Getting students excited about course content
What are some methods you use to get students excited about your course?
When teaching "the dreaded chemistry course",the first day, I try to relate the content to the student's particular majors. It can be difficult to relate chem to a paralegal, for instance, so I relate it to a person's everday life. For example, "this is why we don't mix bleach and Ajax cleaner", or what they can tell their kids about why the sky is blue. I find the non-science student will look at the subject a little differently is they realize they are surrounded by and work with chemistry on a daily basis. They may not be excited about it as I am, but it does seem to shift attitudes a bit.
Hi Katherine,
We have to give students a reason to buy into the course, and once they discover that they can benefit from the course either personally/professionally, they generally buy in.
Patricia Scales
what can you do if a student already is experience with an specific task so he or she lack the excitment to learn?
Hi Maritza,
Keep the student excited by allowing the student to help others, or you can even give the student an additional challenge problem.
Patricia Scales
Talk about the many opportunities that will be waiting for them upon completion of the course, and relate to them my experiences in this wonderful field for 30 years.
I relate course content to specific areas of interest. I'll ask students what they are interested in about a particular field and offer discussion directed at their response. I do this on the first day of class to hopefully peak interest and show relevancy to an individuals goals.
Hi Richard,
Students like it and feel very special and benefiting wherever information is catered to their specific needs/goals. We generate a great level of excitment when we give our students individualized attention.
Patricia Scales
I use personal experiences on how the couse helped me with my career and the challenges that I had with the course from when I was a student taking the same couse.
Great question Maritza! I was wondering the same thing. I will be teaching a subject that I know some of the students might have more experience in than I do. I am a bit nervous, and try to "overprepare". I was thinking of including them as my "lab assistants".
Talk to them about the benefits that my course has towards their career goal,.
Tell them they can repair freinds and family vehicles. whats in it for them, more $ and pride of achievement.
Hi Steve,
Anytime you mention dollars students get excited. Money can be a real motivator.
Patricia Scales
I work at another job in the same field I teach so I try to tell stories of how the new course content could relate to them when they are working on the job. I also try to share with them some tricks I have for remembering certain medications or what they are used for.
Hi Kimberly,
Your students are fortunate to have you as their instructor. You can really put book theory into real life because of working in the field that you teach. You should try to arrange a field trip for your students where you work. The field trip will excite them to no end.
Patricia Scales
Working in the medical field presents us with changes daily. And the reward they will receive with helping people. I take the things we learn and show them how it affects their daily lives. I use google a lot to show them instead of just lecturing without visuals.
One approach I have used for several years is to start talking to my students about class content several weeks before they start my class. This gives them something to look forward to and most of them appreciate my efforts to encourage their enthusiasm. By speaking with them early on, I get to know the students rather than starting this process on the first day of class.
Hi Jeffrey,
Students love hearing about stories that are applicable to the lesson/course.
Patricia Scales
Hi Jennifer,
Visual aids add great clarity to course content. For some students they need to see it, in order to understand.
Patricia Scales
Hi Walt,
I love how you work on building a student/instructor relationship with your students early. The bonding has already taken place, and you are now ready to instruct them.
Patricia Scales
