MICHAEL,
What are some examples of courses you would take?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Sir,
There are numerous ways to expand ones instructional abilities. Taking online professional development courses, taking in service instructor training sessions, keeping current on technology used in the classroom and in the particular fields of students you are teaching, keeping current with organizations such as ACM, or even the local vocational technical schools here in Kansas City offer numerous professional development courses for educators.
Landis
Take classes to further my job.
Sherri,
Sharing stories and examples from the field help to reinforce the content being offered as well as increasing the value of the course to the students as they prepare to enter their chosen field. So keep sharing and your students will continue to see the application and value of what is being taught.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The course that I teach directly relates to the type of work I do in the medical field each day. My day-to-day experiences are shared with the students, which always prompts classroom discussion.
Karey,
Nice blend between instructional delivery knowledge acquisition and staying current in your field. This way you are able to provide in a most effective and efficient manner instruction to your students in a way that prepares them for success in their field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I definitely think attending classes or doing these modules helps to broaden my ways of teaching and think beyond what I know. If that makes sense. I am a nursing instructor and our field is always changing so I think staying current by communicating with nurses who are STILL at the bedside and in the field of what the newest and greatest things out there will also help improve my instructional ability in being more confident in my knowledge and whats new in our field.
Read articles about the subject you are teaching.
William,
Your last sentence contributes a lot to staying current in your field. By always being on the lookout for items, information or techniques that can be incorporated into the course you will stay current and show application of the course content to your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
There are a lot of ways to expand your horizon in the teaching field. One way is to read articles about the subject you are teaching. If you look around you can find a lot of ideas you can try. I check the internet all the time looking for something new to try. All I can say is look.
Tammy,
I use them for review as well. I think that they are a very effective way to get students to review the content and get ready for a quiz. My students get really involved as they are competing to earn prizes such as a piece of candy or slice of pizza.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like to use games for reviews. Things like jeopardy and hangman. I also have found YouTube and educational videos put to popular music to really enhance the information we are studying. It also really grabs the students' attention.
Donna,
Good way to stay current and on top of where your field is going. You are gaining your information from those that are in the field each and everyday so your students know they are getting the latest from you their learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Once or twice a year we hold advisory board meetings with clinical site managers. This is when I can get the current methods being used to diagnose with echocardiography which I can pass on to the students. When they begin their clinical externship, they will be aware of what is expected of them.
Chukwuka,
I use games frequently in my classes as well. They do hold the attention of students. I like to use them as we review for upcoming quizzes. The students start to see very quickly what they do and do not know and this helps them to prepare for how they will study for tests.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have learned from some of the other places I taught in the past that making games part of content delivery would help students stay engaged and focused. So I now include millionaire and jeopardy games as components of class activities. They have so far been working for me.
Rodolfo,
You have shared a number of good strategies for expanding your instructional abilities as well as to be more effective when dealing with students. Good job. I know these comments will be of help to other instructors.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
some ways to expand instructional abilities are keeping up with whatever is new in the field. For example powerpoint presentations, new programs, softwares and new ways of teaching. Always being balanced and not repetitive so students don't get bored of the same thing every day. Also you could improve instructional abilities with experience, before getting to your first real job as an instructor you should have a long list of seminars, conferences and other things that could help you to improve all your weaknesses.
Heather,
Right you are about the need to stay current in your field. If you are not current you are not offering the best to students as they are receiving content that may or may not be relevant. There is foundational knowledge in every field but it must be built on with current content if the students are going to be competitive when they graduate.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think one challenge is to stay current in my field. Attending CE conferences and focusing on talking with vendors during the break to learn about new products and their uses is a good way to keep current. I am teaching a pharmacology class and the products that are available are constantly changing.
