Barbara,
I think your ideas of showing the students the practical side of learning, especially explaining how the various concepts and ideas that we learn in higher education will apply to them as they go out into the world of employment. This approach adds a taste of reality and interest for the students. I support your approach and apply similar techniques in the various classes that I am teaching as well.
Thanks,
Doug
Joshua,
Fantastic point of mentoring students. I also believe that we need to do everything in our power to help our students succeed. Including mentoring. If the subject area, or discipline is not my field of expertise, or if a personal issue is impacting the student, then it would be my responsibility to refer the student to another professional person in higher education that could assist him/her in resolving their issue(s).
Enjoyed reading your comments.
Doug
I can improve my instructional style by (1) increasing my technical knowledge of the subject matter; (2) working on my professional abilities through planning my instruction, improving on the delivery of the content material and assessing how well my students are learning the material; and (3) improve my overall personal ability to influence the students through taking advantage of learning opportunities, building a rapport with my students and participating in professional organizations. By actively focusing on all three of these points I believe that I can improve my instructional style and improve overall learning for both my students and my own personal growth and development.
I believe my instructional style could be developed by the use of video recording, getting feedback from observers, and from the feedback of the students.
I believe adding demonstrations, field trips, etc. enhances your style...
You need to add as much extra material/experiences as possible to make your students bloom!
Sarah,
This is a good methode but it may be too late to make change the assignments made. Some students may have started it. I personnaly will ask the students to divide in to groups and discuss and write a comment after 2weeks instead waiting for 6 weeks. They do not need to write their name, except to comment and verbalize on the things that needed to be improved or continued.
At the school where I teach, we do class evaluations right around midterms. This really helped me during my first secession. I was able to make positive changes like adding take home assignments and more group projects. This seemed to really help me reach the class.
Staying up to date on the latest techniques by completing CEU's, doing a little research as to what is the latest trends in the medical field, and constantly reviewing the material I am teaching.
Watch other instructors. I am always on the look out for creative ways to bring contextualized or applied learning into the classroom.
Hi Kacie,
I really like hearing from instructors like you. I can tell how much you love teaching and sharing your career content with your students. Keep up your great attitude and your students will continue to benefit from your leadership and management.
Gary
In the past, I have found it helpful to sit in and observe my peers in their classrooms. For me, it quite often helped me to look at a course subject in a different light, and approach a lecture or demo slightly differently. It seems to me that when an instructor, including myself, repeatedly teaches the same topic over and over, it can become dry or dull. Being refreshed by seeing a new presentation of a topic can help me to develop and bring diversity to my classroom and presentation.
I absolutely love teaching. I am considered a seasoned instructor with 10 years of post secondary teaching experience. I am constantly trying to "spice things" up to ensure that my students are getting my absolute best term after term. In order to achieve this, I take advantage of expanding my own education and not limiting myself to opportunities that offer development. I believe in "trial and error". You have to experiment with new information obtained and tweak it to make it your own. This is not an easy process. It takes time and patience. What you do for one cohort will not work for every subsequent cohort. You must understand that in order to development to occur. Flexibility and patience!
My personal style that I bring to the class room hits the following points:
1) Real world examples - Students can read things from thier books, but when you give them real world examples of the same items they are more likely to remember the material.
2) Fun - No matter how bad my day is or whats going on, I have fun. If your students see you as upset, mad or just a lack of energy they will think you are just there to collect a paycheck. Have fun, be energetic, show your students you want to be there and so will they.
Those are the two main points to my personal style. I know it will work for some but not all. All I know is that it works for me.
learning from other instructors
Get to class early, open lecture with a striking point and give more hands on activities.
Survey helps improve instuctional style. Students write comments, then instructor assesses the situation, and finds strategies to improve.
One technique is reviewing student evaluations from each course taught, examining the responses to set questions that convey how well students have grasped the course content.
Classroom observations by peers as well as chairs of departments provides for open discussions on motivational factors, professionalism, classroom communication and instructional style.
Both of these techniques are excellent tools in assisting to refine ones instructional style.
Donald,
This is very true. I have been teaching the same subject matter for 2 years now and yet with each semester needs of students completely change and the energy of the class completely changes. Hence my instructional style has to adjust.
Louis,
For the past few years I teach adults (30-50 year olds) and I was surprised to notice that they really appreciate my role as a mentor. I assumed that this role would be more applicable to individuals who are college age in a traditional sense ( 17-22) or high school.
I teach online so I tend to pay very close attention to student e-mails and their comments/ responses in the threads. Usually all of those contain suggestions in regards to how my teaching style can improve. I also pay attention to the surveys students have to take at the end of the class.
I regularly discuss pedagogical techniques with friends who are faculty (even if they are not instructing in the same discipline as me). The longer we teach, the more suggestions we have for each other.
