To get the students to buy in, I would tell the class about the career opportunities that are available to them in their furture field. I could have a guest speaker to come into the classroom and tell a little bit about themself and how well they are doing in their field.
Give them some decision making opportunities in the direction of the course (within certain boundries)
I agree with your opinion and practice Thomas. I too have learned that the more passion that I can show my students (along with relevant examples) the more they want to share. I tell my students the first day of class that conversation is not only necessary but mandatory. I have had some of the best questions and thoughts expressed in my classes....just love it!
Hi Tom,
Making use of the internet so that students can see their future professional association is wise. Most students enjoy working on the internet, and students firmly believe what is found on the internet.
Patricia
Hi Carol,
Super idea! Wow, you had me thinking! Great exercise! What an awesome way to get your students to buy in!
Patricia
Hi Natalie,
You may want to share with the students how Algebra will better prepare them for course(s) that are in their curriculum that will help them in the workplace. There are courses that tie in with curriculum courses.
Patricia
Hi Jo Ann,
It starts with the instructor. We had to have already bought into the information in order to get students to buy in.
Patricia
Absolutely, if you can show your students that you feel the information is important and why, that will give them a reason to believe in it as well.
Some courses lend themselves to application to the eventual workplace the student will find themselves in. Others like College algebra are harder to relate. These course need additional buy in. Any great ideas out there?
Students are required to complete the courses I currently instruct. In addition, some of the skills are already known by the students. Because of that, I try and create links between what we will do according to the syllabus and what they will be doing "in the real world." Using the internet immediately to let them take a look at their future professional associations seems to get immediate attention. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but suddenly they are looking at their future "real-world" and how they may participate in it.
I teach a basic math class. I ask the students to tell the class where they use numbers. If I get no responses, I give them some hints. I say, "Think money." "Think cooking." After that I have always gotten a slew of responses from student loans (money) to making cookies to buying carpet. I then ask if anyone can think of a week where they did nothing with numbers. I have never had anyone say they have had a week without numbers. Then I tell then that we are here to make it easier and faster to deal with these situations and to make them more capable of dealing with new number situations in and outside of their career fields. What do you think of the questioning technique the first class and possibly as a refresher, asking for examples of things they have learned in class and used outside of this class?
Hi Erika,
Students have a fond interest in the subject whenever they learn how to apply what is being taught in the classroom to the workplace. Students get excited hearing about their new career.
Patricia
One of the strategies that I use is to connect all the objectives to job situations where they will utilize their skills. I also describe different positions that I have held and detail the ways that I have used those skills in my jobs. This helps the students to see themselves utilizing the skills.
Hi Daniel,
Sometimes students have real interesting stories to share that are applicable to the lesson. I encourage sharing of stories in my classes.
Patricia
Hi Richard,
Yes! It is definitely a buy in whenever you can make the course applicable to both professional and personal. Students really become excited of seeing the benefits of having it in both worlds.
Patricia
Hi Derek,
You caused me mouth watering just from reading your response. Real easy subject matter for buy in. It is an automatic buy in whenever you get this from the student in any course "so that's how they do that."
Patricia
I think that after a major project or paper, ask them what they thought of the assignment and how it could have been better.
In Culinary school it is really easy to engage the students. Often just relating a procedure to several items that the student is familiar with gives them the "so that's how they do that" connection. By presenting the course outline alone causes many students mouths watering.
You present the information about the course in such a way that it not only ties into their career path but if possible their personal intrests as well
I include real world examples, tell stories, solicit stories from students, and vary my delivery to the class. I find that by making the course material relevant the students find it more interesting.
