I love to bring in real world experts in their field that have been in the students' shoes, and then have them explain to the students his patterns for learning and successes he found from getting the proper education.
Hi Steven,
I concur! Students love it when they can put things in perspective based on what the instructor tells them as the content of the stories pertain to the course.
Patricia Scales
I believe that when you can give real life examples, the students can relate to, it will help them understand and retain the information better.
My students know that everything they are learning is relevant to them getting a job.I give them examples of how different instances and situations play out in the dental office.
Hi LaWandra,
It is good when we can try to help our students see the big picture and really be concerned with the tomorrow. Students must understand the future is just as important as the present.
Patricia Scales
Hi Patti,
You mentioned role model in your response, and I am so glad you did. The instructor can certainly play the role of the professional based on the course content they are teaching, i.e. I teach Professional Development, and I always dress the part of a professional and certainly exhibit professional behavior.
Patricia Scales
It is important for the student to understand the reasons or reasoning a particular task is being done within the classroom setting on a certain subject. First to allow them the chance to grasp the concept of why? and secondly, to teach them that these skills will be appplied in the work world as well.
So, therefore, it is important that an instructor explain to the students how you may say now that this is so irrelevant to what we are learning today. Yet, not seeing the big picture now, realizing that at some point in time they will need what they felt earlier as to being so unimportant to them.
It is a learning experience for us all at some point in our lives and it is so sad to say that there are a certain percentage of people that are living in the right now and what about later????
Telling stories about real-life experiences engages student interest and demonstrates the significance of the course content in the real world setting. News articles or documentaries related to course content are also ways to impact the student with the need for the particular course they are taking. Most of all, as a role model, hopefully my life will serve as a point of reference and will further affirm the importance of the content they are about to learn.
Hi James,
I have a PowerPoint for each course that I teach that I share with my students expressing the purpose of the course and careers that can be obtained from grasping the information in the course so that they understand course relevancy on Day 1.
Patricia Scales
Hi Edson,
Sharing current news really is a great way for students to grasp the relevancy of the course.
Patricia Scales
I teach in a school that presents medical assisting, dental assisting, and pharmacy technician programs. The subjects I teach are Math, English, Typing, and Word Processing. On the first day of class, many students ask me of the relevance of such classes. Therefore, during their first day, I give them examples of how they will use each subject to be more successful in their new careers. They never seem to have a problem after that; they only needed to know that everything they studied was of importance to their future.
I also use current news that relates to what the students are learning and I have seen the same affects that you have described with my students.
I have always been a big advocate of using real world tie in to help the students understand what why the information is important. I do thi by bring up topics from the news and my own experiences. I have found that this has given the students a deeper understanding of the course content and makes learning much more interesting.
Hi Lauren,
Students love it when we share stories that are applicable to the course content.
Patricia Scales
Since I only teach as an adjuct, I like to provide examples from my full time job of how I use what I am teaching the students in the real world. This may be giving an example of scenario I faced or proving screenshots from teh computer system that we use.
Hi Carolyn,
Wow,your students can definitely benefit from your experience. Experience truly is the best teacher!! I am sure you have many stories that are applicable to the course content.
Patricia Scales
I have over 25 years experience in my field and I make references to how I utilized the course they are taking
Hi Melinda,
Sudents need to know how they are going to benefit from the course either or both personally/professionally in order to understand the relevancy of the course.
Patricia Scales
In the course I'm teaching currently- Medical Terminology, showing the students how the material is relevant to their career is crucial. I like to try to use career specific examples when teaching, as well as "every day" examples they may more easily related with right now. I think by doing this, they're able to retain the information better and figure out ways their new knowledge can be useful in and out of the workplace.
Hi Steve,
Students get it when we make learning apply to their career.
Patricia Scales
