Jay Hollowell

Hi Julie! I want to thank you for your comments and reiterate the excellent point you have made. Just as important as the technical skills we teach, according to our professions, are the critical skills - articulation, problem-solving, interpersonal, etc. The ability to communicate professionally, orally and in written form, is crucial to job success in disciplines across the board, and your requirement of a written submission is one of the foundations to that success. Our adult learners simply, flat out, need the practice. Just curious, are there any additional activities/assignments you utilize to encourage the development of foundational critical… >>>

Hi Jose! Thanks for your comments and for your participation in the discussions. I think you have addressed the number one key to working with student diverse learning needs - getting to know them professionally. It's amazing what experiences they can bring to the table. Assessments are, of course, an effective method for determining learning needs, but your point about asking them about previous experiences is particualrly interesting. I have often had new students simply write down their career goals, expectations, anticipated hurdles, and what, as a resource, would help them the most in the learning environment. This exercise often… >>>

Hi Jennifer! Thanks for your observations! It is always a challenge for us to ensure that we address all of the required competencies, skills and learning outcomes from a class or course, often in a very short time frame. This, coupled with the need to vary teaching methods to reach adult learners with differrent learning styles and needs can be particularly difficult. As you reference, time is the crucial resource! I have found in working with students who have special learning needs (and are aware of them) that inquiring as to what methods may have worked for them before, in… >>>