Using Real Life Experiences in the Discussions
I think it is important to use real life experiences in the discussion board threads that make responses interesting to the student. By "telling stories" each student then has the opportunity to respond with their own experiences or comments on the story that was told. This then encourages the student to be more actively engaged in the discussion, the class, and his/her learning experience.
Jean,
In my methods courses I tell my students to always keep it "real and relevant" for the students. This is a classic example of real and relevant; using real life stories and experiences. This is a huge motivator for any students.
Herbert Brown III
Absolutely, Jean! I know that my students are more inclined to actively participate when I can use real world scenarios to make a point. That’s the benefit of having 25 years of experience in my field and being lucky enough to teach specific courses related to that as well! I also try to incorporate humor as much as possible as it tends to be remembered more easily. The students really appreciate hearing how the concepts can apply to actual situations.
Carol Hannon
Carol,
I agree, providing real world examples does allow students to see the application of the course content in a very real way. Do you also encourage the students to apply the knowledge they are learning to their own personal experiences and previous knowledge?
Herbert Brown III
I agree, using real life experiences and/or current events in the news is a good way to increase student engagement in the learning process and depth of learning of the course concepts. I have found also that tieing course concepts to a student's experiences in their workplace also helps in their learning.
Frances,
Anytime you can make the course content real and relevant for the students, you are on the right track. We as instructors need to demonstrate our ability to connect the real world to the students' academic studies , just as the students need to connect their new learning to their existing knowledge and experiences.
Herbert Brown III
Working in the medical field and teaching medical classes, we have had to be very careful when it comes to real life experiences, I have had students begin to tell a story that disclosed information that was protected by patient priviledges. It was necessary to stop the story and explain what was appropriate.
sharon,
VERY good point. HIPAA, FERPA, and many other standards exist that limit what we all can and should use as examples. This would be a great point to put in the course expectations and rules for posting, etc. IN BIG PRINT, ALL CAPS - make sure you use all psuedonames, and adjust ALL details in experiences to protect all parties. I have to do this with education students as well - I think it is just good practice in general.
Herbert Brown III
I think it is important to share real life experiences.It may provide the spark someone might need to keep them engaged in completing the course.
James,
I agree and it makes the content of the course more real and relevant for the students and helps to motivate them in their learning. It also helps to establish your presence and authority in the classroom when you share your experiences relative to the content of the course.
Herbert Brown III
James,
I truly believe experience is the best teacher and sharing real life stories brings the material to life for the students. However, as educators it is essential that we DO NOT VIOLATE ANY PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION ever. I have found that when sharing your experience you must omit or change names,dates, gender and location.
Nadia,
I strongly agree that any experiences you share should use psuedonames in place of real information. All of us have to always consider FERPA and HIPAA as well as other legislative mandates when sharing personal stories. However, the personal, real life examples are what help the students connect to the course information in real and relevant ways.
Herbert Brown III
