Jean,
I think this is a good warning for those who tend to only tell life experiences & may get bogged down in the details that are seemingly unimportant to other listeners.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I found it interesting that the lesson also said to be careful not to use some life experiences because they might find them boring. I take this is based on the small percentage of student(s) that tend to dominate a class? What are you thoughts on this one?
Thanks,
Jean Graham
It helps them understand real life situations. Text book do not always use real life experiences.
Daniel,
I would agree that it is vital that we allow the older learners to share those valuable experiences from which we can all learn.
Dr. Ryan Meers
By Eddy Mojena
I like using real life experiences in my teaching it helps the students relate better to the subject in hand and retain it long term.
It opens up discussions that lead to questions, it motivates students.
It is important for adult learners to be able to use their life experiences in the classroom because they quite often, in my experience, think that they are out of touch and do not have as much to contribute as younger students. They also often think that that means that they can not perform well as students again. The reality of it, though, is that I typically find that adult learners make the most interesting, motivated, focused, and determined students.
Rebecca,
I agree with you so much. Those life experiences & humorous moments are great ways to solidify the learning.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Using life experiences as examples helps the student understand an otherwise difficult concept.
I really think it helps them to relate course content to real life experiences. It is also a helpful tool for "memory". A student is more likely to remember your lecture if they are able to put two and two together. Your experiences as well as those of the students will help them to be more successful when in comes to comprehension. Also, laughing during lecture is good. It is not appropriate at all times, but I find that if my students remember laughing about a story I told, then they also remember the important information that went along with it.
Sharing life experiences and applying them to the course subject matter can help motivate students and make them feel success is attainable.
I feel that it allows them to more readily connect with what they are learning to what they have done in the past to where they want to go in the future.
Sharing life expirience help students to develop confidence in academic skills and professional goal.
I think that using life experiences help to establish credibility and relevancy that are key components in learning. When we can relate our real-life experiences to learning new concepts, we establish a "connection" that legitimizes common threads that increase interest, motivation, and conviction in the learning process.
When we see some relation to our own experience and concepts to be learned, we are more apt to objectively consider new perspectives, engage in active listening techniques, and critically think more effectively - all supports that can foster a better learning environment.
The students seem to really listen when the instructor speaks from life experience, it brings the world into the eyes and minds of the student to identify with the speaker.
So that they can feel like they measure up to hte class in what they have already learned. Learning for the adult students does not come as easy as for the younger students just out of high school. The adult learner has to rely on his or her experience to be able to learn new things.
Holly,
past experiences from real life are a great tool to help solidify sometimes abstract concepts.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I enjoy learning about the individual as a person and not just a student. By telling their story I receive insight into what the student considers their own successes and what they consider important about themselves. I can then use this information to have them share with others how they might use what I am teaching in the real world. It also allows me some insight in my questioning to set them up for success in answering questions on whatever topic I might be teaching. Nothing builds success like having previously succeeded.
using life experiences in the classroom allows adults to gain come to the learning experience with some confidence and apply their learning more readily to real life situations. Applying their past experience to current learning validates their experiences in such a way as to reinforce learning.
Sherry,
yes those real life experiences are a great way to promote learning & application at the same time.
Dr. Ryan Meers
