I feel it is extremely important to the student experience. nobody can be expected to persorm at their best if they donthave the tools they need. for technical/training courses the student should expect and receive training and skils mirroring what they will see in their real world job experience.
Roberta,
Good point about the role of the instructor. The instructor is the learning leader and needs to understand and fulfill that role. If that is done then the students will be engaged in the course and will see the relevance of what is being taught.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If the instructor is more concerned about showing how smart they are, the student is not going to learn. If the instructor feels the student should be at their level, and makes the student feel inadequate this will create stress.
Mary Ellen,
Resources like this is what helps students to develop both their knowledge and skills. I am sure these manikins add much value to the class as well as letting students work with them over and over until they get the needed procedures down. Much easier than getting a human to lay there and be worked on, that can come at a later day when they are functioning at a higher level.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I will be teaching the lab portion of a med/surg rotation for an LPN program. Our lab has several manikins, one with automated simulations of breath & bowels sounds, pulse, voice, etc. These will be very helpful for our students, enhance their experience, and build confidence as they progress with their skills.
John,
Very true. We need to see our classroom and or lab through the eyes of our students. This way we can make sure we create a learning environment that is supportive to their learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
With a well designed learning environment a student will feel more relaxed and learn a lot easier.
Matthew,
Not sure what this means. How do you go about preparing your students?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Uzma,
Having such an environment is valuable to students because it helps to ease them into their work situations since they will have experienced and learned in a setting that reflects their work world.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Yes giving them simulated environment like real world help them learn better .As medical assistant instructor I give them simulated patient and ask them to take history and I put lot of emphasis on professionalism and mannerism
Marc,
Yes, it does. The students need to see what the environment is going to be like in which they will be working. The classroom/lab is a good place to start that learning experience for them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Rochelle,
This is what student centered instruction needs to be about. Seeing the learning environment through the eyes of the students and then planning instruction to support their learning needs. This way the students will receive the support they need as they move closer to their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Very important! I teach a health care related field so a professional and organized environment always works best to prepare for the "real world."
The role of the learning environment is two-fold. First, the environment has to be conducive to learning to avoid distractions to learning so the student can focus attention on learning. Improper class temperature, poor lighting, malfunctioning technical equipment, distractions outside the classroom, and even distractions within the classroom such as disruptive students, cell phones, inappropriate use of computers, etc. are all distrations which interfere with the learning process.
Additionally, an effective learning environment which simulates the work environment can help motivate the student, inspire learning and creativity, and help the student relate the daily classroom experience to the work experience.
Bonnie,
The more you can do this the better. This way the students will see what the work environment is going to for them as they complete their training. This way their transition into the work setting will be easier and more accurate so they won't be surprised or overwhelmed.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Lacey,
The more you can make the classroom relate to the subject being taught there the better. Posters and such help to make the classroom come alive and capture the interest of the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Since I teach at a Medical School, the LAB is essential in there learning. To have the supplies and the hands on material and to make it look as a Dr. Office, Assisted Living Facility, is important to teach them real life experiences in their particular field.
The classroom environment should have some relevance to the subjects being taught. Hanging posters and such on the wall that are related to the subjects will increase the learning atmosphere.
It plays a very important role. So important that any little distraction could cause s glitch in learning. Most learning spaces are comfortable, quiet, with readily used equipment available.
