Brian,
this is a great idea as it shows your research & also incorporates the students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I incorporate student research into new teaching strategies. Therefore the ones that need the new information most have access to that and I can become a "2nd Hand" learner of the new information through them.
Joseph,
this is great as you are using your requirements in a strategic & most helpful way.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
As we teach we learn, the cycle of education is non stop. When a student asks a question in my content area that I don't know...I find out. This adds to my body of knowledge. I am then able to leverage that material for future discussions and assignments. As I discover new things about my field I also look at how educators approach old material to make it new and fresh. This change in classroom methodology and management allows for a dynamic environment.
Our department struggles with having enough time to teach the massive amount of information that is required by our accrediting body in such a short amount of time. We all try to include a variety of activities and learning experiences, however in doing so we usually get behind. How do you handle this situation? How do you facilitate learning using a variety of methods and cover everything that is required?
In the healthcare education area, we have CEU's that we must do annually for our state and national licenses but we can choose the topics so I focus on new topics and trends for my CEU's and the rest of my time on teaching/classroom techniques.
Growing as an educator is not about increasing my knowledge of the content but how well I can engage my students as a facilitator
Mary,
this is a great idea as it helps you grow in your knowledge & helps the students start to network & engage with the professional community.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In the dental field we have the dental convention once a year with new products that are out in the market. We take our students for that experience. It also allowes me as as instructor learn about the latest technology and products available.
David,
and this is a great course to model that (meaning communications) as there are principles to be followed, but also so much art within the "science."
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I teach medical billing and coding which is always changing due to government guidelines, etc. I always read monthly journals from AHIMA and the AAPC to stay abreast of these changes. I incorporate my students into this process by sharing these journals and having them do projects based on new guidelines. Often, I will find myself learning something new after my students do research based on articles in these journals. It is a great learning tool for myself and my students.
My Classroom time and the need to learn more about the topics I teach, are not the same. I learn about the topics by discussions with other instructors and books in my Career field and a few other ways. My Classroom time is for the students, which, I learn from them as well.
I feel fortunate that the class I teach is also in an area I am fascinated by--communication methods. The freedom to create the curriculum allows me the liberty to bring in books, material, and videos that I've learned from personally.
Not being needlessly tied to a textbook creates an organic environment which values learning and self-improvement.
I also generally end each class with a quick discussion of what worked or didn't work in terms of the dissemination of material. I find that the students appreciate this openness (if something isn't working, why deny it, right?) and by the end of the class become better evaluators and have a greater self-awareness as learners.
I aim to live the kaizen principle of continual improvement. I hope to persuade those I teach of its benefits as well.
Roland,
I like your emphasis here on applying what you've learned in the classroom. If you take a course or attend a seminar on teaching methods, try to incorporate the new skills as soon as possible.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Regina,
excellent point made here. There are often many ideas out there about new information or methods in the field & those are often paired with new ways of approaching teaching the same content.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I would allow time to regurgitate what i've learned and apply it in the class room in a way as a hands on application.
When I am assigned a new course to teach, I review each chapter and then research and create supplementary material added to the chapter notes that will elaborate on the text material. I share personal stories and quotes that are relevant to the topic I am presenting. I encourage my students to share as well.
I do alot of industry volunteer work and cojntinue to take courses on new curriculum based techniques
Because I have a passion for what I teach the continuing learning process happens naturally . . . my regular reading and learning is usually still based on what I teach. On the first day of class i discuss with my class that in this field they will still be learning something new or a new method 20 years from now. I also discuss that I have the opportunity to learn from them as much as they learn from me. I give them an example of this on day 1. As far as developing new ways of teaching I find that the CEE courses are very helpful but also taking the time to compare notes / discuss methods of teaching with other instructors is a great help.
In my area, I am constantly learning about upcoming products from my students in the subject I teach, all the while teaching my students about the current products in the market.
