renita,
great example. I think it's a combination of the visual elements as well as the memorable story. If we can connect with those ideas the students have a greater chance of remembering.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It replaces words on a page with a picture or image. This is more practical and easier to understand and later recall. I used to say, if all of my lessons in school were in cartoon form, I would have remembered all of them. Many times I remember a Bugs Bunny cartoon better than what I did the previous day.
Myrna,
this is a great technique & I can see why the examples are what helps them retain the information the best.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
At the end of each lecture I have my students anonymously answer two questions on a slip of paper. 1. What was extremely clear today? and 2. What concept do you need further clarification? 99% of the time, the concepts that were extremely clear were those that were addressed with specific case examples from my career or when related to student specific experiences. Relating concepts to examples that each student will surely face in their career underscores the importance of the concept and puts the concepts into a perspective that is easier to understand and remember.
I give my graphic design students examples of finished and printed examples of work I completed in the professional world. It helps them focus on what is to be accomplished as well as serves as an example of what I am expecting from them as graphic design professionals.
If you can make the example pertain to their life or how it will affect their life, they are more apt to remember and recall what point you are teaching.
I like to use scenarios that involve them having to imagine certain situations and possible consequences.
I refer a lot of real life examples when I try to teach. Students tend to learn more when they see how it applies to real life.
I have found using memorable examples help keep the students interested in the topic and motivated. I choose to use scenarios I have been in and how I handled it as a preveiw to real life situations in their chosen field.
Memorable examples help the students relate the material to how it will be applied in real life. They are also helpful in connecting the dots and making the material relevant to the student. The students are more likely to remember a memorable example versus just memorizing the material.
I believe it allows the students to see the information in a more practical sense. Using examples that are based on understandable concepts will help them to retain the information more readily. I try to give examples from my own experiences that will give them a mental picture of what we have discussed.
Amber,
those real life experiences are a great way to generate excitement & enthusiasm.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find that using examples of real-life situations helps the students to better understand the material and it also gets them excited about their furture career opportunities.
If you can give an example of something that went wrong on a job that turned out very bad, It will leave an impresion on them that they don't want that to happen to them.
I use a lot of my personal experiences when I teach my students to try and drive a point home. They are both positive experiences as well as unpleasant ones. It seems when I ask them to recall the material, they sometimes remember the story but not the point. What can I do to avoid this?
Phillip,
this is a great point & benefit of these examples that I had not thought of before. They really do help show that you have knowledge & experience in the field.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Using examples are an excellent ways of encouraging understanding of a concept or topic. Relating examples that are familiar to the student enhancing the learning experience.
I agree. When I share my experiences I find that it helps the students to understand that I am a "real" person who has been through many of the same experiences they are going through. In turn, the students will then share their experiences, and my job as an instructor is to relate those experiences to the concepts I am teaching that day. This really helps to improve retention! I find that all of the best teachers I have ever known are wonderful storytellers.
I agree. Practical examples are good to learn from and relate to gain knowledge
Using a memorable example can also show the experience level of the instructor especially when the emphasized teaching point(s) remain relevant throughtout multiple dynamic environments, ie., relevancy of truth versus liar propoganda in a war/combat environment.
