Get Your Students Hired
I would highlight material in the class discussion that should be comited to long term memory and introduce memory techiques that would enhance the learning process such as acronings, along with other learning techiques taht would highlight different areas of learning.
The brain functions hace a huge impact on the learning process of the students. I have noticed that sometimes examples related to daily tasks help the students to understand the technical aspect of the problem.
It benefits me as an instructor because it shows me how to structure the information and how to present it so there can be better learning that is more effective.
I may present information in smaller pieces to assist the learning. I may also present material trying to get students to remember situations in their life that they can compare it to so they can learn more easily.
I have found that most of my students learn visually or by doing. This tells me that the best way to teach them is by giving demonstrations. During the demonstration I usually allow a student to do the actuall work. That kills two birds with one stone.
When instructors understand how learning occurs they can structure their lessons and activities to involve more of the senses. They can ask questions that have the students relate the current issue or topic being discussed to some other life experience so transferrence of learning occurs. I use a combination of concrete and abstract lessons in my Methods of Instruction Course. I also make use of patterns. When I teach level of learning objective and samples of behavior, each one has three critical attributes. If a statement doesn't have all three, then it doesn't fit. After I provide the critical attributes, I talk about common errors I have seen in lesson plans related to the critical attributes. Then I read some samples and ask the class if they are example or non examples based on the critical attributes. Next, the students practice writing their own objectives and samples of behavior. We go over some of their samples. Then in later lessons the students must create three different lesson plans, on any topics they choose, but each lesson must have an objective and samples of behavior that each meet all three critical attributes.
The students hear my presentation, they see the three critical attributes of both the objective and samples of behavior, because I put them on the white board. They write the three critical attributes on the note taker I provide for the lesson, then they practice immediate application, first by assessing the samples I provide, then by writing their own. They take the concrete criteria and apply it to abstract ideas. Later in the course they write objective and samples of behavior for three topics of their choosing. They are told what type of lesson they are going to present, but the subject matter is not dictated. They can select a hobby or make a lesson plan for the course they will be teaching after they graduate. So the application of writing objective and samples of behavior that include all respective critical attributes is reinforced in all three lessons the students present.
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for the kind words about the course content on deletion, distortion and generalization. We get so good at in in our lives that we often delete needed information as it comes to us. As instructors we need to always be looking for new ways we can get the students to retain the needed content.
Gary
I found the idea that so many students (and all of us) delete so much information to be very interesting. This explains why I find myself coming up with new strategies to help the students retain the concepts we are learning in the classroom. This knowledge will help me be more patient and understanding of the time it takes for new learning to take place. I will look for a variety of teaching techniques to get students more involved in this learning.
"Humans retain over a 24-hour period 25% of what they hear, 40% of what they see, and 70% of what they are tactilely (hands-on) involved in."
I've heard these numbers before reading them today. What I try to do in the classroom is spend 20 minutes lecturing or explaining a new ‘tool’ that they will then turn around and try to apply. I’ve had some success using a strategy of 20 minutes of introduction to a new idea (tool), and 10 – 20 minutes of application. This strategy engages the 25% heard and the 70% of hands-on application.
Working in the mechanical field I feel that it is imprtant to knoow how people learn, alot of students will knod their head dduring lecture and not realy get it until not only the demo but putting thieer oun hands on it.Wathing the class and gestures being made along with the WHAT look help me lets me know who needs to hear it or do it again so as not to put a life in danger.
Hi David,
Good strategies for varying the flow of content to your students. This way you can keep them interested and engaged for the duration of each class.
Gary
Understanding the basics of how the brain functions helps to understand that those techniques you may have discovered along the way teaching - why they are successful and to put "the ahhh!" monets into perspective of hwy students have them or we ourselves in our own learning.
The basics give perspective and confirmation of ideas and techniques that we instictively have as human beings and reinforces the need to adjust the delivery of content to the group before you.
An example might be breaking up the lecture of material over several days and subjects as opposed to just on subject. Giving the 10 minute break in between and then review and reinforce concepts and ideas over several days as opposed to just one long lecture. Also drawing the interconnection of the "different" subjects how they are really subsets of the bigger picture.
Understanding the learning process is important. Using deletion, distortion, and generalization filters to the learners is important. I hand out what review sheets at the beginning of the class.
While learning something new, I have a class discussion and the students give real life examples or compare with something that happened to them.
Understanding the basics of learning helps the instuctor to understand the adult learner--their retention span, abstract vs. concrete perceptions and various modalities for learning (sight, hearing, tactile).
The above can be used in the preparation of educational resources and lesson presentation (e.g. providing small digestable chewable chunks of information with application), assist the student in learning how to separate and identify only the 'need to know' information and incorporate all the learning modalities into the learning experience.
Hi Stacy,
Great strategies for helping and enhancing your students' skill development. The more your can help your students to learn how to learn the greater the impact you are going to have on their lives.
Gary
I think that understanding the basics of how the brain works will help me as an instructor to know how I van help the students transfer the material from short term memory to long term. I also have a problem with that, to be honest, esp. as I get older. Also, realizing that learning is s process rather than a product is important because I teach writing as a process, so it helps me to now teach other areas in much the same way to better reach the majority of students. I guess I just want to add to their toolboxes.
This reinforces the strategies I have used and developed over the years. Trigger as many ways as possible for the brain to activate on information that is essential. See it, read it, write it, hear it, say it, discuss it, etc. Both in semantic and episodic context.
Exercise short term recall and longer term recall over the term of the course. Again filtering information as to importance to the student and the application.
Instructors need to filter information before students are required to. The "fluff" that instructors sometimes feel compelled to deliver is often a confusing element for adult learners. Often, also, an ego exercise of the instuctor that turns of the learning of their students. This self filtering that I do before I deliver to students is a philosophy I call, "Do less, more effectively!".
Do less meaning pre-filter content to short term memory performance goals as its own component. Measure that short term effectiveness. come back to the ideas later for more abstract and application by students after they have had a little experience with the ideas when new.
Expecting students to achieve complex abstract application of new knowledge over the period of one class session to the next is naive. I c annot count the times I have seen instructors frustrated and angry that their students have not achieved these more complex goals and then project it upon their students as some how at fault. The students then pick up on this attitude and the whole learning process becomes impossible. These instructors are self victimizing themselves with inappropriate expectations and inappropriate methodology.
Hi Denise,
All good examples of how we can help students to acquire and internalize new information. By showing them effective storage and retrieval methods we are helping them to become more effective and efficient learners.
Gary
Our students are exposed to so much information. Understanding brain functions will help me to help my students "filter" and keep the most applicable bits that they need. Understanding the brain will remind me to use methods that will result in better learning retention. These methods may include tactile exercises and asking students to recall their own experiences before linking new ones.
Hi Andrea,
It will be interesting to see how your students process and internalize the course content with more tactile involvement and learning opportunities.
I wish you much success in your teaching.
Gary
What I found very interesting is the percentage of what is retained based on how the information is delivered. I teach a manual drafting class, and I usually spend quite a bit of time lecturing on the assigned reading. Knowing that they will only retain 25% of that as compared to 40% of what they see and 70% of what they actually do has made it clear to me that I need to make sure to spend less time talking and more time demonstrating.