The best way I have of illustrating course content is with examples from my own experiences in my field. Letting themm know how course material can be directly applied to actual situations brought up by students, or myself, helps relevancy.
Hi Rodger
Thanks for sharing your approach. I strongly believe anytime you can get both a professional and personal application retention will be greater. You are doing both. They can see how personal finances are an expansion of corporate finances. Should make for some very interesting discussions.
Gary
Hi Gary,
I teach Financial Management, and I try to teach a concept both from a company perspective and also as to how it works in a student's life. While not exact matches, sales revenue is similar to a student's wages; corporate retained earnings are similar to a student's savings account, etc. It seems to open the eyes and catch the attension of some otherwise disinterested students.
Rodger
Hi Steve,
Credibility, a great word and a tremendous concept. Hope the students can really grasp this because this is why we do what we do.
Good examples of how to build credibility.
Gary
I find that students have a much higher level of interest and participation when they see a direct tie between what is given in the classroom and what is used in the "real world" they wish to work in. This is another reason an instructor's experience can pay big dividends when presenting material to a class--especially when the subject initially seems boring (why do I have to know this...?). I use examples of real world applications every day. When combined with hands-on training, field trips to observe what we have been learning and discussing take on a new face--they become very good motivators. Once again, what we are really presenting here is credibility.
i would guide the students more practice, use mini-lecture, selecting material related to performance learning need.
Hi Abdullah,
I commend you on your professional attitude to making sure that you are current in your field. You are teaching students to earn a living in your career area and you have to be current on the requirements of that field. Maybe your school will start to see how important it is to all of the faculty trained in the latest content for their field.
Gary
By attending more professional and subject related seminars and classes. Unfortunately now-a-days teachers (especially high tech.) are sent to seminars which has noting to do with their subject of interest. For example, I am an AutoCAD teacher and our company hardly sent us to get training in the updated versions (I think because they are expensive and schools have a budget problems). I think schools need to spend more money on real life seminars for teachers not a boring one. That's why I spend my money and time to get to update so I will be able to make course relevant.
Gary,
I use two advisory groups during the initial phases of program development - one made up of the heads of business or business owners who operate firms likely to hire our graduates. M Next, I vet the curriculum for content from a seperate advisory of department heads, manufacturer's technical advisors & trainers. The PAC we maintain for the ACCSCT is a mixture of those plus some Educational people.
Staff remain current with the industry by attending trade shows and events, visiting firms enguaged in the industry, maintaining these advisory relationships with those described above as well as associated industry standards organizations, Industry trade associations,and state economic development corporations. Additionaly, we survey the graduates and alumni, the employers of the alumni, and students. We require our faculty to maintain a certain number of hours a year of training - both teacher training and industry skills based training including summer sebaticals.
-Clark
Hi Clark,
Great steps for keeping your program current. I served as a ACCSCT commissioner and had the opportunity to review many great programs like yours. Which brings me to a question. In what forms does the feedback come to you from the industry? Is it through your advisory committee or do you attend their meetings, conferences, etc. How do you stay current with new trends, processes, and employment needs?
Gary
In our career training (yacht restoration program) we initially obtain feedback from the related industry for the skill needs of that industry. Course content is then developed incorporating any industry standards or certifications and experiencial courses developed to deliver the skills and knowledges. The program is then vetted by our industry advisory groups, modified as needed, then sent to the State Board of Education for certification. Ultimately the program will be then sent to the ACCSCT for accreditation. Additionaly, as the program is running we seek feedback from faculty, students, graduates, and graduate employers for any indicators we can use to improve the program. The ACCSCT also requires the annual review of all program aspects by a standing Program Advisory Committee.
-Clark
Before I teach a class, I always ask myself: Who are the people I am trying to teach? I realize that there is always a mix of students in the classroom. I understand that as an educator, I will encounter students who are motivated and love to learn, students who are not motivated and do not want to learn; as well as students with poor skills. I cannot teach all of these students the same way; therefore, a diverse curriculum is essential. In addition, I feel instructors have to take into account the students they have and their attention span and allow fun activities to keep students attentive. Therefore, I make an effort to integrate components such as interactive activities, guest speakers, multimedia presentations, and open discussions into every class I teach.
My goal as an instructor is to challenge my student's and to make them think more deeply about the course material. Directed group work and presentations, which extend the course readings and discussions, are essential to this process. Henry A Giroux once said, “Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that was called cheating. The curriculum sent the clear message to me that learning was a highly individualistic, almost secretive, endeavor…†I do not believe that learning should always be an individualistic endeavor. Students can learn a lot form each other. Allowing students to share their personal experiences related to a topic can help their peers bridge the gap between textbook material and real world application.
