I believe they are the foundation for any choosen career. If the students don't have this skills they have already a disadvantage. The will have to work harder since the foundation is not solid and the following knowledge is going to be base on the foundation.
Hi Lev- Thanks for your post to the forum. It can be difficult to accomodate general education skill levels in diverse classrooms, but having that knowledge can be very useful for instructors. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
General education skills are importnant to instructors because the level of instruction should be matched with the average level of the audience.
It helps the instructors to know their basic level where they are at, as well as teacing them the skills they are deficient like maths, reading, writing.
One example I can think of is a pharmacology class I teach. Without basic math skills, students really struggle with medication calculations.
If students can't put their thoughts or feelings on paper properly they will have difficulties communicating and it reflects on the company they work for as well.
Hi John, I frequently encounter students where English is not their first language. It is challenging for me to ensure that the students are understanding the material. I typically approach them after class and ask them how comfortable they feel with the material covered that day.
Hi Robert - thanks for your post to the forum., Yes, I also see a lot of students lacking basic skills. As you mention, we do our best to get them tutoring. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
As an instructor, it's important to know whether or not your students have basic tools needed to succeed in your course. For example, I've had students who forgot their multiplication tables. Without this skill, they are unable to do more complex computations. I've also had students who did not know how to cite sources. Of course they cannot write a paper without first obtaining this knowledge. Sometimes I schedule tutoring sessions in order to bring these students "up to speed."
As an instructor of a trade, it is my job to make sure my students are able to perform a set of job skills for the work environment. When I have adult students who have english as a second language, it is difficult at times for me to make sure they understand completely what we are discussing, especially since most of the terms and abbreviations they learn are medical jargen. And even when I feel I have followed up on a student I know will struggle and they have assured me they are understanding, when it comes test time and they don't pass, the excuse I get is "I have a hard time with english." We have other testing methods available, and I am willing to help said student with any testing hangups, but if I can't get an adult to let me know they are struggling, it is hard to catch it early enough, especially in a month long class.
It is important for the instructor to know how well the students will comprehend what is being taught so they remember and apply what they have learned later in their jobs. If the student can't read well or take notes, they are not going to be able to keep up in a fast-paced class.
Trying to learn the language of medicine when the student doesn't have good mastery of English is going to be difficult for the instructor and the student. Remediation is a must if you are going to try and teach the student advanced concepts and skills.
I am a Criminal Justice instructor and with that being said reading and written communication is of the utmost importance. In my field as an investigator about 70 percent of my work was reading and written communication. I need to know that the students are grasping what I am selling.
Hi Chuck- Thanks for your post to the forum. The gen ed skills are a "hard sell" to many of our students, but, as you state, these skills are critical to their success! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Especially with career college students, these gen-ed and soft skills are the things they are most in need of. Even older adult students, with work experience, may not be familiar with the subtle nuances in the workplace. These skills can be critical to the student in both getting and keeping the job.
I think general ed assessment is very important because students are often aware that they are lacking in a particular area but no one has ever offered a pathway to improving the deficient skill, so the student survives by avoiding situations where the skill is needed or attempting to "stay under the radar screen" of the instructor--both strategies which interfere with in-depth comprehension of the field of study as well as career success.
Our adult education/vocational school is designed to teach computer skills to students who are currently out of work and looking to improve their knowledge and go on to find new jobs. Assessment of general educational skills is important for us since part of our curriculum is also to assist students in creating resumes, cover letters, and other materials essential to their job search. Without solid general education skills, students will not be able to job search successfully.
As a Gen. Ed. instructor in Health Sciences it is important to see where the students stand in these skills, not so much to compare them to each other, but to compare their skills from the start of the class to its end. It is vital to the practical application in the workplace, since almost every health field needs some mastery of basic reading, writing, and arithmatic to observe and assess patient's needs, and then communicate those needs to the charge nurse or case manager.
Hi Diane- Thank for your post to the forum. Sadly, I agree completly....
Hi Rhonda- Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, the basic skills are so important and must be assessed before we know how much our students can achieve. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
It is important to instructors because reading,communication and math are the foundation for education and the instructor needs to see that the student is knowledgable enough to move up to a higher level of education.
