Areas of Competency
It's important to be knowledgable of your subject matter and to be fluent in using it. Simply knowing does not make a good instructor.
What are some ways to utilize the information of your subject so that the student REALLY wants to learn more about it?
Julia,
Your comments reinforce such an important point for students to understand. Also they have to understand that even though an instructor may be supportive and understanding of their circumstances while in the course it is up to the student to acquire the needed knowledge and skills. There are no exceptions when it comes to board exams so they have to be ready, period.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think when you're teaching students who will have to take board exams at some point (regardless of their field of study), you really have to impress upon them that it doesn't matter how it's done in the field. They have to learn the skill and be able to speak to it "by the book". We all learned our clinical skills by the book. Otherwise we would never have been able to get our licenses to practice. When I'm teaching, I don't disregard students' questions but I make sure they understand how important it is learn a skill properly and be technically adept at performing it. Really, if you want to bottom-line it, it's about patient safety and professional integrity.
Georgette,
This is a good question that can be approached in several ways. In my area I make sure that in no way the safety of anyone is compromised and then I show the standard way of doing a procedure and then the commonly used method in the field if there is one. I do this for two reasons, one so they know the standard technique and two, the know there are other ways of performing a task or procedure that is used in the field. I have found they like to know both since they probably will use the commonly used method but they know they are receiving information about how the field really works as well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have found that as a practicing nurse I have become lax, for lack of a better word, about giving injections by the book. We learn ways that work best for us in the field. How do you backtrack, relearning the proper technique to teach your students, and how do you answer their questions when they ask how it's done in the field?
Carla,
Examples and more examples. Case studies that students review and problem solve so they can see the value of the content you are sharing with them. Bring in successful graduates to talk about what they learned and how it helped them to be the successes they are. Provide frequent opportunities for application and understanding of the relevancy of the content. Be passionate about your field and enthusiastic about presenting it and your students will be engaged and want to learn more.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
