Hi Denise,
What a great way for students to graphically see the progress they are making throughout the course. In addition, they can check their points at anytime so there is no question where they stand in the course.
Gary
Early in my career I was a department chair. One instructor in the department had a very illuminating method of making his expectation clear to students in the class. He would asked the students to look around and then tell them that more than half of the people in the classroom would not be there on the final day of class. His expectations were that half the class would fail. This was not a user friendly or student-first orientation.
I got into higher education initially by teaching highly technical computer networking courses The field was growing very rapidly and certified students could make a lot of money once they graduated. High salary potential brought students to class. The curriculum and assessments were very, very challenging and I told students that up front, day one. I added that each of them could succeed in this field. I had done so and I am not a geek. The story is somewhat different today. The tech "bubble" collapsed and jobs disappeared.
Today, I teach general education courses - getting back to my own college experience and degree. Most students do not see the benefit or need to take general education courses and this is a real problem. I tell them that these courses are part of a required core that the college must offer in preparation for their ultimate degree. While the skills learned in class may not help them design the interior of a home or create a music video, it will help them understand the global environment in which they will work. The skills will enable them to communicate effectively and think objectively and critically. Their career is like the Chinese symbol for balance: Yin and Yang (I draw that on the white board). In order to be effective in their work and life, they must balance their technical (creative & design) skills with "soft" skills learned in these general education courses. I also tell them the story about the graphic design student who said that she did not have to proof read her work prior to sending it to the client, that was someone else's job. To wit, I recall an incident when, as a director of marketing for a major telecommunications company subsidiary one of my team members approved a brochure with a typo in our customer support toll-free phone number. 25,000 copies of the brochure were printed with the phone number of a porn line! Resumes, proposals, etc. get junked when error appear. As a designer, you are never called back and you get a reputation of carelessness. Who wants that? 'Nuff said on that.
I have everything in writing. I have handouts for everything, and I make the handouts available in paper and electronic format. Students can access any class papers from home through our portal. We also have online grade books, so students see the points that they get for every assignment. I add comments to their grades in the online portal. They can see how it all adds up. In the beginning, they see the empty list of assignments and point values. Gradually, they see all of those points filled in.
I like to give my students a mental picture of why it is important to follow certain procedures for upcoming class projects. I ask them if it is okay to have their automobile repainted and accept the final job with paint drips or scratches. This emphasizes why they have to approach their job with a sense of perfection. Another example is that test pilots have a checklist, so if they are among the best and brightest then we should also use a checklist to insure our upcoming projects will be done correctly. I provide the checklist with each project. This helps them to see what the project expectations are from the beginning.
Hi Cheryl,
What have you found to be the part of the course that students need the most explanation when starting a new class?
Gary
I give detailed information on the class. I go through the syllabus and explain it so that they students will know how to use it. I alwasy tell my classes that they should post certain sections of the syllabus and follow it each week so that they can easily follow what will we will be doing each week. I want them to feel comfortable in the class and have an understanding of how each weeks class will build on the next.
Cheryl
Hi James,
Way to go in setting the standard for the class. The students get to see what has been done and realize that through hard work they can be at that level when they complete the course.
Gary
Besides the basic introduction & going over of the syllabus, I show past student design work that was created through the progression of the various units. Not only does this gives the students an understanding of what is to be expected in the class, it often motivates the students to try to "outdo" prior works.
At the beginning of class I ensure that the students hear and understand all aspects of the syllabus, including course requirements, homework schedules, etc. Each class I remind the students of upcoming quizzes, homework and homework assignments, and hand out bi-weekly reports to remind them of their present grade/homework status.
As a teacher you cannot in no way shape or form come across to nice. Put yourself in your students shoes at any given time wouldn't you try to get over on your teacher.
I go over the syllabus in detail, give out a seperate sheet with assignment info, due date and give out a copy of the daily grade sheet so the students know what I look for on a daily basis. I remind them periodically about assignment comming up due and ask them along the way how the assignments are comming so I know that they know I haven't forgotten. I also want to offer help with the question so they can talk to me about it if they need to.(Sometimes after working all day then comming to school they forget they had a question)I remind them that late assignments/missed tests do not get make-ups per the syllabus.
Ann Mason
Hi Brando,
It is as you know much easier to lighten up than to rein in the students. By setting the stage early the students know your expectations and requirements. Then your personality can come through as you develop rapport with them throughout the course. Good job. I wish you the best in your teaching.
Gary
I'm very firm and direct on the first day. All business, but I do share a thing or two about myself so the students don't think I am a robot. Then I loosen up as the class goes.
Typically, on the first day of class, I play the though, scary, strict teacher role. I still provide some humor, but the students learn quick when the laughs end and when the seriousness begins. From that point on, I "loosen up." I become less scary, and more warm, sharing stories and life lessons. By the end of the term, my students have all forgotten that "scary teacher" and see me as my true self. In doing this, I set up clear signals (both verbal and non-verbal) to the students for when I expect them to be quite and listen, and when it is okay to converse and interact with their classmates. By the end of the term, all it takes is a simple look/glance, and I get all my students' attention.
I hand out my syllabus where everything is explained including expectations. I am not super strict but I write down what each student needs to do to be successful in my class.
Hi John,
What critical listening techniques would you suggest instructors develop to enhance their effectiveness?
Gary
It has to be in writing and contained within the syllabus; I cannot expect them to guess about things; they need to be comfortable knowing clearly what is expected of them; and how I will assess them during the course; thus, I hand them the syllabus and we thoroughly go over it; in some classes I have even given a syllabus quiz to ensure they read and understand it. Spend a lot of time in the first couple of classes clarifying what is in it.
Hi John,
What are some of your most effective listening techniques that you can share with other instructors?
Gary
Without listening, no other technique can be effective.
I take the time on the first day to describe each type of test they will encounter and how to be successful on it. I talk with them about the importance of the reading assignments, and how it enhances their understanding of classroom lectures/demos. I don't sugarcoat how quickly the class will progress or the challenges that lie ahead, but I let them know that they can all succeed, and that myself and the administration are all here to support them in their efforts to be successful. I ask them for ideas or techniques they've learned that help them retain info from reading, or tricks they've learned to study for exams. We have a wide range of students, from high school graduates to college graduates to career changers, and I ask the more experienced students to offer advice for success to the class - it makes them feel important and knowledgeable, and the new-to-college students often get some really helpful tips. I make sure they understand how important each day and each assignment is to their grade (each clsss is only 15 days), and every day during lecture I remind them of my expectations.
