I like to share my experiences from my years in broacasting and apply them to the subject matter at hand. I find that students are interested in hearing both the positive and negative events that I witnessed or was party to.
start off by informing the students that when they participate, they should fear being wrong. there are no rights and wrongs at this point. you are not expected to know everything about what we are learning… that is why you are here… to learn.
You HAVE to show students how the course applies to their chosen career path. Whenever a student tells me he doesn't know why this course is needed, I give him specific examples of how it applies to their chosen career.
Hi Susan,
You can:
Bring in classified ads
Mention their potential income in the field
Have your Career Placement person to speak about the jobs
Have a graduate as a guest speaker who is working in the field
Take field trips
Create an impressive PowerPoint about the field
Patricia
Hi Michael,
These are awesome ways to get your students to buy in. You go to great lengths to sell your students on the career. I love the idea of bringing in a graduate guest speaker that is working; this is a great way to generate motivation from your students.
Patricia
Hi Sabine,
Anytime you can make the course work applicable to real life, students are automatically sold. They gain a keen interest because they want to know how to perform in the professional world.
Patricia
In general, whether it is in the school or workplace enviroment the more someone believe they have a say in what is being done the more they feel like they have ownership of the process.It shows them that their input in the process is important and they they have a say in how the operation is being done.Also as an instructor, perceptor or Manager the student may have insight that you have no thought of and will give you knowledge that you were missing.
Another important thing is to remember that the students are adults, with life experiences. They may have a way of explaining something in language that the balance of the class can understand. Use them as a resource thus showing the class that they are important.
Letting the students know how the course relates to their future career and how the things learned will correlate with situations in their real life work environment. Giving examples of how things learned apply to "real life."
I did similar w/ a student completing an externship. The story appeared in our local
school newletter and received several student
comments.
I have experienced many of same types of students mentioned in the material. Discussion groups
are a priority in the lecture classes. A good
ice breaker & you pull answer from most participants who would hesitate to speak up in
general class setting.
You do need to watch to "do-gooders" to a point
and see that they put the work where their compliments are coming from.
I enjoy and myself benefit from adult learners'
experiences in their work environments.
I teach radio broadcasting at a school that's been doing that for 65 years. A couple things I like to do include playing examples of current student work like the audition demos that recent graduates have produced. This is especially effective because the students are familiar with these graduates and if they've already secured a position at a radio station it's even more meaningful. We, as a staff, visit area radio stations at least twice a year. I always take my camera along to shoot the facilities and especially graduates of our school working at that facility. I'll put together a little slide show for the students showing them what life may be like at a radio station. At least once each term, I'll invite one of our graduates working in local radio in to speak to the students and share their experiences.
One class we had exceptional "buy in" when we brought a panel of graduates to speak to the students....they told the current students how important the class was/is and how when they didn't participate...they suffered
I discuss with the students on Day 1, the particulars of how I lecture/use discussion as a learning tool for them. I remind them in certain subjects that there may be no wrong answers just tweaking to their answers.
I like to link some of the items and activities
in class to "my being a boss" and would the
student submit the project or work to someone
paying them for the item. Needless to say
I look for many opportunities to simulate or
tell them the "real" story on activities I
have experienced, that may vary some from the
official "textbook" information.
I have some students who see their adult education as a necessary evil, and unfortunately the only benefit they see is completing the course. It is a small number yet it happens. How do you get these students to buy in?
Hi Amy,
I had an instructor that would let us choose our own topic for various writing assignments or choose from a list of suggested topics to spark more excitement/interest.
Patricia
Hi George,
I like it! You are definitely my kind of professional; short, sweet, and straight to the point!
Patricia
Hi Liza,
How do you get your students to see the usefulness/purpose of the course.
Patricia
Hi Leesa,
Absolutely! Whenever students see that they can benefit from the course either personally and/or professionally they have a keen interest in the subject matter.
Patricia
Hi Keith,
Students tend to get it whenever you can apply the course to real life. They need to and want to know how they will benefit from their learning.
Patricia
