It's important for students to incorporate what they have learned outside of a classroom setting. I think it's cool to venture out of the classroom to the real deal! Instuctors can use their rescources to network with those whom are currently exprienced in the field and take students into that enviroment. Student may become more engaged and have a better appreciation for their field of study.
Hi Mahmood,
Awesome! I like to make known to the students how the course is going to benefit them in their career.
Patricia Scales
I give them real life examples and share my experiences with the class.
Hi Suwaid,
You have some great ways to show course relevancy! Students need to know how the course is going to help them professionally or personally.
Patricia Scales
Showing relevancy of course content sets the stage for the course. A course thats not clearly defined, outdated, or irrelevant will disinterest the adult learner or student. Courses in general must retain relevancy by staying current with the environment that surrounds that particular career field. Some of the ways one could demonstrate course relevancy is by using practical examples from one's own experiences, have students research and share current events related to course material,and if possible have hands on application or exercises to enhance learning processes.
Another way to assess students prior knowledge early in the semester is to ask them to draw a concept map illustrating a key topic from your course (e.g., global climate change, Mexican immigration). A quick glance at the concept maps students draw can give you a good sense of how well students currently understand the issue and help you identify misconceptions and inaccuracies.
Give the students examples of how the iomformation for that course directly relates to their feild of study.
Hi Sheretta,
As adult learners, it is important for students to know what is in the course for them. They need to understand how the information is going to benefit them.
Patricia Scales
Hi Mary,
You are on point! I am sure you have all types of connections with professionals in this field. You can bring in some of your colleagues as guest speakers. Students love guest speakers, and guest speakers do a fine job with validating course relevancy.
Patricia Scales
Showing your students whats in it for me will always get there attention. When you start your class with this information it will keep them in gaged. who doesnt want to know what information lies through out the lesson.
Certainly, it is important to discuss the relevancy of course content to the career that the student is working towards. I teach criminal justice and I am able to share my experience as a retired law enforcement supervisor and explain how learning the material will better prepare the student for the field.
Hi Billie,
Great idea! It will also make the class more interesting if you allowed the students to share their essays.
Patricia Scales
Have the students write an short essay about what they would like to do as career. And show them how the class they are taking will be part of the career goals. Billie
Hi Ali,
Students thoroughly enjoy hearing about our stories as to how they apply to the course content. Experience is certainly the best teacher.
Patricia Scales
I always let my students know about our advisory committee. It is made up of local area contractors and professionals in our industry. The advisory committee looks at our school to make sure we are doing things right and we are keeping up with the new standards in the industry. I also let the students know that these are the same people that could possibly hire them.
I am in the Veterinary Technology Department. For my students I use real life examples from when I was working in a a hospital setting full time so that they can relate what they are doing in the course to a real life hospital setting.
Hi Stacey,
You have it! It is amazing to students when they take a field trip, and they get to see how text book theory becomes live.
Patricia Scales
Real world and on job examples are key for illustrating relevance. And yes Guest speakers then help to bring those messages to light.
It's a little bit easier with specialized programs to always tie in 'end goal relevance' to what the students are learning at any given point.
Field trips to actual job sites show the relavance to their job. They can see the course content played out in the work force.
Hi Charles,
Students better understand when examples are given that relate to the course content.
Patricia Scales
