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.
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.
La planeación de la clase es fundamental, motiva al estudiante y a un grado de satisfacción al profesor.
I learned how critical it is to understand the needs and expectations of students in order to enhance their motivation and engagement. Recognizing that students come into career education with personal and specific goals, life experiences, and a desire for autonomy that helps shape how we approach teaching. Understanding the importance of pretesting, relevancy in course content, and consistent review are all essential tools in creating an effective learning environment.
I apply this by ensuring that I create opportunities for students to voice their expectations and goals at the start of each course. I pretesting to assess their knowledge and experiences, enabling me to tailor the course content accordingly. I also emphasize the relevance of the material by connecting lessons directly to real-world applications in their future careers. Finally, I implement varied, distributed, and cumulative review strategies to reinforce learning and help students build confidence in their growing skills.
Comment on Helen Saunders's post: I agree this is the best way to determine if the information that is being presented is being absorbed by the students. If the information is not retained you can formulate another plan.
Frequent reviews are crucial. You can vary the applications and methods of review for more thorough integration of material.
Students must be shown why and how information is relevant and applicable to their future careers. Otherwise, their brains will filter out information it doesn't deem useful enough so it can make room for more useful knowledge.
