The students need to see how they will be engaged by the course. This will help them determine their interests, knowledge level at that point, expectations, time requirements, etc. Additionally, this will help them identify more with the course.
Hi Patricia and all,
Feed forward is a concept that I prefer to use in the class. An adult learner, perhaps, who has been out of the "class room" for many years, comes into the classroom with "fears of the unknown" and perhaps has not written an academic paper in many years. Since many of our colleges/universities refer to APA - I like to provide an example of an excellent APA paragraph and one that needs improvement and in addition, refer the student to the APA text and tutorials that we offer. The samples certainly help. These are offered before, rather than after (feed forward). Do you provide an example to your students prior to the due date of an assignment or after the fact?
Absolutely, I even show B, C, and F products. Students can then see the true picture of what the differences are.
Patricia
Hi Mimi,
Students get a better idea whenever examples are shared. Students really can visualize themselves doing the particular project, and they gain an overall understanding.
Patricia
Hi Medhin,
How do you believe it benefits students to see an example of a project/assignment?
Patricia
It takes the fear out of the work load in the class and shows them that others have done the work and succeeded.
As an MSN student i like to see the sample to help me see how i am doing in the course.
This will prepare the students what they are going to learn in the course and give them a direction.
Do you think it helps to show an "A" product and a "D" product so the students can see the difference?
Hi Bobby,
You gave an awesome response! You certainly paint the picture for your students. A picture can simply be worth a thousand words. Students are less intimidated whenever an example is shared.
Patricia
Showing examples helps to engage the students with the course, and, more specifically, helps them to see themselves as creating or managing specific tasks.
Dear Ms. Scales,
As a teacher in the culinary field it is very important to demonstrate a technique that may be required to successfully accomplish a production deadline, as well as achieve a finished dish that is both beautiful to look and eat. Knowing what is required of them the students get to see how a person in the field for many (43 )years can accomplish the production part of the course with ease and grace, due to constant study, repetative knife skills, and daily hard work. They can visually and manually grasp the concept of how a job should be completed, and in a desired time frame. Examples of finished dishes or componants of a dish can take the fear out of a students expectations and ease the students mind and body to perform the course requirements.
Bobby
Hi Susie,
I agree! Seeing is believing. The students automatically begin to understand by seeing the finished product. They get to see what it is they are working toward.
Patricia
Hi Marilyn,
Students want to and need to know how/why examples are applicable to the work world. Once students gain an understanding, the student is more motivated to get fully involved with the assignment.
Patricia
Hi Noralee,
Great response! It is certainly a motivator to show examples of students work. Students truly get a great boost in their confidence level once they see examples from previous students. They tend to have a better understanding as well.
Patricia
I believe that showing examples from former students, no names--for privacy, allows the students to:
1. See that this is something that other students have been able to do, thus they can do it.
2. It gives them ideas from the examples for their project.
3. The student can also get excited to see how the other students were able to apply what he/she was learning that related to the profession/career they have chosen.
I think that examples reinforce what the project is about, that the project is somethng that another student actually did, and makes the new student believe they can do it too!
They can see how what your teaching applies to the work world they will be in soon.
A picture is worth a thousand words! An example gives the student a visual model of the content they are expected to understand or deliver. It's the attractions along the roadmap - stop here and this is what you will see or do. It helps them be prepared.
Teaching general education courses, I sometimes show a variety of student work from previous terms to give new students concrete examples of what's exemplary. I also show examples of what's unnaceptable (as far as grading and professionalism goes). New students sometimes bring in their own ideas of what is good and bad, and anything I can do to make the class standards more concrete usually helps.
The will have a better understanding of what is expected of them
