Learner Autonomy
Most adult learners want to direct themselves and in many cases determine their learning path. They want to be actively involved in the learning process; therefore, I give some simulations in the beginning of a new class so the students can see that what they are learning is applicable to their choosen career. Near the end of the class the students will be allowed to choose from several projects to complete which directly relates to their choosen career.
Sonny,
It is fun to serve in the facilitator role. The students are driving the learning process and you are there to make sure the class stays on target and is making the needed progress. Some great learning occurs in these settings.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Great comment. Yes the adult learners direct themselves. Therefore, an instructor must be a facilitator and guide them to their goal.
Mary,
I believe that like you that this will be an interesting time of teaching. Hopefully you will have a chance soon to apply this concept and see how your adult learners interact with each other and what projects they choose.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
When I have the opportunity to teach in a classroom I will take this concept with me. In my brief time in working with adult students I have found that the majority of them crave autonomy. It would also be interesting to see what projects each individual ends up choosing.
Denise,
I teach a required course as well so I can appreciate the challenge you have to get students engaged and valuing your course right up front. I take this as a challenge as I start each course in that I want to share with them content and applications that will make them glad they were required to take my course. It is fun when I can see them slowly start to turn around and realize that my course can actually be of help to them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My campus also does not allow student course selection. I know that many students would not choose to take "Oral Communication" therefore I must make sure I show them the value of it on the very first day so I have their buy in of how this will assist them in any career area.
David,
The more skill sets the more value the student will bring to the workplace. Many students don't realize this because they are trying to only do the minimum work to get by. By expanding their thinking to see how expanded skills can mean more job offers they will understand they are helping to chart their own career path.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Some Medical Assistants are "hands on" and some will work across the counter. Both need to know Medical Insurance. The patient may voice an insurance concern while the Medical Assistant is taking vitals. Documenting patient's concerns as well as blood pressure readings are critical to determining which procedures the doctor will order and how to pay for them. Students need to choose multiple skills in order to receive multiple employment interviews.
Mitchell,
In one sense the order of courses is what it is and no one can do anything about it. So, to make the sequence of courses more acceptable to students I would develop a series of examples that you could share with the students of how what they learn in course 1 leads to knowledge acquisition in course 2, etc.. The idea is to paint a clear picture for the students what they know now, will learn and how the knowledge/skills fit together and that is why the courses are in the order they are. A good way to give them examples is to have some case studies for them to do where they would need to have the upper level course knowledge to answer them. Students like case studies and they like to test their knowledge against the situation posed in the case study. They are fun for the students but they really help to sell how there is a learning ladder they need to climb up to be competent in their field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Her suggestion of project options is a great one, and one that I will incorporate in my next class.
With respect to autonomy, the campus at which I teach puts together the students' class schedule and course selection. The students get their upcoming schedule and find out what courses they will be attending. On more than one occasion, the students have expressed frustration at not being allowed to choose for themselves. At this point, I have to encourage the student by showing them how the course fits the curriculum, and why they need it, and how it will prepare them for the next course. This is usually accepted, somewhat grudgingly. I cannot change the school's methodology. Any suggestions for handling the situation better?
Wendy,
Good point about knowing what your students know or at least what they think they know. I use pretesting in my courses for that reason. I want to know where they are at so I can establish a baseline upon which to build my instructional delivery.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
This is so true of cosmetology students most students want to learn the technique and or the theory and see the result or the benifit. Even if a student already knows the content. I always try to challenge the student to re think the content and deliver it in a new way. And I will always do the same if the students are well rounded in a certian content. The pretesting is very helpful to know what content to review more or sometimes not spend to much time on at times.
Mary Jane,
Good way to give success opportunities to students early on in the course and then provide them with problem solving situations so they can use their newly acquired knowledge and skills as they are getting ready to transition out of your class. This is an educationally sound bookend learning model.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
