Hi Ed, That is a good plan to adapt assignments to student capabilities. It is unfortunate that so many students arrive at college with sub-standard basic skills!
Susan Polick
Assessing general education skills is important because they form the basis for more in depth work in a student's area of study as well as further GE work. If students do not have good reading skills they will have trouble understanding any textbook for example. As instructors I feel that part of our job is to help students with these skills no matter what course they are in which is why I try to include reading and both written and oral communication in all my classes. If I know that students are lacking in a particular area I may assign a different level of reading assignment, e.g. a popular press book chapter instead of an academic journal article.
The US is a melting pot and there are a lot of different nationalities here in our country. Therefore there are some students that dont read write and comprehend as well as others and or read as well as others
Hi Erin, Thanks for your post to the forum. Unfortunately we encounter this too often! Your concern and action at the start of each course is important!
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I think this is a very important and valuable point to be made. I am a general education instructor, but teaching Psychology, the only opportunity I really have to note my student's English skills are when they turn in their research paper - in the last week of the term. I made the mistake early in my teaching career of not giving a general education assessment, and I didn't realize until I had a student struggling with this major assignment that she had literacy issues! I felt awful. We had gone through nearly an entire term and I was unaware of her difficulties reading and writing. Since then, I give an assessment on the first day so I can evaluate the skill levels of my students and tailor my teaching proportionately.
Hi Tara, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, that information, if available, is so important! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Our students take a entry test, but the instructors don't always have that information readily available. I like to know the general education skills, so that I can tailor my instruction / teaching to them. I want to know how to respond / teach the students in the class. I don't want to be over their heads with information.
Hi Philip, Thanks for your post to the forum. Terrific that you can provide real life examples from your own experience! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I remember wishing that I had paid more attention in math class when I was out practicing in my field in the real world. Now that I am an instructor in that field, I can use some relevant anec dotes when teaching math do describe its importance. In the end, learning in school is the easy way. Learning in the field is definately the hard way!!
Without these basic skills, it is hard for the student to succeed in more advanced classes. Students without these basic skills can hold the class back by requiring more attention.
Hi Bethanne, Thanks for your post to the forum. The employers who hire our grads are emphatic about the necessity of those skills! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I feel as if general education skills are some of the most underestimated important factors in higher education. Not necessarily by the educator, but more so the student's misunderstanding of how important these skills are. Maybe due to a new student being so excited about the new acquisition of skills to be learned for the new career choice ahead. You can be the most skillful healthcare provider, but if you don't have the ability to comprehend written communication or effectively verbally communicate with the other team members then your hands on skill potential may never be realized to its full potential. I generally ask the students why they think these skills are relevant to the career choice and have them give examples of both proper and improper use/lack of use.
It allows the instructors to know what the students don't know or remember and tells the instructor where to begin with the material.
Hi Rhonda, Wow - is it possible to somehow deduct points (perhaps by sending them out of class) when they behave inappropriately?
Susan Polick
Because general education skills are critical to keeping jobs, instructors need to communicate properly and be professional to serve as role models. As a business instructor, I find it extremely challenging because the students don't appreciate soft skill development. I am struggling to control my class of 30 automotive students each day from cursing at me or each other. I am currently unsuccessful. Some students resist working with others and many routinely behave in an uncivil manner.
I teach pharmacology where having strong math skills is a key. Our school doesn't perform a pre-admission test , therfore we have to face students dropping out because they fail math.
If they would be eveluated we could recomend a different program where they could be more succesfull.
Even though these students have had certain pre-requistes and college courses in general education I find it helpful for me to assess each student's level for myself. At the beginning of getting to know a new student I am able to do an assesment of their general education skills by giving them a few various assignments focused on each topic you list above.
Hi Dave, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, it is important to know where we are starting from. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
The assessment shows the instructor what level the student is at in development. This can help in what type of instruction or what level of instruction should be used.
Hi Donald, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree - we need to know where we are starting from with each student! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
