At the beginning of a new class, start I can request that each student write down what motivates them, why they enrolled, and what they feel that they need to be successful.
Engaging with adult learners in conversations where they feel a sense of autonomy and can express themselves freely can promote participation in the learning process.
It is important to understand the needs of your students. Each student decided on nursing for their own reasons and its those reasons that motivate them to stay in the program. We need to be diligent to find out what the reasons are and remind them when we see them being less than successful.
This course highlights the various factors that affects a student's learning experience.
This course gave me a better understanding of student diversification and the importance of individual needs as well as the general needs of the course studies. This in turn will help teach the material of study while involving students as a whole. Teaching through real life experiences, engaging students allowing their participation and feed back will keep the interest of a larger more diverse group encouraging learning and retention.
Learning your students personal experiences an expectations set the tone for the class.
I think it's important to connect what the students are learning to their career goals and aspirations. This makes the learning much more relevant to the student and can help with their understanding of the content.
I learned from this section that not all students will learn the same. I think by adding in not only my real-life experiences but the student's real life experiences in class will help them understand some of our topics better.
Comment on Barry Jordan's post: It is always good to discuss the plans with the students as well
Adult learners come on multiple age ranges. Each adult age range posed a challenge to the instructor. Adult learners may have more complaints about their learning environment and a good instructor needs to see the world in their eyes without getting caught up in the world of complaints. Listening with empathy without loosing control of the adult learning environment.
Adult learners are highly motivated and goal-oriented: They want to know the "why" behind the learning, how it will benefit them practically, and expect efficient use of their time. Clear objectives, relevant content, and a structured learning environment are crucial.
Adults bring a wealth of life experience to the classroom: The instructor should acknowledge this and create opportunities for students to connect their existing knowledge with new concepts. Encourage sharing and relate course content to real-world situations.
Adult learners thrive in a collaborative and respectful environment: They respond well to instructors who act as facilitators and guides, fostering open communication and shared decision-making. Avoid an authoritarian approach and create a safe space for learning where students feel comfortable taking risks.
The biggest takeaway for me is not getting sucked into students' resentments. Listen, offer sympathy if needed, but remain neutral. I think this will help me a lot.
Knowing the reasons the student enrolled in the course can help as you teach.
Know that students come from different situations and experiences. Be aware of different types of needs from basic to personal. What are the students' goals and aspirations and how can you help them achieve them.
Understanding that some students needs are different and how as an instructor we can communicate with them in a way of making them feel they can be successful.
In this section I learned how to successfully enhance the learning experience of all ages of students, not just the 18-20 year old students
We need to observe and use the information the students provide whit his age, experience and behavior so we can use to help them to understand and retain what they learning at class.
Teaching adults is very different from teaching children or teenagers. Adults are more motivated to learn so they need more specific information about how the course works, the dates, the objectives, punctuality, etc. This information leads us to be more explicit in each subject's syllabus and in the course's introduction. It is important that students can perceive in me the accessibility of being a listener to any concerns they may have. I must be responsive to the needs of students from diverse backgrounds, languages, and cultures, and plan my classes accordingly. Group work can foster a need for belonging in students as well as openness to appreciate the richness that others bring from their past experiences. I must support and encourage my students at all times and create guidelines and moments that allow them to be successful and to self-evaluate their success. I must listen to their concerns but not get caught up in situations extrinsic to the classroom.
I find that it is important to know that every student is not the same. it is imperative to learn my students and get to know them so that I can cater to their needs. By knowing what goal that they are trying to achieve, I can also incorporate that in the lesson so that it's relatable to them.
At this stage of the course I learned the importance of knowing the objectives of my students and their needs since knowing them well and identifying them can help me develop strategies that help them when it comes to understanding complex classes
