Past life and work experiences. Mention examples.
Hi Flavio,
Students want to know what it takes to be successful in the workplace. Most students have a keen interest in learning.
Patricia
Hi Elton,
Nicely responded to. Adults want to understand the why. Once the why is understood, excitement and interest generate. On Day 1 I address the why.
Patricia
Hi Shandra,
Adult leaners want to know why. When we answer the why, we get a different energy level from our students.
Patricia
Hi Deborah,
As long as students understand why they need to take a particular subject, they have a keen interest in the subject matter. Knowing why is extremely important to the adult learner.
Patricia
One of the ways is by bringing in a guest speaker who is an alumnus who can show relevancy in the real world work environment. Adult learners want to know that what they are taking has real world application. If it doesn't relate to the work place it is going to be difficult to get buy in from students. I teach English classes. Many of my students are going into tech related professions. They need to see that having good writing skills will be essential in their vocational pursuits. We often discuss relevancy in the course of the quarter.
Showing the students that the information they are getting in the course can be applied to their career choice and help them in their career path as well. That the information and knowledge they are receiving will help them to attain their career goals.
I teach a lot of classes that we peform laboratory test in. So I try to bring real world experiences of times that I have peformed the laboratory tests that they will be required to do and why they are important to know and be in class for relevancy.
When students relate what they learn to actual industry requirements, they more likely to perform to higher standarts.
When the learners reach that "aha" moment...the moment they understand why they had to learn terminology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, there is a feeling of pure bliss. It emanates from them in waves of understanding and they perform their tasks happily and with ease.
The courses I teach are at the end of the learners' program and it brings all the elements together. So, in this instance, they already know the relevancy of the course. However, occasionally I do have a learner who is only taking the course I am teaching and they have a single, simple goal....learn what they need to pass the state examination. Again, the relevancy is readily apparent. Makes my job easier than most.
Everything that I teach in class to my students, i try to show them the importance of the lesson and the reason why it was taught and needed in there profession. By having a speaker, a field trip or showing them a video tape on the lesson.
Hi Deborah,
What type of reactions do you get from your students with the course relevancy being clearly understood?
Patricia
Hi Todd,
Learning needs to be as real as possible. The vet tech students are getting great exposure. At my institution, the medical assisting students give injections to each other. They do not practice on an orange or rubber arm. We try to make things as close to the working world as possible.
Patricia
Our school is all about preparing them for the working world. We have live animals on campus for our vet tech students. They care for them during the week. They assist in surgeries, etc.
A lot of our classes have a Service Learning component to them. This lets the students apply the knowledge in class to the real world.
In the courses I teach, scientific principles apply. Therefore, a rationale for each element monitored or performed is given during training. Fortunately for me, the relevancy of the content is self-explanatory.
Hi Leonard,
Students enjoy having guest speakers. Guest speakers are excellent motivators, and they add a lot of validity to what has been taught.
Patricia
Hi Donald,
I love watching the light come on. It is great to have validation from others.
Patricia
Hi Donald,
I like having guest speakers come in to help motivate the class. I have found if I can get a guest speaker to come in who was a graduate of my program, it really ramps up the enthusiasm. They have a closer bond with the speaker and it adds more credibility to your program.
Bill
I have found from experience that most students get more motivated when the see, "What's in it for Me". I beging with the first day of class describing how the class they are about to embark on will help them with the skills they need in the career they are seeking. I start each class day with a brief review of what we have covered and ask them to relate how they will use that information in their day-to-day careers. As I teach the class I will stop at certain points and give them a case situation (one usually from my own past working in a hospital) and describe the thinking process my brain is going through while I deal with a critical patient using the information I just presented to them in class. I also describe what might have happened if I had not had a comand of the specific knowledge I was presenting to them.
Bill
