It is very important to try to keep up with new technology in the field of which you are teaching. When discussed in the classroom, it lets the students know that you care enough to keep updated and current. They feel that they are getting the latest information for their dollar and that you are passionate about the subject matter.
If the instructor is eager to continue to learn so will the students. They will get the notion that they should also continue to learn and that it is O.K. to know that things continue to change and grow and that we all can grow with it.
I facilitate EMS courses not only for a for profit institution but for the community as well. To grow myself as a facilitator, I will invite guest facilitators to facilitate topics I wish to learn more about. I attend continuing education courses yearly to keep up to date with current trends in patient care, equipment usage, and facilitating strategies. Another way I grow myself as a facilitator is to team facilitate. Team facilitating allows the opportunity to learn from another facilitator. Another way to stay current is to read professional articles and journals on EMS. Here are just a few of the ways I use to grow myself as a facilitator.
Developing lesson plans and teaching methods for a particular course initially is more daunting than refining what you've done later on. I'm constantly looking to enhance my knowledge and delivery. Sometimes you have to adapt on the fly as one group of students may learn differently than the next. As for balance, I do what has to be done regardless of the amount of prep time.
Its a contant work in progress between the two. Both are important.
Personally right now my tendency is to learn as much about my trade as I can and I forget about developing my skills in the classroom. Both are very important and I appreciate the opportunity to have the educational skills development in programs like this. Already I have noticed phrases that I have used that need to be "tweaked" in order to make my discussions two-way. I realize now that I need to work harder at making the classroom more of a conversation with all students involved.
That's a great technique, David!! I do the same thing in the culinary field. I always make sure to keep up to date on the latest culinary trends and then point out to the students that these "new trends" are simply alternate variations of the classical methods they have already learned.
Showing the students they have a solid educational bckground does a lot to encourage them and give them confidence.
marie,
continual reading in our field is a great way to continually learn & develop.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I am genuinely interested in the subjects I teach and in my teaching effectiveness so I naturally gravitate to books and learning opportunities in these areas. I am a lifetime learner and love inspiring others to better themselves through learning.
gwen,
I too have found that the more I stay current the more excited I am to teach the content.
Dr. Ryan Meers
By Eddy Mojena
I try to keep up with new upcoming knowledge to subject on hand to create discussions with in the class by using personal experiences; it helps take off in class for discussions.
I continue to monitor the subjects I teach, I re-read material frequently. this helps me to catch what was missed the first time around (which happens). Staying current is helpful and relating what you teach t real life scenarios is extremely helpful as well.
I look at using more technology in the class room and on line. I find out the resources available and take full advantage of them. Like using smart boards in the classroom as this opens up new ways of the class learning together. I always keep up with new developments in environmental science and i put up any new developments on to the discussion board so that my classes can learn with me. If i discover something new I search it with the class as an activity so that they are aware of the new developments as well.
Hello Dr. Meers,
I teach on a part-time basis. In my "day job" as a consultant, I regularly work on projects and review research that is pertinent to classes. However, after many years of teaching, I've learned to save items to a folder per class. Then, I'll periodically overhaul my courses and incorporate new material. This helps me get beyond just anecdotal usage of the topics.
Best wishes,
Rick
I think that life in general is a continual learning process and in order to become an effective instructor, that needs to be kept in mind. A good facilitator/teacher/learner will always be learning more about his/her topic while simultaneoulsy searching for new ways to engage the student. It is a must that an instructor be enthusiastic about the subject he/she is teaching.
Henry,
time management is definitely one of the greatest skills an instructor can develop.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Carl,
it is definitely always exciting when the students help us stay fresh & on top of things.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I try to get ideas from students; in casual discussion before class or during breaks I make note of the new ideas that have captivated student's minds. Later, during class time, I relate some of those topics to older similar ideas and open up discussion as to what has changed that has brought these ideas to the forefront. This often results in a general realization that the past is still relevant, and gets them thinking about the relationship between technology and culture.
always keeping up with latest infomation thru magizines ,articals, mailings.
A lot of this is time management. You have to find the balance between learning new ways of teaching or strengthening the ways one already has and also actually applying it in the classroom. It all takes patience and the need to want to improve.
It is a challenge. I read as much as can about my field and engage in discussion with peers about trends and changes. Thankfully, many of my students will bring currency and new subject matter for discussion to my classes.
