applying course content to career
When I teach a general study course, I always bring in samples from each person's career that demonstrate how the students will apply the knowledge to their chosen career field. For example, I bring in a medical history questionnaire that includes portions of mental health for those entering into a medically based career.
Hi Kathy,
Wow, your students are so fortunate to have you. Students enjoy hearing about our pratical experiences.
Patricia
I bring to the classroom the same experiences that I face everyday in my workplace so my students can better understand how their skills will apply.
Hi Joseph,
This is a very practical scenario that you are sharing with your students. We need to make assignments as real for our students as possible.
Patricia
Donald, I teach medical billing and coding within a variety of venues. In the live-class setting, I can show short videos of surgical procedures and relate them to the surgical note, encounter/billing form and the coding manuals. As a result of the presentation here, I plan to find a way to give this same level of experience to my online students as a way to add to the course syllabus, in order to give my students an early exposure to the real world they have chosen. Joe
Hi Donald,
Students get a great feeling of satisfaction whenever they know that the material is applicable to the real world. They really want to learn.
Patricia
I feel that examples of practical applications of the subject matter is useful in getting the students to "buy in" to the subject matter. If the subject matter can be tied in to "real world" experiences or scenarios, the student is more likely to become engaged in discussions as well as ask for clarification when the subject matter can be applied to his/her career goals.
I take the same approach. I give examples of when and how certain material in our course content will apply in their careers. And will bring in real examples of pertinent forms. For example, in my classes, I'll bring in an actual arrest warrant and then have them fill it out. I find that it helps keep them interested and engaged in class when they can see real life application to what they are learning.
I have a similar approach that I use in my classes. Since mine are usually more specialized, I try to highlight how each skill or how each section of the syllabus is going to pay off in the career field.
