Hi Monique,
Great point! There is also a flip side, share how they can pick up pointers from your great experience.
Patricia
Hi Alphia,
I like how you use a variety of things to show course relevancy. Students like the mixture. By sharing a mixture, it definitely adds validity.
Patricia
Provide examples, stories, testimonials, etc of successful impacts to former students.
Motivating the students to show interest in the material by incorperating clinical hands on to the lecture.Using statements and strategies that meet each students need.Tell stories of past graduates who have gone through positive changes and have overcome hurdles while enrolled in school.Tell them what is expected in the field in order to be successful.
Hi Caren,
It is so much more effective whenever concepts can be taught pertaining to real-world experience. Students tend to get it whenever practical concepts are taught.
Patricia
One way to show the relevancy of the course when teaching culinary arts is to bring in different menus from restaurants around town and discuss the elements of those menus (those skills and techniques) that they are learning in my class. Seeing these skills used in the field every day illustrates their relevance.
I teach a science. The thing that gets the students interested is how things affect their own health or how how this contributes to their major. For example, I would want them to know how to cook for someone who has diabetes.
David-
I couldn't agree more. In teaching law, many lawyers say that we should avoid telling 'war stories.' I don't think there's a better way to learn than from other people's mistakes- except perhaps learning from our own. Thanks for sharing your experience.
It's funny. One of the most relevant courses I ever took was philosophy. It helped me learn how to think properly.
Martin- Excellent idea. I agree that it's important to give both sides of the coin. What's the use of having experience if you can't help your students learn from your mistakes?
Teaching Criminal Justice, it's pretty easy to demonstrate the relevance of course content. During my undergraduate work, I had a classmate who used to stress out about mastering the material. He'd say, "what if I miss something, and that's the one thing I need to know someday to avoid being killed"? Principles of Law Enforcement is the course I usually facilitate. Most students come to it motivated to learn more about their chosen field and see the relevancy of the topics.
The ethics and moral development section of the course can be a hard sell to some folks. However, I try to stress that in order to attain employment in the field and to retain it, they need to master the material and be able to (at least) walk the walk and talk the talk.
Hi Lynn,
Great points to discuss with Culinary majors as to why they have to take Pyschology! It would work nicely if you had a prepared PowerPoint to share with them on day one the purpose for taking the course. We do this at my educational institution for every course we offer. It is just a short PowerPoint presentation. Students love the presentations.
Patricia
As a Psychology instructor at a Culinary school I encounter this challenge at the beginning of every new class rotation. All my students want to know why they have to take Psychology when they are there to learn how to cook. I explain to them that psychology will help them understand their employees and co-workers much easier. Tensions run high in a kitchen, and they need to be prepared to respond and react effectively in such an environment. I also explain how psychology can benefit them in their every day personal lives as well. They do not always understand in the beginning, but as the course continues, they are able to see the relevancy through real life examples in the lectures and discussions.
I think the best way to show relevency is to give "real world" examples regarding how the content will be used in their career. I try to do this by giving them hypothetical scenarios and then providing supporting examples by using my relevant experience. Breaking the content down in a "you might see this when" situation helps my students relate to the material on a more personal level and it also helps them to trust my knowledge and experience.
Hi Thomas,
Of course, these folks can be excellent resources. Students will open up to these students who are already working in field. They are interested in hearing about their experience.
Patricia
Hi Susan,
Students enjoy hearing real world examples. They tend to really relate to this type of teaching.
Patricia
Giving real world examples of how this translates into the industry.
Relevancy can be shown by involving the students in the class who are already working in the field.They can attest to the relevancy of the course.
Hi Kimberly,
Students really become engaged whenever the instructor relates the concept to practical experience.
Patricia
Hi Rainerio,
Students want to and need to know how various concepts are applicable in the work place.
Patricia
