach different tasks. Recognizing these intelligences helps me understand my student's strengths and how they best absorb new knowledge.
