Hi Lawrence,
Good example of how math applications can be made. We all know that they can be made, since math is the basis of everything we do, but students sometimes get so focused on passing the course they forget they are learning practical content. I am sure you had a good discussion with the carpenter applications in relation to floor covering.
Gary
I teach the Math 101 and I feel the same pressure as a gen-ed teacher. I try to find one application unit 15-20 minutes three times a week (my class is 2-1/2 hours long M-F). Students seem to respond well to discussion around these application sessions because they can draw from their own life experiences. I remember one class when we discussed flooring installations and area. One of my students had been a carpenter, another, a carpenter's assistant.
Hi Pam,
You are correct about the majority of adult learners. They are there for a purpose and want to move toward their career goal as fast as possible. In the meantime they are managing families, work, etc. I teach from 4 until 10 pm. My students have put in a day's work when they get to my class yet they are there and ready to learn because they have a vision. They can see the value of their educational efforts. I only wish some of my younger students could see their education in the same light.
Gary
Hi Gary and others,
Adult students need purpose.
They are driven. They aren't
just fooling around, or forced
to be there like kids.
They- like us- want to use
their time purposefully.
Sincerely, Pam
If career colledge students do not see relevance to the course material,they fell that they are wasting,time,effort,and money.
Because it reinforces the fact that the hard work that the students are doing is paying off. They feel that they are achieving there goals and are able to be successful in there classes.
Hi Steven,
This is helping the students to see how before very long they are going to be in the "real" world facing "real" issues, problems and circumstances. The more experience they have in real world applications the easier the transition from school to work will be for them.
Gary
It puts information in "real world" terms- not fuzzy academia.
I use my industry experience multiple times in my classes to give students not only a better understanding of the information- but prepare them for the work enviroment and business reality they will encounter beyond the school.
My students get much more excited about information and techniques they are being taught when they are convinced that mastery of that material will increase their opportunity for expertise and success in the field. That level of passion and excitement also enables them to commit that material to deeper, long term memory, thereby giving them an increased sense of value in the educational path they have chosen.
When the instructor applies what the students are learning to a relevant situation it reinforces their learning and they feel motivated to try the technique on their own.
they will also be motivated to practice the technique to gain more knowledge and expertise.
Hi Christopher,
Good point about the need to help students to become creative thinkers. By letting them explore options and problem solve they develop expertise that will help them with their careers upon graduation.
Gary
It seems to motivate them because whe they see what they can do with what they already know, it gives them lots of ideas and allows them to be creative. I know that I am the happiest in a class when I am creative and am allowd to express myself.
I am not sure that it actually is in all cases. There are some students who simply should not be in the classroom -- you look at them and their performance, and think, in the words of Billy Joel: "Man, what are you doing here?". Such students don't seem to be motivated by anything, let alone the content of the classroom, and usually are the poor attenders, the disruptors, the net surfers, and the ultimate failures.
For those student who have interest however, the whole point of their learning is career-focussed. They want to do better, so the issue of "relevancy and application" needs to be couched not only in terms of how the 'thing' works, but also what it will do for the student.
In particular, in a classroom situation, the problem is deliverately kept simple, because we want the students to learn processes and methods, not clutter their information pathways with preparatory detail. The down side of this is that it is hard to see a 'toy' problem as particularly engaging, so the instructor has to be able to relate the specific example to more general and complex problems. Showing that the process is scalable can be a big plus in terms of relevancy.
Once the relevancy part is down, the application is not usually so difficult for the students to see. What may be more difficult for them to see is how the application success leads to career success. Those that "get it" -- the substantial majority did so before they stepped through the classroom door -- will be motiviated because they see how they can use this. For the others, making the link between application success and personal success needs some creativity in presentation -- particularly in fostering the idea that having a talent/skill for which you may not have an immediate use may still be very valuable for career development if it enables you to respond effectively to emergency and developing situations.
It lets them see the big picture, and know that the information provided in class is helping them achieve their career goals. Once a student sees how helpful a technique is in their own project, it adds fuel to their tank to continue their educational journey with confidence in the "road map" that their teacher is providing.
Hi Karen,
Right you are. Once that "lightbulb" comes on once it seems students start to look for other opportunities for the bulb to be turned on more often.
Gary
Dr. Meers:
The only way the students "lightbulb" goes on is by motivating them to use the information we have taught them.
I love when I have a student say "oh, that's why we use a bill of lading at work" "now I understand" Although they have been using the bill of lading for years, they never quite understood why. After learning in class what they are for and being motivated to learn more about them, the "lightbulb" goes on
Hi Wendy,
Exactly! Many times though students forget their career goal and how through effort they can have a successful and rewarding career. They need to be reminded of this frequently so they can keep the vision they started with.
Gary
Because they have chosen a career- focused education which means that they have a specific goal in mind. It's not like going to a liberal arts college and "finding yourself". The education is very specific and therefore it is even more important for the student to understand why he/she needs to know the information.
Hi Colette,
Good point. Early intervention with a potential dropout really helps to keep them focused and engaged so they don't leave the program.
Gary
They are career and goal oriented - for the most part they sacrifice a lot to go to school - so it is important to keep them motivated and aware of their progress.
And try to help the student who is getting discouraged before they start thinking about dropping out
