Hi Debra,
Thank you for sharing this example of how a student can really get excited about a certain part of a course. This male student has found something that really excites him and he is going to work hard to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to become a surgical tech in the coming years. These stories help to motivate other instructors to keep their excitement levels up because they are in positions of influence for all their students.
Gary
An understanding of learner characteristics helps in the instructional planning process in many ways. I teach online and have found, for example, that my non-traditional students are often quite intimidated by the technological advances that have occurred since they were last in school. If these fears are not addressed at the beginning of the class, then students will often fixate on the fear and their ability to hone in on the lesson material suffers. A few extra minutes or a few tutorials built into the class on topics such as attaching files goes a long way in making students feel more comfortable in the environment . This will free them to focus their attention on the actual material and lessens the likelihood that they will feel overwhelmed by the classroom.
Conversely, with younger students (late teens to mid-twenties), I have found that I may need to spend some time working with them on remedying the “bad habits†that technology has instilled in them. This most often becomes apparent in the discussion threads. All too often, the rules of grammar and spelling are long forgotten with students who are used to text messaging and chatting online. Again, a few extra minutes and gentle reminders at the onset can generally steer these students back on track. This also helps minimize communication problems in classes that consist of students of differing age groups.
It is very important that we understand who the student is and how he/she learns. We all learn in different ways; it is our job to reach them. It is always important for the student to understand that we really do care about their success; we are not just here for the paycheck.
I use group work in class, too. Every week, even though my students may or may not be in the same group they were previous in, I make sure that each group has a different spokesperson so that my quiet students are not left out of the opportunity. I also do it so my more vocal students do not dominate the discussions.
I do something similar in my classes. If I have a student that is somewhat introverted, I make sure to include them in the class discussions. When asking questions in class, I do not intentionally skip the quiet students even though I know they would prefer that I did. I also do not draw attention to the fact that I know they are shy--that could potentially embarass them, which could make them even more introverted.
I agree. I have a male student who is in with 6 female students in a medical assisting class. He was not comfortable until we studied surgical instruments. He then excelled and was very motivated. He told me during an instrument competency that he wanted to be a surgical tech. someday after completing this course and having some work experience.
By taking an in depth look at your student's personality,their support systems, age, and life experiences, you may be able to impact their learning at a higher level.
Hi Dolores,
You make a number of very good points concerning the need for different approaches in order to meet the different learning needs of students. With so many different backgrounds and life experiences variety in instructional delivery is critical if you are going to keep them engaged. Good job of doing so with your methods.
Gary
Understanding the learner's characteristics affects the instructional planning process in many ways. For me in particular, I teach writing courses and often find that both non-traditional and traditional students have a fear of writing because of past experiences. One of the first activities that I do in my classes (instructional planning) is to discuss past writing experiences and help the students see what was good and what were the opportunities for improvement based on their previous experience. In a way I have to have as my first strategy to convince the students that they can write regardless of past experience. If they cannot change their mindsets about writing, they will most likely produce the same type of work that they have done previously, and therefore, confirm what they though before they walked into my class.
Often the traditional-aged student has fresher memories of not-so-good writing experiences, but the non-traditional student has taken years and years to formulate a very set idea that he or she cannot write. For both of these types of students, clarifying what were the issues with their writing previously and then affirming their writing as they submit new work is essential. They can generalize an issue with commas as meaning they cannot write at all, while in reality, they may be very expressive writers who just need a little finetuning.
Dolores
Each student has a different expectation for the class. When an instructor understands what that expectation is, they can be sure to include topics or activities that will enable students to meet their expectations.
For example, if I have a student who is trying to improve their math skills to better understand balance sheets or income statements; I will be sure and provide several examples of each in application and then assign problems that require the students to work with these financial tools.
Hi Sean,
Exactly! The key is knowing what the students want and with your work as a financial planner you have developed skill in getting that information from your clients. As you say this is the same for students. Draw them out and get to know what is important to them and then go from there.
Gary
Hi Laura,
Good way to get everyone involved. I use student learning groups a lot in my classes and find that when they are in the groups everyone participates, so even the shy students make contributions. It is a win win for everyone.
Gary
Hi Marcus,
You are right about the learning level between students. They bring their life experiences to the learning setting and then apply them to the different topics being studied. As a teacher I feel I am very fortunate because every time I start a new course I am exposed to the lives and experiences of 40 individuals that I would never have the chance to meet or work with in any other setting. By letting them share and question I learn more from them than they me.
Gary
By understanding the learner charcteristics I am able to tailor the lectures or class activities to the specific needs or areas of interest of my students. When I do this I am always guaranteed to have more class participation and discussion.
In addition to being an instructor, I am also a financial planner. As such, I have been trained to find out what is important to people, what they want to accomplish, and what their strengths/impediments might be. A class works the same way. By knowing specifically about a person's needs, you can customize a plan to get them from where they are to where they want to be.
If you fully understand the type of student or students in your class you will be better equipped to present course content and material in an effective manor.
I like to use groups of 4 or 5 - that way there are many ideas and points of view floating around. I think it is a great idea to assign the leadership role to someone who is normally quieter and not as forthcoming.
it allows me to better interact with the student
This is of the utmost imortance - knowing your audience. The whole point of teaching is to help others to learn, but if you don't understand how to best meet the learning needs of the students, how can class outcomes be effectively met?
My understanding of learner characteristics helps me deliver the curriculum to appeal directly to my students. By knowing their priorities, I can alter the messages I send and the tools I use to send them for maximum impact.
