Break the ice!
Welcome to the brand new Education Performance Group! Simply put, this is the 80-20 rule in action! It’s probably safe to say that 20% of development is through formal training and 80% is through informal learning. We learn by doing and by sharing. So let’s get our learning community for Education & eLearning started. Who is going to break the ice?
I teach Accounting and the students come in stating that they are in another math class. Well I must break the ice and tell them that this is not a math class but more on the theory side. Since we accountants use a calculator to add up the columns that is the only part of math. But I must say it does help to break the ice on that first day when you get all the false statements out of the way!
I also have medical assisting students, especially starting out, who want to know why they have to do all the book work
I agree with the 80/20 rule!
I have never been a good "touchy-feely" type of person. I do care about students and I try to reflect that on opening day. While I don't see the sense of ice-breakers just for the sake of having ice breakers, I do see the need for "an opening" that is course related.
HI ALL, LETS STICK TO THE BASICS,MAKE LEARNING SHORT SWEET AND DEFINITIVE.SET REALISTIC GOALS,DONT EXPECT YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE.INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT,WRITE KEY POINTS ON BOARD OR FLIP CHARTS AND PASS OUT HANDOUTS WITH THESE KEYPOINTS.SHORTLY AFTER KEY POINTS ARE MADE,SOLICIT STUDENT RESPONSE.LETS MAKE LEARNING FUN!
I recently started with an Associate Degree Nursing Program in South Florida with a Career College and it is their first RN program. It is the most accelerated program that I have ever heard of or seen. The students start out with Gen. Eds for 3 months and Nursing is about 15 months, but they do not complete the Gen. Eds before beginning the Nursing curriculum; and this is a major problem for all of them. I feel this is an injustice, because they literally do not have the time to really retain and comprehend very effectively the material being presented. The only thing that you can hold on to, in hopes for these students is that we will be giving them a very comprehensive review for their State Boards of Nursing (NCLEX) exam prior to graduation; and we pray that it will be enough to help them successfully pass.
Sharon Rogers
In the culinary field I have found that students respond to instructors with reallife experinces. Students want to be able to sdiscuss with instructors about the things to expect in the industry.
Lots of learning can happen outside of or even in the midst of formal training. The beauty of this organic learning is that a lot of times it's spontaneous: students start interacting, helping each other, and picking up knowledge from everyone else. The instructor can facilitate this and make it part of instruction.
The 80/20 rule is definitely the way to go. Relying too heavily on formal training without ever applying that training to actual problem-solving is like trying to learn to fly just with ground school and no time spent at the controls. Students learn by doing, they learn from instructors, they learn from each other, and they learn from their own mistakes. Classroom training is invaluable, but it's only the jumping-off point, not the total experience.
I teach vet tech students. They're job is extremely hands-on. It varies day to day and patient to patient. We try to teach as much hands-on learning as possible. I do agree that learning is 80% informal training and 20% formal training. We try to get the students more informal training during their college years by having them do interships. We also have them volunteer. I have been encouraging a program where the students go to a local animal rescue and just do some exams on animals. It teaches them restraint and exam techniques that they will need to use on the job. It is important to have the formal background but I think that informal learning needs to be mixed in at the same time as the formal learning. It helps the students tie in the concepts.
I also agree with the 80 20m rule. In the old days it was all lecture or 100% . I feel the 80 20 splits it up in a way that people can really learn more.
I'd venture to say that the 80/20 concept is pretty accurate because the formal training starting in college only lasts roughly 5-10 years (depending on what you are studying) wile your informal applied knowledge and on the job work experience lasts at least 3 time more than formal.
My wife teaches library science at the elementary school level and she had a graduate student visit her class to observe. The student told my wife that watching her interact with her class in her library was more valuable than all of her studies at the university. You cannot beat the real world as a classroom. So we are challenged to bring the real world into our teaching environment as well as we can through discussion of our collective experiences and demonstration exercises. I also take my students on field trips and try to bring in quest lecturers.
"...20% of development is through formal training and 80% is through informal learning. We learn by doing and by sharing."
This is an interesting application of the 80/20 rule. I've heard many versions of this in terms of 20% of a the people doing 80% of the work, or 80% of sales comes from 20% of the sales force. And I guess that I can agree with this analogy because I went to school for 10 years to earn my professional degree and I worked in my field for 15 years where I learned quite a lot. Whether I can say it's more than what I learned in school is debatable, but I guess I haven't practiced long enough. I will say that in the classroom, 80% of my satisfaction, headaches, problems, or joy, usually comes from 20% of the students in any particular class.
The students I teach have a national exam at the end of the program. The book is very important to their education as the book comes from the association that has the exam. When they go out in the field to get the hands on we constantly remind them that the test is from the book. Be sure not to get the two mixed up.
I teach Surgical Technology. The students have to take a national exam at the end of the program. They are taught out of the book for the didactic portion of their education. They are told that on the certification exam it is comming straight from the book. That during the clinical portion of their education that if they see things that are not done the way the book says, to remember what they were taught in class. They also have a review class to remind what was in the book. We also have a jepardy game we made that is also a good review.
Students will have to learn how to use computers properly in the classroom. Just like any other tech item, there has to be a level of professionalism gained with its use. I know that I would be lost without my pc. I swear that without it I can't think. Students have a hard time understanding how to use the pc in the classroom to keep them moving, motivated and organized with their work. They need to use it to keep them on task and understand that when they are drifting back to Facebook, they are off task!
I learn most from others experiences. It becomes personal and you can reply this information to your classroom.
I agree with the 80/20 rule. I teach from formal experience. I stress to the students that the book knowledge provides a foundation with knowlegde of "industry speak" and the like, but the learning will begin on the job. I also stress to students to identify what they like and look to match skills and not job titles in the job market.
The CEE"s I have taken have helped me. I teach auto collision repair with fourty years in the industry as a shop owner. Our students are varied in age and come from different parts of the country and of the world. Most are here to learn to work with thier hands and this makes the classroom and technical education part difficult, but to produce a well rounded craftsman you must make the two parts blend together. I do appreciate the different ideas and applications set before me.
One thing I liked about this is that I have found out that I am not the only
one that teaches some of the ways I do. It is really cool to see that other instructors have had
as much good luck with it as I have.
Although much of what is taught in the classroom is done to prepare the student for the "field". However , I am often able to show it can be relevant to their personal life as well-- many of the "soft skills" are vital to relating to others, whether it be out in the community , in the home, or at work.
So far I have really enjoyed my experience with this program. I have written down several new ideas to implement in my class. Look forward to hearing other suggestions.
This is my first online class so I don't have anything to compare to. Most of the people in my class are very self-motivated. They are striving to get an education that will give them an opportunity at better jobs. Trying to get the students to really open up and share things is a challenge. I have decided to start emailing and seeing if that will help. The training course ED106 has certainly given me a few really good ideas. What I enjoy most about this class is my chance of going over things I don't do everyday and I am relearning right along with the students. Online teaching is challenging but also very rewarding when you can help someone learn what you had to learn from experience. I appreciate the oppurtunity to have taken this online education training. I am certain as I continue teaching more and more of what I learned will be used.
I'm teaching my second and third classes this quarter. I have been surprised to learn how very different the motivations are for the younger vs older students. I appreciate the insights I've gained in ED104 to help me deal with some of the more challenging young students.
