Have guest speakers that are doing some of the same work in the industry that the students are pursuing in their coursework to drive home the importance of the course in their careers.
Personally, I would make the course as active and collaborative as possible. Adult students have more personal claim in courses that involve them 100% from start to finish; and require them to push the limits they have placed on themselves academically.
Getting by in from the students happens when you can prove to them how it will benefit them. Our students want inprovement in their lives and believe education is the first step. However, their goal is always, how will this help me?
Hi David,
Students can tell if you have a passion for the subject matter and/or the profession. Students want the material to be made applicable to the real world as much as possible so that they will know what to expect whenever they begin their career.
Patricia
Hi Toni,
Students like to feel that they are important, and really students are important. We need to let them know just how important they are by our actions and small gestures, i.e. calling them by their name.
Patricia
Get to know each student by name that gives them a sense of belonging and it helps them to trust that the information you supply to them benifits them in their future endeavors.
As a Gen Ed Instructor, it is common to here "Why do I have to take ENG101" to work in Health Care?
I usually respond with a question back to the student. Ex: Will you have to write client notes? Work with insurance forms and complete billing? Will you have to see a patient before the MD and then write what you have found out for the MD to read? Their answers are usually yes, they will have to write.
I go on to explain:
Then you will need to know how to write and how to spell. This course will help you become a more effective Health Care provider by helping you understand how to relay information in written form, in a concise and professional manner. This will help you become a more valuable employee and allow you to feel more secure in your work because you will have the expertise to relay pertinant information on clients/patients that is correct and understandable thereby helping both the patient and your coworker reading your information.
One way to help get course buy in from students is to let your passion for the subject material shine bright. Also, one needs to show their students how what you are teaching is useful and relevant in the field; in the real world environment.
I share my past experiences in recording and mixing records, this gives students something to work towards. I also show the past efforts and success of graduates.
My class is environmental science (ES) - something which most students come into expecting to be irrelevant. One of my early discussions is how pretty much everything around the world impacts everything else. We play "six degrees" to connect things like floods and food prices, the car you drive and coastal birds, etc. We also talk about saving money - a huge "what's in it for me" matter. It turns out that many environmentally friendly practices can also cut down on utilities, gas money, and other expenses. Consequently, ES has direct value for their homes and places of business - especially those who are planning to run their own business.
I have a couple of strategies that work with adult students. I relate the material to something that I have experienced in the work environment and also get their feedback on what related experiences they have. Also, I tie in what they are learning to future courses they will have. I stress that relationship.
I use many of the techniques outlined in Module 1. One thing I make students aware of in the beginning is it's in their best interest to make an impression on me and on my adjunct instructors as we all have decades of dealing with the key people in our industry. In other words, make us enthusiastic about recommending you for employment upon graduation. Do not try to skate by with barely passing grades. Get assignments in on time. Your future employer will not be interested in the reasons why you failed to complete an assigned task in a timely fashion, just that you didn't complete it in the allotted time.
I would usually invite the students to work in a hands on type of situation. That has seemed to work best in the classes that I currently teach.
On the first day of class, I would have the class participate in a skill related to the course that they could implement into their chosen career. I want them to become excited about their learning experience. I would emphasize how the course is vital and relevant to succeed in their chosen field. I would demonstrate how newly learned skills and information apply to their life and career. I would, also, implement virtual software for them to perform skills needed in their chosen field. In addition, I would have the students turn in cards with pictures that demonstrate themselves performing a newly learned skill in a clinical setting.
I have the advantage of having alot of real-life experience in the fields my students are going into. My students are going into health care and everybody has some experience in being a patient, if not a provider. By tapping into those experiences, be they positive (or better yet, negative), it engages the student and makes the course personal, rather than just informational.
Usually, I have found that "war stories" which illustrate the usefulness of a given subject help a lot. If the sstudent sees a use for something, he/she is much more likely to try to grasp the concepts no matter how difficult they may be.
I feel many students really do not use their textbook in career colleges, especially the younger ones just out of high school.
My students always enjoy real life stories, and love to discuss among themselves. Often this gets instruction off track but tends to bring everyone into the group and typically results in fun and laughter.
being motivated about your subject
Hello Patrica,
I show them example of students work and also perform tasks as a professional in front of them. I have found that example is a great way to show the students what is possible.
Hi Paul,
Students need to fully understand how the course is going to help them in their chosen field.
Patricia
