I use a lot of examples from when I was a Podiatrist. I believe it helps them understand the importance of what they are learning when they can see how it actually affects the work they will be doing.
Hi Guy,
What a great wakeup call to share with your students. Students look up to us as perfect being, it is fine to share stories like these with students. It lets them know that we did not do everything right, yet we are still successful.
Patricia
Hi Craig,
Money motivates us all. Students will quickly become interested hearing about money.
Patricia
Hi Guy,
Makes sense. I always tell my students you want to work smart and not long...efficiency is key.
Patricia
Craig--
I can easily imagine how information that will reduce a professional's workload time (in your case, the time it takes to efficiently and accurately diagnose a situation) would be an asset to any and all professionals. (I personally would cleave to such instruction!)
And of course this means $$$...
By explaining how I will reduce their diagnostic times and put money in their pocket . These will motivate them to understand the systems and see the value in what we teach .
An important part of nursing instruction in the ability to apply nursing theory into practice. By providing examples of experiences with different disease processes in the clinical setting, the students are more likely to relate the course content.
Igive them lot of real life examples as nurse and how their critical thinking and growth during their course will help them in making life saving decisions.
Yes, Karen/Patricia, I have used the same technique with my students. The example I use is myself. I explain how I hadn't really applied myself in high school, did not develop sound study habits. So my first term in college, I read the required material the day before an exam, felt good about it, and awaited the results. Well the exam came back: C, "a C!" I thought! quite disheartened.
Well, it didn't take me long to realize that I had to begin reading the material much earlier than the last day before a test--and more than once! I wound up achieving honors awards--as many of our career college students do--at graduation.
Mike, Patricia, Everyone: I teach English Comp and am continually reminding the students of the importance of acquiring sound communication practices. I tell my students right up front that I realize that they did not sign into my career college to study English or Math; in fact, many may not have registered had they known that they would have to pass 8 or so hours in each!
What I like to do the first week of any new term is to have the Placement Coordinator come in and give a brief (10-15 minute) pep talk to the students, relating to them the concrete importance of developing their reading and writing skills. The Coordinator stresses good grammar and spelling for cover letters and resumes. (I actually later read a few anonymous resumes from students years past, and ask students if they would call this student back for an interview.)
Finally, since reading and writing go hand in hand, I emphasize the fact that many students when testing for certification or licensure do not get the score that their information/ knowledge level would otherwise indicate because they had misunderstood the actual question being asked on the test.
William--I assume that you're long since (2009!)out of touch with this thread, but I'd like to thank you anyway for the idea of earning a beginning level certification--for any possible new learning endeavor for any student.
Not only would this this fit nicely into one's portfolio, creates a new credential, but it produces in the achiever a sense of pride and more often than not suggests that he/she has truly learned the basics of a course. let's not forget the virtue of attaining knowledge, too, as an end in itself.
Having guest speakers who are graduates of the school is a great way to motivate students to be successful in the class.
In one of the classes that I teach, Business Writing, I tell students about the various types of business documents that they will learn how to write during the quarter. Most of students are already writing some of these documents in their current jobs. I then give some examples of letters and Emails that are effective and some that are not effective. I then go on to discuss how the students will learn to use clear and concise writing, the correct format, and proper grammar to write effective documents for the class.
Many students quickly apply these principles in their work setting and often receive positive feedback from co-workers and managers. This immediate success gives them confidence and motivates them to successfully complete the coure.
Because I teach web development, showing relevance of course content is usually immediate and explicit. I include examples of what students have developed in my previous classes as well as how that relates to the work world and what they would be asked to develop as a working professional.
Early in the course, we review current web sites and evaluate them for design and programming elements. This review and discussion usually highlights the course content that we strive for in the class.
Hi Donna,
Great way to be proactive! I have a PowerPoint presentation for every course that pertains to course relevancy. The students know on Day 1 how they will benefit from the course.
Patricia
Hi Mark,
How does the slide show pertain to course relevancy?
Patricia
That's great. I have a nice slide show from the NCTM.
Being a math instructor I'm always bombarded by the question "When will we ever use Algebra/math"
To illustrate the importance of math and algebra to the career cook students at the beginning of the course, I initiated a whole class discussion on how math could be used in the culinary arts to bring home the relevancy of the course.
I try to be as sincere with the answers i give my students. They know by the end of the course that i am very series when it comes to the lessons presented in these courses. If they tell me this isn't really there career choice except for the rest of the course, i discuss with them of being a well rounded career minded person. And that the things they learn will help give them other options.
Teachers have to teach students the necessary material so that the students will gain the necessary skills that will enable the student to be successful in their careers. The course material must be relevant and broad in scope.
