humans have episodic memory and using examples helps students remember.
I have also used personal examples of how not to do things. I find that if I make the example melodramatic and allow students to laugh at my experience it actually solidifies the correct response in their brain. This also allows us to make a connection beyond the teaching material.
Using memorable examples help the students to understand the correlation of what is being taught, to real-life experiences that they could also have in a future employment situation. They then value the subject matter more, and you can see their attention peak when they realize they are listening to a true "case presentation".
Memorable examples can draw a picture in a student’ mind which is easier to memorize. I am from different country and I give my student some examples of living in another country which are related to our topic. That always attracts their attention and helps them to comprehend the new information.
As a culinary instructor I often mention dishes I have cooked or eaten. I can then describe them in a manner that allows the students to "see" "smell" and "taste" the food without them ever experiencing the dish in person. I find this helps them tremendously when they go to make the item themselves.
You are so right, I know that when I was a student, there might be a subject that I had a brief understanding of, but once the Instructor gave a good story example of the concept, it opened it up and made the subject clear and understandable. Since then, I have always tried to use meaningful examples in my lectures to help students grasp concepts that may be a little vague without them.
George,
I have that same experience & still have some former students occasionally mention specific stories or examples that I used years ago.
Yes, the personal experiences & stories can be great "place hangers" for the concepts to be rememberd on tests.
Yes, I taught high school history 7 years ago & still have some students (via Facebook) reminding me of stories & illustrations I used in class.
I use examples so students can relate to the material being presented. Many times I have students reply after an exam that they remembered key points on the exam because of the examples I presented.
Using memorable examples helps the students relate better to the topic. This also enable the student to better recall the story when they think about it for the test.
Very true Samantha. I try to share some of my more memorable experiences to help the student see the practical application of what they're learning. They seem to enjoy hearing these anecdotal stories. The feed back I've received from students is that those stories definitely helped them retain theory.
I have used personal examples and narratives in the classroom since I started teaching a millions years ago. I will iften hear my own stories in the hall or in the cafeteria from the mouths of students. This type of anecdotal teaching is a style that I am very comfortable with and it makes the students feel comfortable. However I have been in classrooms AS A STUDENT where the instructor's tales are too far from effective. I think if the instructor can use personal narrative they should--if it is not a strong trait, then I believe it can be equally distracting.
One of the things we talk about in English class is how, when writing a research paper, specific examples are what people are going to remember. Nine times out of ten what a student takes away from class are specific stories used to illustrate a point. If they remember the story, then that triggers their memory of that point.
Hi Adrian!
I really like the idea of visual examples. Anything that an instructor can do to tie academic learning to real life is a plus for everyone. Keep up the goow work!
Jane Davis
ED106 facilitator
Having a way to utilize a visual example helps to allow the student to make a correlation between what is being discussed and the example you are making. I like to use this alot for students that aren't understanding conversions in class.
Hi Mary!
Thanks for mentioning the episodic learning verses rote learning. I totally agree! Real likfe is always beter after we have gotten the technical aspects of the topic.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Students always respond better to an isea they can relate to. If the instructor uses a life experience as a teaching example the students can respond several ways. The first respnse would be that the instructor shared the same experience. The second is that the student might have already been in the same situation and know can learn from it anusingd the third would be that episodic learning is stronger than rote memory.
As the module notes state, episodic memory is more powerful than rote learning. I think it's the same as having mnemonics or some other way of remembering specific course content. I often ask students whether they have any stories or anecdotes that illustrate a specific point. Being adult learners with significant life experience, at least one student will have a story to share.
Memorable examples are, by definition, the ones students remember. To increase the memorable factor, an instructor ought to project themselves as learners, use a little color and scene setting (involve other senses beyond hearing and seeing), then deliver with emphasis on the desired learning objective.
One personal example on learning to drive: in my mid-teens I remember drag racers fly gloriously past the starting line on heating their cars' tires with smokey "burn-outs." The two competitors positioned themselves at the starting line, acrid rubber smoke billowing in the air fogging the view of "christmas tree" lights flickering down in pairs. When they blazed green, the near side vehicle sprang, in Reverse! A screeching halt later and under high humiliation, the driver slammed first gear and hightailed it out of the raceway park.
Lesson learned: Know what gear is selected before releasing the brakes!
