I try to keep up with the latest in my field. I am not afraid to ask for help.
Jeff,
these are both great suggestions for improving & growing. I personally take my course evaluations to heart & try to make improvements based on those.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I teach a six month course leading to a degree in mechanical maintenance engineering (associates). there are 11 courses and 21 units. Some of the units are based on topics for which I am not fully expert in such as "A business Perspective for Planning" While I have participated in many planning situations I lack examples that support the points that I am trying to make since I have not been in the shoes of all persons involved in the planning process. For example I have no real world experience in budgeting therefore I need to learn more about that aspect of the planning process to effectively help the students learn the role of budgeting in the planning process. I find the best way to learn is to discuss the issues with the students on what they believe budgeting consists of and its importance to the outcome of the overall plan. What I learn from these discussions helps me to create activities for the students to be able demonstrate an understanding of the role of budgeting and its importance in the planning process. Also in other areas where I am very knowledgeable I occasionally receive valid questions which I cannot effectively answer, I then will challenge the students to research the question and discuss the results. For example a chattering boiler safety valve would need to have its blow down adjusted. The question would be how do I adjust the blow down. Since I have never adjusted the valves myself and the information was not in the textbook I challenged the students use research as the method to gain the information. Since I participated along with the students and compared results we were able to come up with the answer and as a result I learned something I did not know and the students learned how to use research as a learning tool.
Cindy,
this is a great example of growing yourself & being open to the new technology & developments.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
By taking a look at how you present the material and what the student is taking away from the material. You can always receive feedback and other valuable information from the classroom experience and students. Time away from a particular class also gives you time to refresh the material and come back re-prepared to teach.
My team and I work together in keeping our course up to date and at the same time take course to improve our ability to be instructors. For instance like taking this course.
Ron
I have students research the topic to see what new products and developments have come out and then we discuss in class.
We have morning, afternoon, and evening classes. I usually teach evening and some days I will come in and sit in other instructor's class. I do this to learn how others teach and also become familiar with the students.
We started using iPads to teach. I find that the students, who are just out of high school or in their 20's know a lot more about iPad technology than I do and I have them teach each other the shortcuts and how to's of iPad technology. At the same time I take notes and learn from them.
Being a learning facilitator for Business Law always gives me new ways of sharing with my students thanks to ever evolving technological issues in the workplace. For instance, ten years ago, when I discussed protecting customers' personal data, it was centered on properly securing hard-drives, or properly storing or shredding documents. Today, with the advent of businesses interacting with their customers through social media and cloud storage, it is a very different discussion, and I can have students access some of these applications from their own smart phones which engages and intrigues them. I am certain there will be another tool for teaching this subject five years from now that has yet to be introduced, however, I look forward to using the developing technologies which are new to both myself and my students to engage them in learning.
Robert,
this is a great idea as it engages them & also helps you learn.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In my area of instructing, I take the time to learn from the students. They are out in the field everyday which then provides me with some of the most updated material. I pay attention to the world around me and the changes that happen and make my adjustments to the courses from there. During course down time, I reach the material that came up in and out of classroom that will alter the course and look at new ways of applying it so that it is ready for the next class. I don’t worry about being the smartest person in the room. My course of instruction is constantly changing and so is the course. My attempt is to provide the best possible material right then and there and it is always subject to change.
Have students investigate new areas that you are not that familiar with, and present it to yourself and the rest of the class.
George,
and by digging into the topics & the newest information on the topic you really do improve yourself as a teacher.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find this difficult to do. I am interested in the topics I teach so I enjoy being a learner so that I can provide my students the most updated information available. I find taking courses like this makes me refocus and realize that by developing new ways of teaching both my students and I can improve learning.
James,
yes, this is an excellent point & we need to give ourselves permission to experiment & try some of these new techniques & approaches.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I try and balance that need to learn more by engaging the students in discussion about what they feel they already know about the course subject and what they would like to learn in the course. This gives me an accurate picture of what the students already have a proficiency in regarding the subject matter...topics they may have a misconception about and what they need additional instruction and help with. It helps me to realize that the students enter the classroom with some sort of real world knowledge about many subjects. Students have perfected the GOOGLE experience and know how to use it well. The challenge for me in this case is to navigate them to other sources to assist in their learning.
Sometimes, I find that these go hand-in-hand. In other words, there are times while I'm studying a topic that a new way to approach the subject will just pop into my mind. Then there are other times that another learning facilitator will point out a new approach in an article that he/she may have published. Either way, a new approach sometimes gives additional students the opportunity to better understand the subject. Not everyone understands the same approach, so the more ways one has of presenting an idea, the more students he/she may be able to reach.
Shawnte,
this is a great idea, as it really helps you see from the student's perspective so you know how best to help them & empathize with them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I re-introduce myself to the materials. I reivew it as if I'm a student. At times I even take the exam to give my studente new ways to adabt to the study material.
