When I share my life experiences in the classroom, students ask questions and become involved in the classroom. When they share life experiences, I have to encourage the students more because I think they do not see the importance of their life experiences. I give them opportunities to share their stories and help them make the connection to the relevance of the subject matter.
I believe using life experiences in the classroom helps the students feel less alone. It helps them to identify with other people.
I beleive that letting students know how you faulted as well as triumphed is important to show your human side.
It is important for the adult learners to be able to use their life experience in the classroom because that's what they personally have gone through with that situation relating to the class. Hearing the "crazy" stories that could happen in the "real world" may open eyes of other students, who have not had experience in the field. Also, students tend to open up more when they can tell their experiences in the classroom. They can relate with each other.
By instructing Surgical Technology, I always ask the students if they have ever had surgery or if someone in their family has had surgery. By doing this, it not only breaks the ice but lets the students express what their experiences were and it also lets me segway into what we will be learning as we go on and bring those experiences into the lessons.
The text for this segment suggest that using students life experience to illustrate information in the classroom helps them see that their own experience can relate to the work they have before them and therefore they can be successful. It would also stand to reason that it would make them feel more at home in the classroom, more comfortable, and create greater understanding among the students and with the instructor
My students come from all walks of life. The students share their experiences and they show that there are multiple ways of accomplishing the things.
I think some adult learners may feel they're at a disadvantage when they percieve themselves as lacking up to date computer skills, social network/contacts etc. Having a background of some accomplishment means they too bring something to class each day as do younger students. So it validates them, makes them a part of the class.
Greetings Joann!
I'm curious - have you noticed that there is oe central them of life experience? How do you think sharing life experiences help students to be successful not only in the classroom but in the workforce as well?
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Greetings Laura!
You know what I have found that no matter the age, all students can contribute in some way through life experiences. It's very exciting to see that type of interaction in a classroom of diverse individuals.
Good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Life experiences help keep students engaged by showing them that their experience in life is helpful.
By relating experiences in the "real world" to theories and models presented in the classrom, the adult learner can appreciate the value of their own background and will look forward to gaining new knowledge that can be applied to their work and personal situations.
Life experiences are suitable for the classroom, because that is why many students are there. Those life experiences brought them to school at a later age than those traditional students.
It helps adult learners feel that they have a sense of accomplishments, and that it will help them focus on their goals at hand.
Using our life experiences in the classroom helps us to develop analogies.
Using life experiences in the classroom help the students to understand and retain the course materials; as well as allow them to know that they can be successful.
I think it helps them to validate themselves. Learning a new skill puts them in a vulnerable position, perhaps even insecure, and maybe up until now they felt very secure in their prevous job/ career/ or situation. By using their previous life experiences I think it helps to boost thier confidence in their learning and application as well as providing validation.
As stated in the module, life experiences may often be the only relative knowledge an adult student has. A high school graduate will have a diploma but might have learned much more from his\her own personal experience. Finding a connection between course content and personal experience can be a very effective tool.
Adult learners should tell what they have learned and what they have done because life is a learning experience; and because everyone has a different experience; learning is life long and we all learn differently.
Life experiences help the adult learner with practical application of the information and helps to keep them motivated towards their goal. The more they can relate to the new field they are moving into the better connection they will feel to it upon receiving a job.
