Denise,
Great example of how guest speakers can serve to reinforce what you are teaching them. Guest speakers get the students motivated and excited about the content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I use guest speakers as well. I have had doctors speak, and the students were very much engaged and did not want him to stop because they were enjoying his presentation so much.
An effective instructor must consider their audience. Often times, most of our classrooms are filled with a diverse age group and ethnic background. You must consider how each individual learns and incorporate items from each learning style into your lesson plans. For example, use PowerPoint for visual learners, models for tactile learners, lecture for audible learners, etc.
Jonathan,
Thank you for a this comprehensive approach to connecting with and supporting the learning of your students. Your approach gives the students every opportunity to become engaged as the course progresses.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I think that the more aware the instructor is of the variety of learning styles, the more alive they can make the class and information. We often start a class with a VAK assesment for the students, and while this is useful for the instructor, very often it helps to draw the students attention to their innate styles of learning as well. As instructors, we have to be cognizant also of attention spans, so planning to have brain breaks and varying the method of instruction help to insure that each style of learning is given some preference throughout the class time. Sometimes this awareness is useful on the fly, we may plan great lessons, we think, but find that the presentation just isnt having the effect that we hoped. Recognizing that the learners need to stay engaged can allow us to alter the lesson as it is being delivered, keeping their attention and sense of value of the class.
QUINTIN,
What are some strategies that work for you in engaging your students?
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Jessica,
I have found that by selecting a low risk activity using technology where my older students can have success gets them excited as well as comfortable in starting to use more technology. I do this in a game format so they have fun while learning how to do a search or perform a function. I also team my students up so the younger are working with the older and they are helping each other.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
The instructor can make sure that all learner types are comfortable getting involved both with the subject matter and with fellow learners.
Since the classroom is so diverse and since this diversity appears as if it will become more and more prevalent, it is important for instructors to be aware of these characteristics so that we can tailor our learning opportunities to our students. This, I believe, means incorporating some of the current technologies for our younger students and the hands-on experience based learning required for adult learners.
One question that I have is how to make more adult learners comfortable in the technological environment?
I agree, plus the students are more engage when learning from their peers.
The instructor starts with material each student should know and then draws on experiences of the students. The students relate to the topic better and feel they have individually contributed to the class discussion, gaining status within the group.
It gives us the knowledge that we need, so we as instructor know how far we can go indepth in a certain subject.
It gives the instructor a heads up on how he or she should relate to the student. In other words for example if a student is concerned about fitting in with other students the instuctor can setup a meet and great forum or even an informal assignment to develop a comradery or bonding to help the student adapt. The instructor also wants to take into account how the student feels about that type of meeting.
John,
Thank you for raising this very important concept about instructional challenges many instructors face. Hope we some very good input on this topic.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Ladansa,
Yes, we do for what I believe are two very good reasons. One, we better reach the different learning preferences of our students and two, it keeps us from falling into a rut and becoming boring teachers using the same routine over and over.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I have taught on line as well: networking courses were a challenge because the course designers did not include a hands-on lab there by disenfranchising the tactile or kinesthetic learner. Papers instead of labs were the required learning medium. Learning through experiencee sharing may bottom-out. The business unit goals (making a profit and keeping students) and student learning outcomes are sometimes at cross purposes. However, some students are only interested in ticket punching – “I already have a ‘secure’ job; I just need an advance degree for promotion.†I would be interested in knowing if anyone has technical course program alternatives.
In my experience in the field and in the classroom, identifying learning traits and using these to plan a lesson or a training schedule is very important because if you cannot identify how to relate material to those you are trying to teach or train, then the learning process is slowed or even stopped because of a learning wall. Each student is different and learns in different ways. As a teacher or trainer, you have to find the way to relate the material effectively to all students, and keep the cirriculum flowing at a pace that does not leave anyone feeling slowed down or bored. I have found that if you find an interest that a student having trouble understanding has, then you can use that interest as a gateway to teach them what you are trying to relate and they may understand faster than someone who does not have a disability. Finding the way to relate the material is key.
Richard
I believe that sharing your experience in the field of profession You have chosen will also give the students better knowledge and heads up on what to expect when they get out in the field of industries.
I believe that as an instructor we have to be able to go out of our confort zone and teach in different aspects. We need to always think of different ways to present the information for all levels in the classroom.
I try to determine first day which students will be receptive to hands-on and which ones will learn better from the texts. This way I can tailor my teaching methods to each student according to their needs.
