getting 'buy in' from students
I've used some fairly unconventional methods for gaining the buy-in of my students, such as giving every student a different puppet and addressing them though their puppet persona's.
That might sound like a juvenile technique, but I've gotten very good class participation in my college courses this way. Many of my students identified with their puppets and I used them as a reward for good participation.
In several programming classes I had two puppets: Bananas the 'code monkey' that was a reward for correct answers, and Popo the pig of shame who was given to students with incorrect answers or low participation.
You might think this would not work with college students, but I found that by week three my students worked hard to get the code monkey and to avoid the shame of Popo the pig.
Plus it was kind of fun, and that always goes over well in any class.
I teach an executive functioning class where I also try to do many in class activities, group work and the like. Hte problem is that often even the hands on application of some fo these skills (like budgeting and scheduling) is percieved as "boring" tot he students. Anyone have any ideas how I can make these basic life skills more exciting/interesting and engaging? (I do already have them make their own individual budgets and schedules, but again it is about like going to the dentist; a necessary evil)
Getting students to buy into the class can take time. As the instructor you have to be creative and entertaining when working with students. Whenever possible I set up projects that are reflect an actual work environment. I try an show how what they are learning is what employers are looking for in their employees. This approach has been helpful and students take ownership of what they are learning.
The importance of overall contextual perspective is what I think needs to be emphasized. My students deal with tons of vocabulary that doesn't have an immediate 'pay-off' to know; however, the profession they're going into depends on knowing a huge diversity of words, a) for contextual understanding of what they're writing, and b) to be able to hesitate less when hearing a word and then writing it accurately.
I like to point out examples where soundalikes got mixed up in some professional transcript being prepared, subsequently resulting in professional embarrassment. Playing upon the humor, in retrospect, is helpful in retelling the story and illustrating the point on how important the correct understanding of words is in the working world.
Hi Robert,
You make a good point about the struggles to show relevancy to students. I teach a required course as well and my students walk into the class knowing that they have to pass the course to get their certificates. They have the attitude often times like those individuals that have to attend a "STOP" class to get speeding tickets waived or not lose points on their license. What I do is to offer a lot of activities and projects that gets them using the course content. I have found that these methods really get the students involved and excited about the material even if they really don't want to be in the course.
Gary
I often find it a "hard sell" when instructing vocational students on essential backround information. Finding the relevency in knowing the process of cell mitosis or the names of individual muscles and bones when the job they are training for is to hand the proper instrumentation to the surgeon when he asks for it reminds me, somewhat, of memorizing Portia's "mercy speech" from Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice. For the student fresh from high school, it's easy beecause that's what they are used to. For the more mature student who has a lot of previous work experienece, the task is more difficult. Other than the "Wow, you actually know that" factor, all I can do is remind them that they are dealing with a live human being and that they should know as much about that person's make-up as possible. I am open to suggestion.
That's an interesting approach. As I read it I considered whether the idea would work in the learning enviroment of my class. May actually be effective. I'll have to give it a try.
Hi Kevin,
Adults are still kids in side, they are just taller. Use what ever catches their attention. I have used puppets in my classes as well with the same results so keep up the good work.
Gary
