I like to not only present "the big picture" of the course at the beginning, but I try to show the broader scope of each lesson and how it relates to students' careers as we go along. This helps students, especially adult learners who may have insecurities about their writing skills, understand why the course is important and how it will help them achieve success, both academically and in their careers. I also communicate my role as a facilitator who is there to help students achieve their own goals. This helps build trust, and when students see that you care about their success, they tend to care about the class and try their best (most of the time). In my experience, I have found that when students see "the big picture" of a lesson, unit, or course, they relate it to their own lives and become invested in the class.
I agree, although I teach dental hygiene, it is the same concept, if they learn the most and provide the best service they will be the one hired and valued as an employee
Hi Tracy,
Awesome you are doing a fantastic job of keeping your students on point.
Patricia Scales
My fellow instructors assisted me tremendously in setting myself up to be successful in teaching college classes. By being up front with the students about expectations of the class as well as the college, I always received great feedback. In the first class session, I always discuss what the class entails and what is required according to the syllabus. I thoroughly discuss the course outline that I create and make sure to point out important dates on the calendar. By them knowing what is expected from the beginning, as well as reminders throughout the quarter, there is typically success. Of course, there is always the students that need more reinforcement as well as guidance to get on the right path of success
Hi Joseph,
I let my students know how the course is going to be beneficial to them either personally/professionally or both.
Patricia Scales
Yes, I definately agree. Adult students need reassurence that what they will learn is applicable for the future.
I try to use as much relevant material as I can for the math courses that I teach. The conventional "train A leaves the station heading west..." questions have no relevance to their lives, and thus they have no interest. I gear my questions to the graphic design, business, criminal justice, and healthcare students that I mostly have. The students show much more interest in the topics when they can relate to it.
I teach mostly Developmental Mathematics courses to mostly "at risk" students. Getting the "buy in" is the most critical part of my lessons. I do this by using real-life situations that basic math skills that almost everybody can relate to. For example: If your back yard has dimensions of 110 feet by 80 feet and you are purchasing bags of fertilizer for the yard, how many bags need to be purchased if each bag covers 20 square yards? I will then have the students discuss in groups their methods and rationale to solve the problem, ask several students to display their methods and solutions on the board to share with the class, and compare different methods and answers. This is a great way to engage all of the students.
I ask them what they are wanting from the class and what they expect. I want their opinion to matter. I want to work with them and help them succeed.
The "What's it for me" is the way to go. For example I teach a music theory and history to audio production students. When I show them how many recordings of J.S. Bach are done in a given year, it is easy to see that understanding classical music necessary.
With this approach I have had a lot of success with buy in for the overall class. However it is with specific assignments such as composing a song in a style that the student isn't necessarily comfortable in, that I have difficulty with buy in.
So I guess I have gotten buy in at a macro level, but I am still struggling to get it at the micro level. Any thoughts?
Hi Antonio,
There are certainly advantages of teaching face-to-face verses online. A lot can be told just from facial expressions and gestures.
Patricia Scales
Hi Laura,
What a great wasy to help the students take ownership in the course. Students feel a sense of importance when they know that their ideas matter.
Patricia Scales
In the past while teaching on ground it was easier to see the student and stop behaviors that were taking their attention from my lecture. I did make it a point of keeping track of current events to add life into the classroom. I now teach online and engagement is totally different. I feel that if the point is not driven in a language the student will accept, I will fail to get the message across.
I try to get ownership and interaction from my students on the first day. Before reviewing the syllabus or course outline I pose a simple question: "What do you expect to get out of this class?" and have them write down and share their answers with the rest of the class.
I want my students to know that their input and ideas are important. A simple question and answer session in this context appears to set them at ease regarding course expectations and outcomes. It also helps me identify important concerns from the get go.
Hi Chuck,
It sounds like you do a fantastic job to promote buy in from your students. Students need to know how they are going to benefit personally/professionally from a course in order to buy in.
Patricia Scales
Hi Virginia,
Great information to share with students to gain buy in. Students tend to believe informations as such when it comes from a reputable organizaton like the United States Labor Bureau.
Patricia Scales
I stress how the field of massage therapy is going to expand over the next few years. I support this by telling them that the United States Labor Bureau states that massage is going to be the fastest growing field from 2014 to 2020. I try to create an excitement that they are poised for "take off" by learning as much as they can, to be the best massage therapists, as a growing number of people will be seeking them out for stress relief. These statements really seem to get the students' interest and motivate them to try a little harder to reach their goal of graduating.
Hi Sandra,
You are on point! If students do not have a reason to come to class, they want. We have to keep them encouraged and motivated.
Patricia Scales
When considering the concept of student "buy in", I typically will take time myself prior to the very first class meeting to conceptualize and identify aspects and ways any/all of the course content relates to or is relevant to the students' lives both inside and outside the course. By this I mean how can/does it relate to their professional/vocational needs, goals/objectives and at least think about how can/does it relate to their own lives or life experiences, though for that aspect I incorporate a reflective writing exercise both at the beginning and then throughout the course as it relates to the given course curriculum content.
Of course in the overall curriculum and syllabus development towards the accreditation of our Social Work program, we (meaning me and my fellow colleagues) had to make and demonstrate explicit connections from each course objective/learning outcome to our Program's (and University's) Mission and Objectives, which in turn are forged by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) and related competencies of the accrediting body. So, we regularly and continuously engage our students in the "why (you) need to know/be able to do this in order to be a competent practitioner" dialogue.
In another instance, when teaching a Sociology course I ask them to think about/identify the ways in which social forces have impacted their lives. In teaching the course at a Culinary Arts school, I have used a video series exploring the food and related cultural aspects of various global locations; this gives them (and myself!) an opportunity to learn about why certain foods and its' ingredients, preparation methods, etc.) are "indigenous" to these areas/regions.
As much as I consider student "buy in" (some students may never regard a particular course as being "essential" for them or any part of their professional/personal lives), I also and maybe even to a greater extent, focus on getting them "engaged" with the learning process. If I can, as a "learning facilitator" (which is what I regard my capacity and function in the classroom) at the very least stimulate and generate interest--however fleeting it may be for the individual student--then I think some level of "buy in" has been realized.
Show them relevance of course in their future career.
Motivate them everyday and give them a reason to come to class.
