I think it helps me being a recent graduate of my second degree to be more student oriented. I want my students to learn, but will not "spoon feed" them. A person wants to learn in order to succeed in higher education.
Hi Jennifer,
Well you've made a good point that reinforces the benefit of approaching classes with student learning needs and their learning styles in mind. The more individualized we can make it the better student outcomes.
Barry Westling
My goal is for my students to learn the material, so I have to focus on their needs and what will help them learn. Lecturing does not work for my students. I include popular music and group work into my classes to keep my students focused and interested in the subject matter.
Hi James,
Although a small part, greeting students and making a good physical connection is a great way to start any class. It's bound to set up the class environment for a receptive learning session.
Barry Westling
If you connect with the students Wright at first when they walk into class you stands a better chance to have a great class.
I hand out a syllabus for the class so the students know what the lab is and class schedule
J.E.,
Student centered simply puts the focus on the individual student needs (rather than the curricular or teacher needs). The more we do this the better retention and learning will occur as the result.
Barry Westling
You make an excellent point as to why an instructor should be prepared to adjust
their teachng style to accomodate different
learning styles so all students can receive
maximum benefit from the class.
J.E. Wight
It is very important that the instructor be
prepared when they come to class. The students
will sense almost immediately if the instructor
has not mastered thje relevant materials needed
to carry on a logical discussion. The students
may feel that the instructor did not feel that
preparation was a priority.
J. E. Wright
Hi Jesse:
As much as possible, we should ask our students to answer this question: "What's in it for me"? Doing so may highlight the real-world scenario application of what you are discussing.
Regards, Barry
Hi Randall,
Well, all I can say is when a teacher cares, the student will benefit.
Barry Westling
Hi Gina,
A teacher willing to put students first has already achieved one level of success with their students. Further successes are very likely.
Barry Westling
Randall Aungst
ED105: Getting students excited about course content
Forum 1
Barry Westling, Facilitator
The course that I teach is the first course a new student must take at my institution; Building Your Success Strategy Plan. A vast majority of my students are adult learners, most over age 35. As such they typically have been out of any form of formal academic environment for some time. The class does three things for the students; brushes up their writing and thinking skills, introduces them to the virtual environment along with the programs they will be using throughout their journey and finally helps them to create a comprehensive personalized success strategy plan for how they are going to succeed in school. As such it is almost a prerequisite, for teaching the course, that you are a student centered instructor. It is convenient that the institution that I work for pushes a student centered agenda for its university culture. Along with grading the faculty based on student reviews, faculty oversight and required continuing development the university drivers continually reinforce the idea of being student centered. The end result, theoretically, is a lower dropout rate and increased performance of the student body. I returned to school after 15 years in 2005 and achieve my BSBA in Management, seven days after graduation I began my Executive MBA. Following my post graduate graduation I was afforded a position as an instructor for this class. In preparation for this adventure that I had never done before I put serious thought into what type of instructor I wanted to be and why. During that retrospective I inevitably drew upon the instructors that I had experience with. I found that I didn’t like instructors that were purposely vague and non-descriptive in their explanation’s and expectation’s as it caused me to be more concerned with trying to figure out what they were looking for rather than concentrating on the subject matter that I was trying to learn. This inevitably led to frustration and in some cases confusion. On the contrary I found that instructors that taught the class from the student’s perspective and were clear in their explanation’s and on the expectation’s created an environment that was more of a conversation rather than that of lecture. This caused the students to focus on the subject matter and explore that rather than exploring the instructor. Ultimately these instructors were the ones that I found most helpful in my understanding of the subject matter as well as my feelings toward my ability to achieve my academic goals. Not all of these instructors used the same tactics to achieve this result but the overall construct that of two way communication, or a conversation, with an apprentice or protege was the same. The gist of it is treating the student as if they are worth listening to and that they have something to offer to the conversation, in this case their own education. In this way the student feels like they are speaking to someone that remembers what is was like not to have the knowledge they are trying to gain and therefore can more easily relate to them. In essence it is a typical relationship building sales method where the salesperson morphs into what the client needs to feel comfortable allowing for instruction and “buy in.†The “buy in†in this case is what the instructor is trying to get the student to learn. Further it is incumbent on the instructor to create a “perceived†relationship with the student in that the instructor must care about how the student does and as such care about how they are doing outside of the classroom. This perceived relationship requires productive and open two way communication where the instructor enlists one of the cardinal rules of productive relationship building communication, “never take lightly what someone else takes seriously.†By approaching the class this way I continually receive very high student reviews even though not all the students are successful.
Being a student-centered instructor will help me become a more successful instructor. Putting students lives, and different learning abilities, past knowledge, and type of learner, should help guide my lectures and materials used in the classroom.
Hi Laura,
Good point. We need the student to be as active participant as the teacher whose trying to be focused in personalization. If these two vital component are in place, then good instructional delivery style that matches the students needs will likely occur.
Barry Westling
Building on topics covered in ED104, student-centered instruction involves getting "buy-in" from students. They will become more engaged if you apply course content to their career goals. Having said this, the tone of the class is set by the instructor. Instructors need to identify the type of instructor they are (peacemaker, drill sergeant, etc)to help development their own teaching style. They also need to understand their own personality, match their goals with that of the school's mission statement, and be organized.
Hi Billy,
Great. We teach and students learn. The process links the two to assure effectiveness.
Barry Westling
It clearly communicates that we want the focus of the class to be on learning rather than on teaching. Schools exist for the purpose of learning rather than for giving teachers paid work. My students are the reason I go to class.
Claudia,
I agree, but also recognize sometimes curricular standards or institutional ploices limit to what degree a teacher has the latitude to get creative wither classes and students. That said, I also believe we can be creative with existing curriculum to explore ideas that personalize the instruction that leads to individualized attention and successful learning outcomes.
Barry Westling
Hi Chara,
You bring up a good point. There are many methods to provide a good learning environment for our students. Making it interesting and personalized to each student will work better and be received by the student in a manner they're likely to retain.
Barry Westling
Hi Joseph,
Yeah, sort of like everyone is on the same page as it realtes to educational experiences and outcomes!
Barry Westling
