The student is the focus and their success will be greater due to the fact they are the center of the learning process.
Hi Doris:
You make a great point here. In addition, instructors should be flexible when teaching so there is sufficient time for the students to absorb new information. A good way to do this is to have group discussions (if possible).
Regards, Barry
Hi Yvonne:
Student learning outcomes can be looked at from different angles. On one level, they can be a legal entidy of sorts ("the student will be able to describe XYZ at the end of the course).
Another way is how it serves the student. For example, an altruistic SLO might be the student can make better decisions as a result of taking your class.
Regards, Barry
Student learning outcomes should focus on how students are able to retain information and use in daily activities.
As students learn classroom material, they will be able to use the learning methods as they work, take care of their family and other daily activities.
When students use techniques for daily life lessions, this means they were taught well.
Hi Nancy:
The difference between learning outcomes and goals of educating might be described as the student's ability to articulate what they've learned with the student's ability to make more effective decisions in life.
Regards, Barry
It is the goal of the students not only understanding the content learned but also how it is correctly implemented. For example, a student is taught a sauce in culinary school, they might understand the process for making it but not know where it might be used. It is the students responsibility and instructors to work on the goal of where it is best used.
The outcome of student centered learning presents itself when that light bulb comes on for a student. When they truly understand a concept and can relate it to their field of study, they often feel very satisfied with themselves. In my classroom we celebrate that moment.
Hi Marilyn:
Yes, I agree. To the degree possible we're sort of tailoring the course to meet the needs of the students.
Regards, Barry
Hi Laura:
In fact, we can build up to everyone having that moment by reviewing the relavance of a particular topic with the whole class. Asking them, "do you see why it's important to understand this concept in the context of XYZ"?
Regards, Barry
In student centered learning, instructors vary the presentation of information to support learning styles and abilities. Through the use of questions and dialog levels of understanding are determined. This understanding drives the class instruction and student activities.
Hi Barry:
From a classroom theory standpoint, I think about student learning outcomes (SLO's) as the "What" a student should come away from a class with, while daily course or learning objectives are the "How" the SLO's will be met.
SLO's are very specific and unchanging for a given course. In contrast, there are hundreds of approaches to achieving the daily learning objectives. These form the basis for how a class is taught.
Regards, Barry
Hopefully student learning is affected, not only by the theoretical knowledge of the teacher, but by the practical knowledge of other students. Although I don't have a physical classroom, I encourage my students to share their personal experiences on each topic, and offer how each topic has affected them personally.
Opening thier minds is many times the hard part. Opening their mouths, not so much.
The outcome would be higher learning on the part of the student. Center your class around the student, have them learn the information not just memorize it. Be a facilator of information, have the student learn through hands on experiences.
Recently I have seen that the term "outcomes" has replaced the usage of the term "objectives" in many areas. Both terms are crucial and, I believe, are the heart of competency based education. Demonstration of competency in areas or outcomes may be accomplished by the delivery of a case study, a successful demonstration of a specific skill, role playing or providing correct answers on a test. How we evaluate content must be directly related and relevant to the type of outcome.
Hi Amy:
That's a big question! Most likely, different instructors measure this in different ways. For example, we can quiz students to see if they can articulate the most recently covered items. We can have discussions to asses how well students responded to the information.
What do you do to make these kinds of assessments?
Regards, Barry
I have seen this in most classes because the students want it all right now and I try to let them know we need to get a foundation of the basics first and this will help them make that light always shine.
Hi Joshua:
I agree with your message - as long as a student can articulate in a stronger way about the content, better than they could before, than we instructors are meeting the main objective of imparting knowledge.
Regards, Barry
The outcome of student center learning is planning lessons based on the best learning style of the students, and delivering that information in a variety of way. By focusing on this, all varieties of learning styles can be incorporated into the lesson.
The outcome is that the student is prepared. The student has an understanding of the skills and knowledge taught in the subject area. The student knows how the skills and knowledge apply to the career choice. The student can apply the skills and knowledge learned in different situations.
Hi Barbara:
For me, SLO's are the "why" of the topic or lesson. Daily or course learning objectives are tyhe "how" we provide the material in order to achieve the SLO's.
Regards, Barry
