My assessment indicated that this was a course from which I could benefit.
Certainly will be aspects which will enhance my ability to instruct my courses.
Knowing why students enroll can help plan for instruction by knowing what motivations and concern students have. The goal is to help students graduate and on to successful career and with that goal in it can be beneficial to help keep students motivated on their goals by knowing what dreams and fears they have that led them to school.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for sharing your life example of how to work toward getting the career you want to have. None of us got to where we are without putting forth a lot of effort.
Question--Since you worked for Walgreens for ten years you may know the answer to this question. Why is there a CVS Pharmacy across the street from every Walgreens? Just wondering.
Gary
I WORKED AT WALGREEN FOR 10 YEARS AND IT WAS JUST A JOB AND NOW IM A MEDICAL INSTRUCTOR AND IT'S VERY REWARDING I TELL MY STUDENT GET A CAREER NOT JUST A JOB A CAREER LAST LONGER AND WHEN YOUR FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL DONT CHASE TO GET A DIPOLMA GET THAT DEGREE YOU JUST GOT THAT DIPLOMA WHY GET ANOTHER ONE
Knowing the type of student enrolled in program will help not only to plan your instruction but also to find the most effective strategies they will need.For example: age and cultural diversity need from instructor to understand and apply different tools on including everyone on different activities.
Because it helps give you an understanding of what might motivate them. It helps if you can target their goals and aspirations.
I'm not sure that their background affects how I teach, but it certainly affects how I try to get the student involved, and then keep him or her involved. My experience suggests the older students tend to be less vocal in class. The younger ones are more vocal, but don't usually think before they talk. I'm much more concerned about the quiet ones because I have trouble knowing if I'm getting through to them.
Hi Kim,
This is so important to planning your instruction. By knowing the reason for enrolling you can customize your approach to support their reasons. This will help to build their confidence and self esteem to the point they believe they can be successful by putting forth the effort.
Gary
Knowing adult learner's motivation and reason for enrolling allows the instructor to have insight as to what to focus on, weather it's practical examples in the workplace or more theory based content or both!
I believe that we should try and meet the student half way on the road to their goals. Knowing why they are there taking your coarse will help you help them.
If I know why a student has enrolled it helps me to know what is motivating them. If I can get to the heart of their motivation that helps me to tailor my instruction to their needs. For example, I have students who say they enrolled because they want to earn more money and have a better life for their families. By knowing this, I help tie what we are doing in the classroom to their future careers. I help them to see that with each new skill they acquire they make themselves more marketable and increase their income potential.
Knowing a student's reason for being in my class may not be useful information if the reason is that my course is a fundamental requirement for graduation. On the other hand, if my course were optional rather than obligatory then information about student motivation might be useful in my effort to respond to individual students according to their specific needs. For example, one student may be weak on one skill and another weak in a different skill. In that case I might direct each to specific exercises to practice more on the skills which they need most to improve.
In the Criminal Justice field it helps to know why a student has enrolled, so I can develop material for them. I always ask what specific field in the justice system they desire to enter. Most of the learners in this particular term are pursuing police opportunities. Now, after knowing this, I direct a larger portion of my material to that aspect. The last term most of the learners were going to pursue corrections. I was able to direct most of the material to that format.
It will help me see what THEIR goals are, & what THEY expect to gain from the class, so I can make sure I factor these into my lesson plans. It will also help me determine what I need to do to keep them motivated.
Why students are in a particular class is many times related to their motivation and class participation. It helps to get those people that are not that movtivated to get involved in your class.
being a Patient Care Technician instructor it is important for me to know why students enroll so that I can constantly reinforce the importance of being in the nursing field as well as encourage students to continue their education
Teaching adults comming into the medical field they have expications and knowing what each students gaols and expectations are help me to provide the additional motivation they need to be sucessful.
Hi Linnie,
I like this approach a lot. It is so important for the students to see the connection between the classroom and their career success. What are some of the most successful strategies that you have used.
Gary
I like to ask my students what their career goals are and then I incorporate questions for the forums to target the careers of my students. It is important to illustrate to students, the information they are learning in your classroom will be used in their career choice.
The reasons for enrollment affect their attitude in class and their motivation to learn and succeed. I can throw a lot of material to a class that's motivated but have to drag an unmotivated class over every hurdle.
