I have found that if I can tie in their prior knowledge of the world around them to the new information we are presenting in the classroom, the students will continue to generate their own excitement and motivation.
Also giving frequent evaluative feedback helps motivate students to attempt new technical skills even though initial attempts were unsatisfactory.
I really want to get them involved in discussions, projects and get them to be hands-on as often as possible in addition to showing them how the activity can directly relate to their career field. I think it is important for the students to find a direct link between what they are learning and how they will put that knowledge to work for them.
I try to actively involve students as much as possible in the teaching process, so they can recognize and value the benefit of past, current, and future course-related experiences to their learning.
Hi Maribeth,
We are challenged with cheating as well. I am like you and raise the question "How are they going to make it in the work world when they don't have the knowledge as a result of cheating?" They respond that they will come up with something once they get the job. So I guess they will continue to cheat in one way or another until they get fired then repeat the process. Many of them don't see this as a negative but as a simple survival technique. Very sad, so when I have students come through that are excited about the field and put forth their best I get my batteries recharged.
Gary
Indeed, as an instructor -your actions/ your knowledge of chosen field should be felt by the students even through non verbal gestures, and that is one example of motivation for me.
All instructors at our university are talking about cheating in the class rooms now. Student want to pass by pooling questions and giving answers. That is our no 1 problem now. Motivation is not enough now a days. I don't know how they are going to make it out there if they do that just to pass.
All instructors at our university are talking about cheating in the class rooms now. Student want to pass by pooling questions and giving answers. That is our no 1 problem now. Motivation is not enough now a days. I don't know how they are going to make it out there if they do that just to pass.
Hi Sean,
This is so important. I call it "connecting the dots". This way they can see relevancy to what they are learning while being able to make application of their newly acquired knowledge and skills.
Gary
I think the key is to find out what is important to them personally and professionally, and then show them how the course is relevant to their future.
Hi Maribeth,
We are seeing this more and more of this in our classrooms. The students want to be spoon fed and then pass a test. Many of them don't want to put forth the effort to think and be creative in problem solving. We need to work hard to show them that the really successful graduates are going to be those that can problem solve and work with diverse groups.
Gary
Malcolm Shepherd Knowles, an American adult educator, is responsible for the theory of andragogy. Andragogy makes the following assumptions about the design of learning: (1) Adults need to know why they need to learn something (2) Adults need to learn experientially, (3) Adults approach learning as problem-solving, and (4) Adults learn best when the topic is of immediate value (Knowles, 1984a). Instruction for adults needs to focus more on the process and less on the content being taught. Instructors adopt a role of facilitator or resource rather than lecturer or grader using strategies such as case studies, role playing, simulations, and self-evaluation (Knowles, 1984b).
The Adult Learner defines our student population and reminds us that teaching adults is different from the pedagogic model, which embodies teacher-focused education. The andragogy model represents learner-focused education.
References
Knowles, M. (1984a). Andragogy in action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Knowles, M. (1984b). The adult learner: A neglected species (3rd ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
"Andragogy". My Merrimam-Webster dictionary does not include this word. Please explain it.
In the future, please use the more common synonym for less common words.
it will be hard if i am teaching clinical. i need to improvise.
that is so true.
Thank you for the input.
i will take that into my practice.
Thank you for the information.
Building upon the theory and assumptions of andragogy, adult learners, under supervision, need to interact with content to develop their own realities as they engage in learning experiences.
First off, it is extremely important that you are positive about what you're teaching. Make sure that students are alert. I usually like to start off with an icebreaker which brings on discussion and excitement about what is going to be taught!
use different strategies with video and audio aids. Encourage class participation.
The number one thing that I do is always stay upbeat (every now and then it seems impossible, but I try) and I try to always be positive about the class and even if they only laugh, I still come in every class and tell them how excited I am to be here and ask if they're as excited as me (they aren't) :)
I teach nights, so the majority of my students will complain (at some point) about having to be in class at night. I will come back with something like..."but think about when you graduate and all these nights are worth it"
If possible I will sometimes try to throw some little games into the lesson, and depending on the group, break them up into teams.
Sometimes I will tell them something new I learned at my day job (in the field I am teaching) and remind them that there are always opportunities to learn new things.
Once I brought them cold bottles of water because it had been hot in our classroom.
can you explain this more.
