It is an important part of the learning experience. It provides the student with a feel of what to expect when they are in their career field.
Hi James,
This is so important because it reduces the trauma of moving into the real world. If they feel that have a working knowledge of how the real world operates in the culinary arts field they will be more successful when they are actually there. It reduces the deer in the headlights syndrome.
Gary
You cannot learn in a toxic environment
As an instructor in general education, there is no "industry" that the classroom needs to reflect. In the environment I teach in, the classrooms are impersonal, but not stark or institutional. At least one wall in each room is painted a vibrant color that seems intended to stimulate the creative side of our students.
The atmosphere of learning is created by the level of comfort established between the students and instructor. This speaks to an earlier post of mine about knowing your students. The more you know them and they you, they richer the atmospher becomes. It's become more secure for everyone because the element of the unknown is removed.
There are some very good responses in this thread that can be applied to disciplines outside of culinary.
Instructors w/ real industry experience (recent is even better)really owe it to their students to try to do what they can in the classroom to duplicate that real life experience.
The learning environment is incredibly important and if it is not real worl it need to simulate to the best degree possible so as that students can reflect on what is truly going to be expected of them in their field.
Hi Thomas,
There are a couple of ways that might be tried in this situation. Can you bring in a clinical supervisor as a guest speaker to lay out the importance of the course content in relation to the upcoming clinical experience? How about a former patient that could talk about the need for the course content in relation to patient satisfaction?
I would use some role playing in the class after covering some of the essential content so the students could see how it is applied in the "real world" thus why it is important to know it.
If you have any questions on this let me know and I will be glad to talk further with you.
Gary
I am also an instructor in a culinary school. I agree with your statement, Christine. As an Executive Chef in the industry, I became frustrated with cooks straight out of school. Technical knowledge wasn't the problem. Speed and organization was lacking because they had not cooked in the industry. In a setting designed like yours they get both.
Hi Kathleen,
Thank you for sharing this example of your dedication to instruction. By making your teaching above the conditions you reflected your professionalism. I commend you for this. It is sad we have to work in such conditions but that is often the case so in we do it "in spite of not because of" and continue to impact the lives of our students.
Gary
In our nursing school, classroom lectures are used only to dispense facts that need to be known prior to going out into the clinical world. The clinical part moves students through a continuum of activities with increasing difficulty. Customer (patient and facility) satisfaction is paramount. Any one with good ideas on helping get this mindset in place in the relatively short time of 6 weeks before getting to clinic?
This is a point of contention among many educators I have worked with. I taught for many years in a chemistry lab that was 1960's vintage and very crowded at times. I made it work and did many very successful labs. I believe that the instructor can make a poor environment work. It would be nice if some updates would have been made so that it was not such a gigantic job.
Hi Terry,
In using such a model you are helping to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. With 90% real world practical instruction the students should be able to make the step into employment much easier and at a higher level of competence.
Gary
Hi Lawrence,
The real world can be a harsh master so the students need to be prepared to be competent and competitive when they enter it.
Gary
In our Restaurant Guest Service course it plays a huge role. Our class is close to 90% practical, so to simulate the "real world" environment in every way is critically important. We deal with real customers daily in competition with scores of other commercial restaurants. Our challenges are real in every way. It can be intimidating, but extremely rewarding.
It is important that the physical space of the learning environment be clutter free to decrease distractions and ergonomically correct to promote good body mechanics. These variables help to increase students ability to attend to what is being taught.
In my class I have a no nonsense approach. We review what is going to happen in class and then we move forward. In the kitchen the real world has to move. I don't baby them. I make them work.
The learning environment is the foundation to good education. Without a proper place to learn, the student is distracted, confused and generally without focus. With a proper learning environment, the instructor can go about teaching the student more effectively.
Hi Shaun,
The only way I can think of is to bring small examples of the exact situations they will be working in to the classroom/lab. Also, I would bring someone from the field into the class and let that person share what it is really like "out there".
Gary
The physical environment should adequately represent a "real world" working environment to better facilite learning, i.e. kitchens for cooking, garage for auto work, dental suite for detal work.
The mental environment should be one of inquery and experiment so that students are comfortable asking questions and making mistakes they can learn from.
I see the rcomendation that you keep the learning enviroment as close to field conditions as possible. My students will have to work in extreme climates when they leave here. How do you prepare them for that but not make the enviroment to hard for them to learn in.
