Knowing that students learn differently and the various methods that in brain allows students to learn will allow me as an instructor to introduce different strategies for all students. I will begin to first find out what fears each student faces in the beginning of every semester. This will allow me to understand where I need to curtail things to each student. I also believe that understanding how learning works can benefit me by utilizing several techniques to get the students to understand the main point and not only rely on lectures and reading of the material.
Jonathan,
Right you are about the value of episodic memory. If we can help our students make such a connection then we have greatly increased the retention of our content in each student's memory.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Any time I can move a student from semantic memory to episodic memory I have increased their chances of retention. I have done this in the past, drawing on personal examples or asking students to relate to their personal experiences. Know I know why it works!
Lisa,
We all need to put ourselves in the shoes of our students at times. This way we can reinforce in our minds what they are going through and how they are reacting to our instructional effort. By doing this we will be able to adapt our instructional delivery if needed to better target the learning needs of our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Since I am recently a new instructor, I try to put myself in my student's shoes. Our program is very strenuous at times. It has been only a couple months but I have already found it rewarding when students thank me for my quidence.
Dawn,
The learning curve as you are experiencing is pretty steep the first year because everything is new. As you gain experience teaching will become even more rewarding and you will realize just how much you are impacting lives.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Being my first year teaching at this level, I'm learning as well as teaching.
Dawn,
Sounds like you have developed a strategy to balance the two areas of learning to achieve your course goals. The more you can blend strategies the higher the learning level is going to be. This is an effective learning design.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Knowing the basic learning patterns help in that you adapt your material to be taught for the students to gain the most out of the class. Tactile learning is a huge part of our program, however the semantic learning by visual and auditory is just as fundamental.
Samuel,
I believe your analysis is dead on in terms of reasons why certain students do not find a fit in certain types of college settings. We need to relate to these students and get them to connect with us and then they will start to become engaged in the learning process.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think once we really understand the basics of learning (including the physiological and biological process), we can strive to strategize how to deliver the flexibility and adaptability that is required to propel us to the level of a "great instructor" rather than a mediocre one.
Many of the students whom I have encountered over the years state that they have tried online (CBT courses) or taken classes at large universities with hundreds of students per class - but desire a more personal setting where the dynamics of the instructor and adaptability to how they deliver the course, is how the student learns. They often felt that the rigidity of straight lectures poses a more fixed approach that is derived from pedigogical thinking and not necessarily the best approach for adult, career college students to learn by.
Personally, I find if I mix up the modality of the instruction (i.e. lecture, video, group exercises, etc.) while encouraging students to share their insights and experiences - I can adapt my instruction to meet the dynamic environment "of the moment". This presents the class with the opportunity to learn from a customized approach regardless of their particular learning style.
I agree with that, observation is a big part of understanding our students, but also being able to adapt and trying to deliver proper teaching techniques and even better multiple teaching techniques to be able to target as many student as possible.
Fay,
Right you are. What are some strategies you use to help you understand your students better?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
If you understand your learner, you can gear your teaching style towards each of them.
James,
Thank you for these good comments about how instructors can use the information shared to expand their instructional delivery to and for their students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Interestingly, instructors may benefit from this module, understanding the basics of learning, to help maximize transfer of learning amongst their students. Information is subsumed within short, long, and working memory sources, based on a number of factors family, culture, experiences, environmental, etc. With this information, instructors may offer varied course materials and learning activities that include web based resources, group learning exercises, allowing students to draw upon their experiences, learning from each other. For example, an instructor may consider organizing the students in groups of two after a lecture, providing the groups with questions about the topic, drawing upon their experiences to make connections between course content and real world application.
Laura,
I teach from 4 until 10 pm so I can relate to what you are saying about evening students. I like the way you let them transition from work to student. Letting them relax a bit and have some fun sets them up for learning at a higher level than if you started off lecturing to them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Engaging all of the students senses in the learning environment can help them to better understand, remember, and use information.
I am a culinary arts instructor and teach in the evenings. I know that my students have worked all day and come to class at the end of their often hectic days. I recognize that they need 'transition' time to adapt to the new setting; i.e., school. I begin class with a formal brigade (a line-up) and continue in an informal manner for the next 5 minutes or so to give my students time to clear the day away and make room for new learning.
I would relate my subject to the prior experience of my students far more often.
