this method is absolutely true. it engages students to interact with each other and they learn from one another.
Dr. K.,
Thank you for the analysis of how to approach the delivery of content and then how to engage students in the use of that content. It is a challenge for instructors to meet because the career development of their students depends on it.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
It is important to know the kind of thinkers you are engaging. It is also appropriate to know when to interject the Socratic method. Consider that there should be an appropriation of content, intellectual diversity, foundational criteria . . . to support a discussion/query format successfully in the classroom.
In application, an examination of the facts should ideally occur first. Implementing the Socratic method necessitates that the instructor (as a mediator and guide) provide a common ground [basis for the discussion; history; context; facts; data; . . .]for all to be engaged. Expose discussants to common terminology and diverse perspectives of the problem. In this way you empower them to engage in ways that are appropriated to their unique modality for thinking.
Scott,
Like the approach you are teaching your students in terms of trouble shooting and problem solving. Their career success is going to be based on their ability to get to the problem and fix it. The better they can do this the more respect they are going to have in the field and their financial rewards with follow them as well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Great point Connie! Having multiple viewpoints allow others to assess their own thoughts and create consensus as needed.
Since I teach courses that deal with mechanical repair I try to get the students to approach the problem first by looking at the individual symptoms. That way they can break it down into components and systematically decide which are the root of the problem and which are caused by the parent problem. Once they have it broken down they can then research the root cause and a lot of times they find that once the root cause is repaired the other symptoms will many times also be solved.
Marshall,
Like the way you challenge your students and are moving English from being just a technical area to an applied area. You are doing this with your questioning and asking students to think for themselves and not just rely on a rote answer.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Reading!
I think giving students reading material that pushes them to think about topics differently than a text book will help their analytical skills. Students are in the habit of reading text books, which means: they believe what they read. If we give students reading materials that allow for them to disagree this can begin their analytic stills.
Also in my classroom (I teach English), I will ask students to explain why they have come to their conclusions. For example, when teaching about topic sentences, I ask: is this example a good or bad topic sentence. Students will almost intuitively know the right answer. Then, I ask: explain how you realized this. This forces the student to communicate their ideas. Initially, students will be silent, but soon they begin to communicate their analysis.
The development of analytical skills in my students can be done by asking them to analyze, synthesize, or apply material, both during lectures and in assignments. I can get them to do some case based problems solving excercises that help them develop those skills as well as teach them how to apply some theories to real world problems. We can have debates to help develop their critical thinking and logical reasoning.
Karen,
You are providing such valuable training to your student in this area. They need to see how what you are helping them with is going to be the core of their career success. Their lives are going to be spent in many situations solving problems. They need to be able to work with others to find viable solutions. If they can't they are not going to last long in the field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with the small group concept as well. I have students in small group in clinical site where we are able to examine a problem one may have confronted. Part of this is the individual student has to work with a client and may be confroned with issues not in the classroom or from the lecture. This is a real life senario that will occur after graduation wherethey do not have the support they have in clinical setting. The group will be able to discuss and look at the issue in depth. This does help them to use the analytic problem solving needed.
Jennifer,
This is a multiple sensory approach to problem solving. The more senses that are used the higher the level of memory retention there will be. The result will be students that know how to observe and grade products so they will be able to either produce or secure items of the highest quality.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As a pastry instructor, I often use product grading as an opportunity to help students think through any issues with their food. For example, if a student brings up a baguette that has poorly developed crust, mealy crumb texture and smells sour I guide them through basic troubleshooting to identify the the possible causes. It helps them learn a valuable skill and teaches them to think analytically about their mistakes not just think well that was bad and throw it in the trash.
Patricia,
This is a good way to get students familiar with the problem solving process. The questions under each section are the key to successful problem solving. The more skill and experience they have in creating these questions they more effective they are going to be in problem solving once they are out in the work world.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
To develop analytical skills it would be important to create a list of the steps to solve the problem. The ask questions under each section of the list. This would cause constant questions to be researched and evaluated.
Heather,
I think this is a great way to teach content like yours. This method enables students to see the relevance of what has been taught and then make application of what they have learned. This increases greatly the retention of the content for storage in their working memories for use later.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I believe the best way to facilitate the development of analytical skills is application of the material. After I lecture for about 20-30 minutes, I always provide sample test questions or hypothetical for students to discuss. This really helps them apply the material to real world examples.
Richard,
I like the holistic approach to problem solving as well. I think this approach helps students to see the end results as well as the components that contribute to the whole. By seeing problems in this way I think we help our students be more effective problem solvers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
For technical fields such as law and medicine the Socratic dialog method has been traditional. An examination of the facts and then leading students through various alternatives to the most appropriate solution seems to be the usual format.
However, I understand really good teachers can bring in inductive reasoning (something not really discussed in this course), asking for a larger, more holistic approach to the issue. This can reorient the students to looking at a total picture and analyzing a problem within the context of why it occurred as well as how to solve it. (As a student who went to medical schools in 2 countries said, "In Mexico I learned to treat sick people, but in the U.S. I only learned to treat diseases.") I suspect after some time having a wider view of analyzing situations beyond immediate needs could become habitual.
Danielle,
This is a such a valuable thing for your students to learn. You are helping them to be skilled at thinking through situations and striving for solutions. This is how they are going to become skilled at problem solving since the majority of their work is going to be problem solving in relation to a muscle/limb/joint that is not working as it should and needs some form of PT to get it working correctly again.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
