Adapting to how students learn is how they receive the information you give them and how successful they are. It reflects on you as an instructor.
Glenn,
You make a very good point about working through situations even when there are failures. When students make mistakes in the course they are supported by an expert (their instructor) so they can learn from their mistakes without major consequences such as injury or job loss. They get to start over but with added experience.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In our lab having the student work thru various outcomes to a problem helps them have failures and success. Thru the failures they learn just as much as it relates to real world testing.
Michael,
I like the way you have laid out your strategy. It is a good one and I know it will yield good results for you. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My technique would be to initially introduce the concepts to the students. Then engage the students in a discussion that encourages them to use their experiences and their own examples as it relates to the learned concepts. In the final phase, I would use some sort of experiential exercise, centered on the students and lesson concepts.
This is just one possible strategy. An instructor must always adapt to the student dynamics and continue to devise many different strategies.
To be an effective instructor you have to understand the basics of learning and adapt to your students learning methods. If my students are visual learners I must give them visual aids and demonstrate what I am teaching so they can see it to understand it.
Anthony,
The more of the senses that can be involved in the learning process the better. In your field the connection between tactile and cognitive is powerful and you are tapping into that connection with your approach.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
For your learners to be able to succeed, you first have to understand them and how they learn. I teach deisel teschnolgy courses, and I find that most students learn from doing, not from reading or memorizing information only.
Doug,
One of the benefits of being an instructor. We get to continue to be students throughout our lives.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Doug,
This is what keeps us coming back to the classroom and lab over and over again. We get to see the progress our students are making toward their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am amazed evryday from what i learn from different students beliefs and learnig requirements. Recognizing the learning capabilities of the brain helps me adapt to everyone's learning style
I believe it is very satisfying to see that your instructional technique turns the light bulb on for students.
Understanding the basics of learning will improve the way and timing in witch information is provided
Daniel,
I think you will like the results you get from such an effort. You will increase the value of the course to and for your students by making the connections between their experiences and what is being covered in the course. I wish you much success in this effort.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I will adapt by trying to incorporate more of my students prior experiences into class. I will try to relate more of their clincial experiences that they are receiving during their clinical rotations into the classroom by having them discuss what they knew, and helping them to understand what they did not.
I try to connect what students have learned and are learning in other classes with the content I am teaching in other to facilitate the application of the new found skill.
Amber,
"Reading" students is an important part of the educational process. You make a good point about how instructors need to have a variety of activities planned so they can make adjustments as needed in order to keep the attention of their students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Michael,
So true. Each class is different so customizing your instruction to and for that group is necessary if you are going to get them engaged.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By watching the students facial affect and body language I can tell if the students are still engaging in the topic we are discussing. If it is looking like they are not focused on the topic I can change the way the topic is presented to bring them back on task.
no matter how seasoned the educator is they always will need to adapt to the different learning styles of the students.