Before making the course content relevant to the learning needs of students, it must be aligned with the needs of industry. In order to accomplish this task, research must be performed using employers of past graduates, advisory board members, certification testing requirements and occupational guidelines. Once this is complete, the course content can be adjusted so that the relevancy can be passed on to the students. Audio/visual aids, resource materials, publications, model displays, and wall hangings are excellent methods for reinforcing to the student the relevancy of what is being taught.
Hi Elbert,
Thank you for your contribution to the forum. You made a number of excellent points. The one I would like to support is the ability to move from "book knowledge" to application. Some students don't know how to do this and others are afraid to do it. They just want to follow a receipe rather than problem solve. Truly successful professionals are those that can make the jump from theory to practice. They have a vision of where they want to take their knowledge in relation to their abilities. Anything we can do as instructors to help them along this path will result in more successful graduates and satisfied professionals.
Gary
Making the material in a course relevant to students is much more important today than it was when I was in school. Several years ago learning information in a course was largely the responsibility of the student. That's not to suggest that it is not the student's responsibility today. I just mean that when students of my generation learned, it was also our responsibility to apply that learning to professional experiences. In my estimation, instructors usually lectured, and students were expected to fill in all the other gaps (if there were any). For sure, students were expected to apply the classroom situation to relevant practical, out-of-the-classroom situations.
Now, however, the instructor must connect (and constantly reinforce) how classroom material is necessary to function well professionally. In fact, if instructors struggle to make this connection, many students struggle with the information presented in the class.
While I believe helping students realize the relationship between course work and industry work is essential, at times I feel like it hinders the learning process. I do realize that I am speaking from the context of a "traditionalist." The beauty of learning always involves figuring out how my "book knowledge" could help me achieve success in a career. Isn't this Franklinian notion one of the central themes in American thought -- or Western thought for that matter? Now I might be overgeneralizing a bit, or maybe missing the essence of the question originally proposed too. But the value of professionalism is sometimes using the skills of the classroom to understand, evaluate, or transform the policy of the work room. And many times the relevancies between the two can not be spelled out.
I am certainly not arguing that showing students a link between the classroom and the board room is unnecessary. I believe in today's classroom it is rather necessary. I make as many connections as I possibly can for my students. Sometimes, however, I wish I did not always have to in order for some of them to appreciate the experience of "just learning" and realizing that all learning in varying degrees contributes to professional success.
To answer the question, I try to present my students with real-life examples from TIME or CNN or the like that deal with some aspect of our class. Also, I try to use other students' experiences to reinforce the significance of some demonstration from class. Finally, I try to encourage my students to keep up with current events. As often as possible, I try to weave current events into our classroom exercises. The purpose of all of these strategies is to create in a student's consciousness the ability to examine how things are done; how information is disseminated, evaluated, and used; and how to make decisions based on that information. These processes, important components in a career setting, are practiced and rehearsed in the classroom environment. The goal, then, is to help students learn how to apply classroom practices in a specific profession.
In the past 10 years I have been teaching courses that are required for attaining degree status and other courses to students who are truly interested in the material content. In the case of those taking the course for self improvement or for attaining additional skills, the relevancy of the course is already established in the minds of those students; what I try to add is the relevancy of application of techniques and concepts contained within the course materials. This I do with personal examples of my experiences where the materials have been applied and worked, and also where they haven't worked and why (this is the experiential part that is difficult to obtain in the classroom).
For those courses taken as part of required curriculum, I always tell the students that the concepts and materials that are contained in the course are to be considered "tools" to be tried now in the course and put into their "toolbox" to have available for the time when the situation may require them to use this "tool". Ome needs to be exposed to many "tools" and try several at times to see which tool is best for the situation they find themselves in (usually in some sort of problem solving situation in work on in their non-work life. Again I try to show how I have used the course concepts in both work, in volunteer activities, and even in home life situations where appropriate.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for your comments about keeping instruction student centered. They are the reason we are all in the classroom so we need to work very hard to develop ways of meeting their instructional needs.
Gary
Know the needs of your students first. Pick a topic that evolves most of the learning needs and have lectures around it, ask questions of your students during and after the lecture.
Hi Clifton,
Thank you for your input in the forums. You make a number of helpful suggestions and recommendations. I am sure you are going to meet with much success in the classroom and out on the floor with your students.
Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Tina,
In your forums you have offered a number of very good suggestions and comments. I am sure your courses are enjoyable to take and your students develop rapport with you.
Keep up the good work! You are making a difference.
Gary
