Hi Gabriel,
Right you about needing to make application to what is being learned. This is how new knowledge is stored in memory. The more application that occurs the higher the retention level. This is why it is important to work hard at finding problem solving examples for the students. Yes, sometimes it is easier said than done. I like to use competitions with student teams to do reviews and problem solving which is fun for the students and really helps them to make application of their new knowledge.
Gary
Implicit in Module 1 is that effective, formal instruction should have a positive emotional impact and show that the material is relevant for the long term. Most majors require automatic recall of core concepts. The challenge comes with moving concrete, short-term memorization to long-term, semantic recall.
Teaching basic algebra to culinary students presents that kind of difficulty. If there is no real-world context to frame a concept, old math anxieties can arise along with resentments over "why do I need to know this?" Knowing for the sake of knowing is highly resisted by culinary students. Using problem-solving examples as much as possible could underscore the relevance of the material. Often, that's easier said than done.
Dr. Meers, I call this having a senior moment :). However, I notice that they occur usually when I haven’t gotten enough sleep and or I am overwhelmed by my work load. Thanks for the technical term “aphasia”.
Shirley, I too use questions to help students understand why they are learning the material. In order to help students be able to see what they are learning in my class, I remind them of the benefits of knowing the material will help them in their job search. For example, when teaching Word 2007 I have them create a resume using one of the available Word templates. I first ask, “How many of you have an updated resume that you can bring to class tomorrow and print out for me?” Out of a class of 30 students I usually get an average of about 4 students that will say they can bring it to class the next day. Then I state to the class that we will be creating a personalized resume for each of you today that you can print out and save to their USB memory device. When they are ready to apply for a job they can easily update the resume and be good to go. So learning how to use the template is the semantic exercise and through the use of abstract thinking they create their own resume which is episodic.
If an instructor has an understanding of the biological process of learning, the basic principles can be applied in order to enhance a students ability to process and make use of the information they are presented with.
Because I have a basic understanding of the learning process, I present information and have the students give real life examples. I use a variety of different media such as handout material, diagrams, white board, and power point presentations.
I also break up the class time and switch media, or topics in order to maintain attention span and focus.
If I really understand my subject matter, but have limited understanding of learning, I won't be as effective as when there is a solid understanding of the intelligence and learning styles of the learners.
Hi Nanci,
You are right on with your analysis of how to get the information from the class to the minds of the students. If they can see application and relevance they will move the new content to their long-term memory for use over and over. This is what career preparation is all about.
Gary
The clear instructions on requirements can help students in the development of the content of their work. An example would be a requirement of a 30 word minimum for a post in a discussion area of an online course. In an effort to reach the 30 minimum the student will need to take the structured learning from semantic memory and use abstract perceptions for their response. Their response has become an application and consequently more likely to become part of their Long-term memory
I would implement a logical point to point process and hone in on the key concepts quicker so students could get at the crux of new skills easier.
In the past I have always tried to relate as much course content as possible to outside information, showing the applications of the material beyond just the next paper and certainly beyond the short course term. After reading this lesson, I will continue to do this and focus on this even more. I now understand how much of an impact creating context for material presented aids in the memory absorption process.
Richard,
Thank you for your comments. I think it’s of great instructional value adding additional comments, beyond of what the student does right or wrong. To be honest, I do not do enough of it. Thank you for encouraging me to get better at what I do.
Jose
HI Richard,
Could you share with the restof us some of these web resources you are referring to?
Thank you,
Jose
Hi Richard,
Right you are about the need for variety in your instructional delivery. Students thrive on different delivery formats and learning opportunities.
Your point about recognizing the life experiences of non-traditional learners is good as well. This recognition helps them to see that they are going to be able to successfully contribute to the course. A real confidence builder.
Gary
Jose..You have touched on a very important point..what are students thinking about your topic. One of my techniques is to simply ask students..."what do your think?" I have found this to be very helpful for online forums where I ask students to write what they think about the topic or issue. However, I always provide feedback in the form of ..."have you considered this" or ..."what if" to further them thinking more about the topic
In teaching adult learners, I believe it is important to recognize their learned experience. For many this learned experience is not from an academic setting. I have found it helpful to give students examples of how what we are doing in the classroom might be helpful to them in real life.
However, I have also found it useful to give students scenarios or example situations that are outside their life experience to promote "thinking outside the box".
It is also very important to me to recognize that simply lecturing students is not a very effective learning strategy. I have found many resources online that can stimulate student thinking with hands on simulations and visual presentations. A valuable part of your class preparation should be to look for these online resources.
Hi Molly:
I have never heard about the peanut butter and jelly lecture before. What is that all about?
Thank you for your response.
Jose
Hi Chris,
After many years of research both the medical and educational communities still don't know a lot about how the brain really processes information. That being said think about how much we do know about learning currently. The use of muscle memory is a good example of that. If we can get the procedure and/or content stored in working memory then retrieval becomes much easier for the student.
Gary
Hi Chris,
Good point. Being a book lover I understand what your are saying about having an appreciation on the part of students for the books that they will be reading and learning from. In our digital age there is a drifting away from the traditional text format so we need to try and introduce our students to course content in as many ways as we can.
Gary
Hi Molly,
I will look forward to hearing from you about how all of these different techniques work out for you. I know you are going to have great success and enjoy seeing the students progress in their learning and retention.
Gary
I've always been interested in learning, and always have several projects going, such as foreign languages and musical instruments. My own understanding of how the efficiently learn new things helps me to impart course content to my students. I teach Photoshop at IADT, Tampa.
As an example, I'm aware that there is muscle memory involved with finding things in Photoshop. So when showing a student a technique, I have them immediately do it, so that they get it ingrained in their muscle memory.
