Episodic Learning
I enjoy telling my students stories about how researchers made their discoveries. For example, I try to make them study more frequently their lectures instead of learning all of their material the night before the big test. I recalled for them the way that benzene's aromatic ring structure was finally correctly visualized; the researcher kept on dreaming of a snake(the linear carbon chain) biting it's tail(the carbon chain becoming circular). I remind them that the brain doesn't process everything overnight. They need to give their brain time(ie, repeated studying) in order to really understand their lectures. I stll remember my professor relaying this story to us in organic chemistry class.
Thomas,
I think this is a good strategy to follow. You are bringing excitement to the class and getting the students engaged in the learning process. Have fun with your teaching and continue to help your students to see their future.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Carolyn,
Stories like this are great connectors between the content and application. They get to see and hear about how what they are learning now will be used when they are in the workplace. This increases the value of the content to them as well as increasing their motivation.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I always emphasize a historic event by asking the students what they were doing that year or how they think their lives changed since then because of that event. I often tell them what I was doing, if I recognized it the time that it was an important event, and how I KNOW how it impacted my life to this day. I also believe that challenging a student to "go back in time" and experience an event as a contemporary of the time can help them understand the importance of the event.
I totally agree with this approach. At times I refer back to some of my experiences and episodes of life. This in turn triggers the thought process of my students and opens up a flow of information.
Alcide,
Bringing in real life situations helps to make the content come alive as well as adding value to the reason for learning it. Students as you know really perk up when you share a story or example with them about how to use the information that has just been covered.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I enjoy adding real life situations into my lecture to show my students,that I am not above reproach,or any better than they are,and we are always learning something new everyday.
Jean,
As you already know students really perk up when they are told a story that shows application and relevance to what they have just been taught. Keep sharing and your students will be engaged and continuing to learn.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I teach many Medical Law & Ethics Courses- and much of the teaching has to do with story telling as I have had 23 years in the field- the students tell me that because of the stories- they can relate the material better with the facts and stories and that they learn better-
Dr. Richard,
I would support your statement because once one has had such an experience it is filed away and then pulled up to be used again when a similar situation occurs.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I suggest that episodic learning is experiential learning. When we train law enforcement officers, we do not filter or modify the content as it is learned. We want officers, under supervision, to interact with content to develop their own meanings and realities as they engage in a the learning process.
Gashaw,
Glad to hear you have a role model in your background that you can use to develop your own instructional style. Your memory of him is enabling him to influence you all these years later. This is a legacy we have as educators.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My organic chemistry teacher was very enthusiastic about the subject he was teaching, we loved his class because of it. He used a lot of real life examples in the medical fields/application of chemicals/ we learned so much from the class & enjoyed out time with him.
Peggy,
Wish I had your instructor when I was going through organic chemistry. He made no applications or told no stories, just plain cold hard facts and formulas. This approach gives an attachment to the content that needs to be memorized. You make a very good point.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
