Hi Ed,
Thankfully I had an instructor much like yourself when I was taking my economic courses. He broke it down so I a non-business type person could understand what economics is and how it works. A lifesaver for me. I like this method because it is much like the questions "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer: "One bite at a time." This is how the students need to see what they are studying. Your aircraft mechanic training is serving you well.
Gary
I am an ex aircraft mechanic, having work on F14s. I also worked on cmplicated CRT production line macinery before gettign a business degree. To efficiently troubleshoot complicated systems like these, I find it easiest to break them down into their subcomonents. I now teach economics, a complicated system and I do my best to break down the subject into easy-to-understand subcomponents.
As for refining and enhacing my skill I am working on a PhD and taking cues (usually what NOT to do as a teacher) from my own instructors.
Hi Wendy,
This is a comprehensive professional improvement plan that you are developing. This key is being a life long learner and you have certainly set a system up that enables you to be such.
Gary
I was trained as an aircraft mechanic before college and am good at working on complicated systems. My style in troubleshooting and learning these systems is to break the systems down into component parts; what compent feeds another, what compenent does what? I now teach economics and finance; both sometimes complicated and confusing systems for students. I apply these same skills teaching I break down economics in smaller, more palatable components making it easier to understand for my student. I teach the same way I learn. I also spend a lot of time thoroughly learning my subject matter so I can answer any questions that come my way.
There are a number of ways to improve or develop instructional styles. There several different learning styles that instructors have to address. To develop or enhance styles, instructors need to continue their education in areas that will help with the learning activities within classrooms. There are several different classrooms. For example, there is the "brick and morter" classroom, the "brick and click" classroom, and the "fully online" classroom. Each classroom has a different style that is needed for enhancement of the learning material. Keeping aprised of the different modes of classrooms will develop better instructional styles for student learning.
I continue to develop with additional courses in subject matter, student retention, and faculty meetings.
I enjoy staying active in several professional organizations. I attend conferences, qtrly meetings and often subscribe to their publications. I may not always have time to read them all but I am in the habit of reading the table of contents to determine which articles immediately catch my eye.
I am in the health care field and it is constantly changing. I am involved in several community task forces to stay close to current events.
Hi Brian,
The key is that you keep looking for different ways of providing instruction and how you can be effective as an instructor. All of us need to do this each time we start a new class. This is how we become more effective and efficient in our delivery and impact on students.
Gary
Hello Ming-Ning --
I completely agree with you. For my courses I set up a PowerPoint presentation but I usually fly through the lecture in about 20 minutes. Then I spend the rest of the time for the hour demonstrating the techniques and skills needed to do well in the course and in the professional field going forward.
I liked the explanation given in the unit about knowing your past and present, as well as your college and your students. As I currently adjunct for more than one school, the techniques used at one school for the students in a bachelors degree program are completely different than those used at another in an associates program.
I find that the first time I teach a course I have to spend extra time evaluating the students level of understanding of what I'm presenting. I think that this is something that helps me to be a better instructor.
I'm sure the technique of reflection is the most useful and valuable technique to continue to improve my delivery of material. Sometimes I over-analyze, however, and have to come back to where I started and try again on the next run.
Hi Monte,
Demonstrations are powerful learning tools because the involve other senses as well as application. This lets the students see where they are going with the content they are acquiring.
Gary
I find that the use of demonstrations is become a big strong point in my lecturing hour.
Hi Jill,
Engaging online students can be challenging. I found doing a demo and asking questions are usually working better than showing PowerPoint slides.
Ming-Ning
Hi Rennie,
I agree with you that knowing the students will help us develop the most effective method for teaching.
Ming-Ning
Hi Rennie,
Great strategy for staying current on how your course content should be delivered based upon the students that are enrolled in your classes.
Gary
Hi Jill,
In addition to helping your students to be more engaged you will have more excitement about what you are teaching since you will be having more success with your students.
Gary
Some of the techniques that I use to develop, refine and enhance my instructional style are: research studies, formal/informal feedback, and student performance.
With regard to research studies, I find that it is very important to understand the students' background and their interpretation of the world around them. For instance, studies on Generation Y, help me to address my "Gen Y" students in a manner to which they respond more successfully.
Another tool I use is formal and informal feedback on my teaching strategies. I use the feedback as soon as it comes in to update, fix and edit my delivery.
I also refer to student performance on class assignments to assess whether I need to re-visit past lessons or change my delivery of the lesson based upon whether or not students performed well on the outcome task.
I always started each course with a 15 minutes survey on the proficiency of the subject matters from the new students. At the same time, I could usually detect their participation, enthusiasm, reservation, and other sentiments toward the course. Based on those feedbacks, I adjust and pace my future lessons accordingly.
At the end of each course, I always asked my students to actively participate in the survey,I also welcome them to send me their own experience of the course, and what changes could help the future students.
I feel I can be more rounded in the class room by the way I present the lecture material. I could utilize videos, field trips, and guest speakers more to help my students get more excited about the field they are going into.
Ronald,
I couldn't agree with you more. By using real life scenarios we show our students that there are many solutions to one problem. Which can be resolved by analysis and research to make the best informed decision. It has been my experience that students have a right and wrong mindset (only on correct answer to the problem) when that is truly not the case. By using these real life scenarios we prepare them for the unknown situtation, giving them the tools they need for critical thought.
Hi Beth,
That is correct. Each class has it's own dynamics. This is why we instructors have to be very flexible in our instructional delivery. We have to target the needs of our students in that specific course.
Gary
