Active learning works wonderfully in the field of PT. I also like to provide my students with a decision tree to guide them through the process.
As an English instructor, it helps to offer a wide variety of topic choices for essays. This way all students should be able to find an issue they are deeply affected by or interested in. When there is genuine interest in the topic being researched, the research done is far more intensive and effective, and the student begins to realize his/her own potential as a critical thinker.
Laura,
Your field is full of so many different problem solving opportunities. Some are to solve problems and others are to be creative as a chef. Both are needed if your students are going to rise in their profession and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing they have produced dishes that are going to be enjoyed by many.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As a culinary instructor I develop analytical skills in my students by giving them the same projects (recipes) to work on but with either slightly different techniques or ingredients in each.
I produce the recipe as printed and assign variations to different students. We analyze the results and discuss how the variations played a role in the final outcome as measured against the 'recipe orignal'. Is there improvement over the original recipe? Should any of the modifications to the recipe be adopted? If so, which modifications and why?
Neelam,
Good activity for your students to work through. This gives them a strong foundation from which they can expand their expertise as problem solvers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I can have an appraoach where I can give them a problem and have them analyze and research then they can also do reflective thinking.After that they can brain storm and give all solutions,we can rationalize and choose the best answer.
Paul,
Confidence goes a long way in helping with decision making. Your point about the guiding a student is a very important point to remember because we are helping to shape their future as a result of the influence we have on them in class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By guiding a student to make a correct or good decision on their own. This in turn develops confidence and is a confidence builder.
Shawn,
For sure. Without a plan it is tough to come up with a first step due well all of the rest of the steps that will be needed to solve the current problem.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Planning or developing a plan is the next part of analysis which initiates a whay of looking at a problem.
William,
I use case studies in my classes a lot for the reasons you state. They let the students problem solve and then we can discuss how the case was handled in relation to the problem. This expands the skills of students in a short period of time as well as builds their confidence in being able to problem solve.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think one of the best ways to develop analytical skills is to ask many open ended questions that students must think though difficult problems. After much questioning, I would give the class a "problem". I would have them come up with questions that we might think through to walk through the problem solving process.
One of the methods I use is the Case Study. In particular, if the case is familiar to most of the students, then they build on their experiences in small goups through collaboration. I've also found that, as a facilitator or instructor, I also learn from the students as they add their perspectives and knowledge base to the study.
Susana,
Such important steps for the students to complete if they are going to continue to develop as problem solvers and reflective thinkers.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
John,
Good concrete examples that help to refine the taste buds of your students so they will be able to prepare dishes with both flavor and color. These foundational skills will remain with them for the duration of their careers so they need to make sure they have a clear understanding of how each element contributes to the final product.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By enhancing their skills of collecting information or data and assisting them in analyzing the situation, sorting things out before coming up with the solution.
As a chef the analytical skills that I try to aid in development are those that rely in part on science. Flavor development is analyzed through a series of analysis involving color, and the student is given a continuum of shades that would be considered acceptable, unacceptable, and preferred. There will also be "salted milks" that have various amounts of salt that again are graded acceptable, unacceptable, and preferred. There are also tests for acid, and sweetness when those are relevant. After using these rubrics for the first week the students have a great idea how to solve the problem of presenting their older chef with suitably tasting foods. And this seems to carry with the students as I monitor them in later classes.
Implementing visuals during your lectures is an excellent way to develop analytical skills.
Rosa,
I am a big fan of student groups for the reason you list. Their working together helps them to get other ideas, communicate their own and then collectively come up with solutions. This is what they will encounter in the work place so the more prepared they are the better.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Alexandra,
This is a great learning strategy. Journaling enables students to refine their communication skills by getting them to write down what they have worked through and ideas they have. I think this is a learning tool that needs to be widely shared with other instructors.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
