Hi Misty,
The adult learner wants to know how various concepts relate to their career. Every chance we get in the classroom to show relationship to course content and the workplace we should take full advantage of it. Students tend to get it if they can see how it relates.
Patricia
I treat the course and the information with respect and seriousness. I can not tell someone how they should feel about my course.
Make it a point to relate course material to practical application whenever possible. This is specifically important to the adult learner, as the adult learner generally expects the educational effort to relate directly to their career objectives and provide a tangible benefit.
I am not completely clear on what you mean by the term 'course buy in'. I think you are talking about getting students to accept the relevancy of your course. A strategy I use is giving life experience examples on how the subject matter is used or how I have had to use it in order to perform my work...i.e. personal testimony. Afterward, I ask for any student to volunteer a story of their own experience that might have been triggered by my testimony, related to the subject matter.
Hi Nancy,
I like how you work to make connection with your students at the beginning and throughout the course. Rapport building is extremely important! Whenever there is a relationship established students will try their best to please you.
Patricia
I try several methods through the course:
When I first meet them and gain information about them, I look for topics that will be covered in the course that are applicable to either their current life or future plans.
During the course, I'll look for opportunities to relate a topic to one or more students. For instance, if I'm teaching about calculating interest, I'll relate it to a loan they might take out.
It's important to make those connections at the beginning so the students will start the course and to make additional connections so they continue with the course.
Nancy
Hi Tiffany,
By doing these things, I am sure your students can tell you have their best interest at heart.
Patricia
I let my students know what homework needs to be done . What day it's due.I also tell them to ask me questions on what they don't understand.As i lecture if we come accross any thing that they have a question on thats in the home work we discuss.
I teach Information Literacy, which is not the most popular course! To engage students, I include a great deal of "life literacy" information, as well as "school literacy." So, in addition to teaching them how to do research, how to evaluate resources, write a bibliography, etc., I start off each class with what's going on in the news, and I ask for their input as well, so we get some good discussions going. When discussing fallacies, I also include propaganda in the media, in advertising, and in politics. When we discuss copyright, I also include the music industry. By sharing information on issues important to them, they become involved in the subject and can tie in information literacy to their everyday lives.
I listen to students who have finished the course and went out on extern and have told me areas that could have used more focus time on.
Hi Carrie,
As long as students understand how they can benefit from a skill/concept, they typically will buy in.
Patricia
Hi Karla,
Students want and need interesting and exciting lectures. If you are interesting and exciting, these characteristics will bring about student buy in.
Patricia
I try to make my lectures interesting, give a lot of examples of my experience.
Hi Roberta,
Any time you can show your students something, it is a good way to get them to buy in. As the old adage goes, "Seeing is believing."
Patricia
A strategy I use to get my students to buy into the course is to use real world examples. I explain how I use/used the information or skill I am going to teach them, or currency teaching, at work. They then know that the skills learned in the course will be used in their career.
I teach an Intro to Baking and Pastry course to Culinary students. These students usually come in with some resistance - explaining all the reasons that they do not like baking or pastry and that they are not good at it, etc. I like to show them that if they know the proper technique to use, anyone can make excellent baked goods. It is fun for them to isolate the " magic technique" for each different product.
Hi Matthew,
When you can speak about..been there down that; students really do buy in.
Patricia
I attempt to get back into the field each year for a week or two, even getting in over my head sometimes, just to remember what it feels like to struggle. Being able to share these expereinces with students is highly engaging for them, and creates a feeling of authenticity that translates to buy in in the course.
I ask the student what their goals are for the course or clinical, and then try to construct learning experiences to assist them to achieve their goals.
Hi Amy,
You will find out a lot when you teach a class. You will know exactly what area(s) will give students challenges.
Patricia
