I also try to use real life examples (including my own personal ones) in my Investment in Success classes and solicit examples/memories from my students. In fact, many of my students like to talk about their lives and experiences so much that at times I find myself needing to redirect the discussion from tangents that have branched off from the topic.
They like to see the "why" and how it has worked for others. I always give them examples of positives and negatives so they can chose how they want to handle the situation.
Memorable examples are valuable in helping students remember course content since it stimulates their interest and relate better to the course content as well as it creates better student engagement thereby delivering a more effective strategy in teaching.
With three decades of experiences as a professional chef-I am able to share both good and bad experiences with the students. It is my hope that perhaps learners will learn from my mistakes and mis-steps so they don't repeat mine!
I teach business law and ethics so I have a wealth of real world current events to draw from along with high-profile and famous cases and scandals. By providing the legal principal and then showing how it applies in actual situations reinforces learning.
I like to use my personal experiences for motivation.
It shows if I can do it, they can do it.
I tell them stories of my time in school, and my time in the field.
You can over come any obstacle, if you try.
Never give up!
In my class I bring physical examples of areas we will be discussing, fabrics, metals, woods. Today's students relate to visuals more than verbal.
I believe that memorable examples are great! Students not only remember these examples but they are great for all types of learners. I often tell my students that they will see my face when the information that I am lecturing on is seen or heard again because they will be able to relate to it. We must remember that adults learners must feel the information given and sometimes the only way to do this is to become somewhat animated when you are lecturing.
Examples give the students that experience based memory which will be retained longer than a simple didactic fact. This is especially true if you correlate the example with the factual didactics of the daily lecture while tying it in with previously discussed materials.
However, be prepared for questions which will require re-application of the didactics to other memorable examples. This is what I call "backing the truck up". Rarely does one experience application meet all of the student needs.
They're wonderful for a few reasons:
(1) If you remember the example, chances are that you remember the principle you are learning.
For instance, I had a professor that taught us the "Pigeonhole Principle" by showing us how we can prove that there are at least two people in New York City that have the exact same number of hairs on their heads at this very instant. I still use the example in my classes as a way to talk about problem-solving and have my students brainstorm what information they need to answer the question.
(2) They relate the skill and information to things that they are interested in or have experienced themselves.
This makes the information RELEVANT--which is incredibly important for any student, but especially career students.
When I want the students to remember something in my medical insurance class, which is not the most interesting subject, I ask things about themselves. "has anyone ever received this type of letter..." it helps them to picture what it is I am talking about and it's fun for them to realize they have already experienced this in general life.
Students can easily draw upon a vivid memory, or an unusual one. Often the examples are easily shared or an example of popular culture, other tmies I like off the wall or unlikely examples as they will conjure up a vivid memory
On live classes I would think stories would be most helpful, as it seems to me that when a student is not engaged in a classroom setting, it is even more important to use stories to help with remembering topics.
The stories we tell will always help engage the student. Most people throughout life have always listened to stories, from families and friends, and if they were fun and interesting, most people do not forget them. It really seems like it would be a great tool in the classroom.
Greetings Tim & Bradley!
I noticed that you both made excellent comments about using memorable experiences in the classrooom. Great idea!
Using the memorable moments in learning sends students out into the work world with tools that assist them in getting the job done. In my opinion, it is an excellent strategy to use in class since all of our experiences are different.
Keep up the good work!
Jane DAvis
ED106 Facilitator
When you take the time to add a memorable example of student learning to a quiz or test question, the student referenced in the test question appreciates the notification and could lead to more enthusiasm to succeed in class.
I have found that using memorable examples to be very helpful when instructing. I instuct surgical technology and I use what I seen or have done to highlight what I have taught. This seems to help the students understand and put in perspective the course material.
Greetings Laura!
What a great example to use with students. When I've facilitated career and professional development courses not only do students have to build their resume, but they have to "completely" fill out a job application. They struggled at first but turned out to be a great experience for them.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I use stories about my experience as an office manager when teaching human resources. They include helping employees fill out benefits forms (some didn't even know their zip code, let alone their social security number). They often let students know that they will encounter all types of people while out in the workforce.
Using memorable examples helps students to connect the subject matter to things easier to remember. I tend to share some of my experiences in the industry w/ my students but also ask about some of thiers especially those that are in externships.
