I am known as the teacher who uses his hands while he speaks. There are times where I purposely do it and there are times where it is autonomic. The times where I am controlling my movements, I am trying to motivate my students and I’m trying to spark their interest on the topic at hand. Dr, Meers wrote in ED 102: “The two types of memory that are considered the most important for learning success are semantic and episodic.â€
I approach the semantic type through various means. I try to give my students as many real world examples as possible, usually through current events. The way many of my students have retained my material is through my episodic approach. I try to use real live situations where I have either experienced the topic or where I know of a true story that relates to the topic. I’ll also allow students to chime in during this type because they’ll remember the topic if they were part of the flow of the class.
Relevancy and application helps students learn because they become part of the class. Through critical thinking and brainstorming ideas, students seem to learn well this way, but most importantly they stay motivated.
Hi Marie,
This is a student centered approach that illustrates the importance of their training as well as helping the students see the human side of the care they are giving. Good way to make it real for your students.
Gary
I have learned that I center my education to what is clinically important, applicable and essential for my students' practice as a patient care technician or nurse (based on my audience). If the content has no relevancy or application, the student will have a difficult time buying in to their learning experience.
Career students are enrolled in my class because they want to learn new skills that will enable them to earn a promotion or move into a new career field.
Hi Dwayne,
Good point and well made. The two key words you listed say it all. Relevancy and application are the essential components of career success.
Gary
Adult students love to know that they "get it". Getting it is more than an "ah-ha" moment because they now know the gained knowledge can be effectively utilized by them. Relevance and application show the student that if they understand and master what they learn, they may very well master what they do in the field and become great.
Seeing the relevancy and application for what they are learning motivates students because it helps them keep their eyes on their end goal. They can see what they are going to be doing when they successfully complete their program.
I believe that if life where a cartoon, this would be the lightbulb over the head. It is very motivating to see how and when and where the students can apply our 'cooking lessons' to make money, or to be successful. Sometimes the immediate feedback is a good grade, the relavancy is in the long term relazation of a marketable skill.
It helps build confidence in their ability to do the skills that have been lectured on and know that they are going to be able to apply them to a real world setting.
For most adult learners, they want to know how the acquisition of knowledge will impact their future. It is harder to demonstrate how knowledge obtained in the study of a subject lacking a direct connection to the specific career choice will have practical application. It may make the student a better thinker, it may even make them more aware of the choices they make, but these subjects (while valuable) may not be seen as truly significant to these learners. The most significant thing for students in this kind of a learning track is to be able to put the principles they have learned into practice. Application can be demonstrated from someone experienced in the field by describing how this knowledge has been applied. It can also be demonstrated through news articles or videos to illustrate through stories about situations where the principles have either succeeded or failed. If an adult learner does not see the practical application piece, the information will not be seen as valuable.
We live in a what is in it for me time in society. If our students do not see how this class or even todays talk fits into there lives then they will just shut it out as well as feel they are wasting there time. We need to back up what ever we are teaching with how and when they will be able to apply it. I have found that stories from my own life work the best here
How can a student not be motivated by seeing and doing. When we teach them to make a sauce and they do it over and over and over again, and then they finally get it and are able to do it well, that is fantastic. They are then so motivated to learn other things, and practice new things, and finally do other things well too. And they stay in school.
They can see for themselves how the material is affecting them personally. When you personalize information it becomes relevant.
Hi Ronald,
With this approach you are connecting the dots for your students between the classroom and the real world. If you can help them to see application and relevancy you are doing them a great service as they enter employment.
Gary
Students want to see that what they are working on is valuable. So often, in high school, for instance, they feel that they will never use or need some of the subjects or topics they are forced to learn. I try to use examples of real work to demonstrate the usefulness of the skill or methods I present.
Career college students are interested in learning that will be applicable in their fields. Therefore, learning something relevant and applicable is motivating because they will find this information useful in the future.
Elizabeth
I validated thier reason for the learning process, and gives them motivation to continue the process of learning. I find it rewarding when I can see "why" I need to learn certain things.
Students are motivated by early, successful application of what they are learning. This is motivating, because then they can project these early successes onto a future career.
Hi Debra,
Right you are. We need to show relevancy and application to our students if they are going to appreciate the content we are sharing with them.
Gary
If there is some way to connect learning to real life situations and apply it, learning has a much greater chance of happening.
