Hands on learners
As a trade school instructor, my students are predomitely hands on learners. These students need learning scaffolds=basic outlines to have a map to follow to perfect the operational standards of our school. They are often not skilled in decoding or pruning techniques and they must have concrete instruction to learn what they need to retain.
Paul,
This is a good strategy to follow. There is an old saying that reinforces the value of student led demonstrations. The saying is "To teach is to learning twice." This makes sense to me because not only did the student learn it once as a student but then he or she has to learn it again as he or she prepares to give the demonstration. This greatly increases the content retention rate.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try also to use the students whenever possible to actually do the demonstations. I will direct the student through the task so hopefully the other students see that they can do it also, and eliminate some of the fear of doing something for the first time. I will often try to use a student who also seems a bit more apprehensive about the task to try and build some confidence in that particular student.
I completely agree with you, I also teach massage therapy and students need to be able to identify and describe the difference between tissues. This helps them in applying the correct massage techniques and producing the necessary outcomes.
Angela,
Candidly you may not be able to do so. This is when the Career Counseling or Student Services office should step in and offer some alternatives to this student. Sounds like she is not able to cognitively able to internalize what is required nor retain the content long enough to make applications where needed.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I instruct in a dental hygiene clinic. Almost all of the students I have been in class with seem to always strive at the hands on portion of clinic even if they may struggle a bit with the classroom coursework. I do have one student who sticks out in my mind that does not seem to be able process the information learned in the classroom and pull it all together in clinic. It almost seems as if she doesn't have the capacity to process all the information and apply it hands on. Several remediation sessions have taken place with student and even a failed course. She is back in clinic and it's like everyday is her first day. What else as instructors are we supposed to do to get this student on the same level as her peers?
Dan,
So many of the career fields are like culinary arts. They see, hear and take in the information but the real retention of content occurs when they get to do an activity like making a dish.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I teach culinary art, and Hands on are a major plus in my students education. when I demo a dish I try to implement as many teaching style, I can, but when they really learn is when they get to do it themselves, and learn from their mistakes...
Rita,
Good strategy because you are employing so many different ways of getting the content delivered to your students. Group learning and application are two great ways to get students engaged and focused on what they need to remember.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am a medical instructor with a love for both medicine and mechanics. I often relate to the body using mechanical terms. Our class is structured to have 50/50 lecture and lab. The students all love lab and any hands on work. Initially they may be intimidated but seeing them beam when they are able to complete a new skill Rocks! I encourage the students to help their classmates be the best that they can be. Afterall everyone has strenght and weaknesses but with students working closely together they can achieve more then they could individually.
I have come to know that most people are hands on learners and this meathod really works for some. I must say that personally I learn better by doing, which is simply hands on.
David,
They really do start to prune and they often don't realize it. They just get quicker and more skilled at doing something which in turn means they have pruned out many of the extra factors that was slowing them down in the learning process.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Dorothea,
Good point and by having this understanding you can target the different learning preferences at different times throughout the course. This way each student is going to have an opportunity to work in and learn through their preferred venue.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
You're right. They're not skilled in pruning although it seems that after a lot of hands-on repetition they start to prune in their own, hands-on, way.
I am a Cosmetology Instructor, theory/course content and practical application/hands-on; are critical thinking skills that must be mastered by students to enable them certification of course curriculum. This is why it is important for instructors to understand the learning preferences of students to engage them more effectively in the course.
Yes, this population of students tend to be more hands on and pratical learners. That is why learning strategies that have pratical exercises and examples work the best.
Stephen,
Good way to help all students to acquire the needed content and skills. In addition they learn how to work with different personalities which is great training for the real world.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In a mechanical class it is very much the same,
fortunately we work in groups so if students with mechanical experience of one kind or another are paired with those without it makes life much easier. You move from group to group and make sure even the ones who don't know what is going on are doing some of the work and really understand what is going on when the job is done.
Darci,
This is the way I teach as well and with the results you are talking about. The students really get involved with this activity and the more senses we can use the greater the retention and application of content there is going to be.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I like to teach "hands on" a different way. I show the students first and then I let them demonstrate the action. Sometimes I even use a student first. I let them demo and I explain to the rest of the class what needs to be done. I use the student as my teaching aide. The students appreciate the fact that they get to practice and have the actions "tweeked" instead of just listening to more boring directions. So far this has worked out better then just showing and telling.
