Self-Learning and Lifelong Success
I teach in a program that is heavily technology-based, and I often find that some students have difficulty remembering HOW to complete a particular task on the hardware or in the software; however, they have no problem remember the loads of technical jargon that goes along with this field. The issue I've found is that many students have had it printed into their brain that studying is all reading and bookwork.
What I do to solve this issue, and also to get the students learning at home, is give them short hands-on homework projects. Albeit many students do not always own the software at home, and have to come up to the labs to work; this forces the students to immerse themselves in project-based self-learning. Over the last few years, I have slowly shifted my class emphasis to about 50% project-based/self-learning assignments, 50% exams/quizzes/writing assignments. This has worked out well for most students.
Ultimately, this is what they will have to do in the professional world anyway. Every couple of a years a new version of the software or hardware is released, which will require them to re-learn the material each time.
Josh,
You bring up a fantastic point. I have also incorporated additional hands-on projects that are to be completed outside of class time so students can refine their technique. I find that limiting assessment to written exams do not accurately indicate how well the student has learned the material. In my classes for example, I grade based on 70% demonstration/projects and 30% written.
Sarah
Nice solution Joshua.
An in class process that I use with my animation students is to repeat a process immediately after we've gone through it together, but to have them guide me.
Normally this helps with early frequency to stave off forgetting (check out Ebbinghaus Curve of Forgetting if you haven't already seen it).
I have the opposite problem- students can not memorize the why, only the how. They rarely study and have a difficult time on written exams. I have found no clear way to remedy this problem, other than beating them. I joke. I now focus more on hands on practical exams and leave the written work for the general education courses, which I thankfully do not teach. I found this course very enlightening though, and will incorporate many of the great tips I have picked up!
Roger,
Maybe you should play Jeopardy with them on your exams and ask the how and have them explain the why.
Shelly Crider
Joshua,
Yes, we all love learning a program knowing that it will update in a few years!! Students do need to learn the basics so they can build upon them.
Shelly Crider
Shelly,
We play Jeopardy in my classes all the time! I love playing Jeopardy with my students in our studio classes because they do not study and many fail written exams. We also play audio production tic tac toe and they must answer questions correctly to advance. The students love it and it makes the learning oh so much fun!
I have found similar challenges in what students can recall or apply. I have changed many of my exams to questions that require students to select the correct answer as well as the rationale for the answer. I am seeing that students are stretching in their learning through these exercises and are better prepared to truly learn the material. We do classroom small group exercises to prepare them to do well on exams by giving them questions to work on as a group. In addition, students are asked to craft questions with a rationale component.
Mo,
I am doing a little happy dance reading this!
Shelly Crider
Sherry ,
Nice job on adding a rationale to the answers.
Shelly Crider
I teach at a dental hygiene school and much of the education is hands on. The students want to know why there is a didactic portion to the education. I am continually informing them that you need to know the basis for what is behind what you are doing with your hands. That is a hard concept to make them understand.
Michael,
I so agree with the basis for what you are doing. That has to be solid ground.
Shelly Crider
As a master photographer i expect the absolute best from my students and assign as much shooting as possible- up to 20 hours a week at the end of the semester. Outside shooting accounts for more than half of the grade and most of what we do in class is considered demonstration and projects.
Win
Win,
Excellen. I like how your students demonstrate.....this leads to critical thinking as well!
Shelly Crider
I and my children have integrated online learning for several years. It's how I obtained my first Master's degree, and it is the method for obtaining my second Master's degree. I have found that online learning facilitates life-long learning which is why I have been able to map out my PhD path.
Secondly,I have found I can apply most of the theoretical principals I've learned as I am working a full-time job, and I can be selective because there are many more options for me with the advent of MOOCs.
Taryn,
I hope you share this exact same post with your online students!!
Shelly Crider
