I believe that the students that do poorly on assignments or in participation do so because they do not understand what to do. Examples allow us to help students understand exactly what is expected on the assignment or task. Therefore, it is helpful to show our students examples of the work they will be doing in the upcoming course.
Frankly, so they can see the level of quality the instructor expects of them.
I believe showing examples of work the students will be doing is important because the students get a good idea of what is expected, and ideas of how to put that into practice with their own projects.
I think that students like to get an idea of what is expected. This give them motivation.
Because then they know what my expectations are. I usually will have an example of an "A" poster versus "C" or "D" poster.
In my math class I assign a "History of Math Paper" and presentation that is due at the end of the quarter. I often save what previous quarter students have done to create examples of what I am and am not looking for. I also hand out a rubric for the assignment so they can visually see what I am looking for as well as the specific details for what I am looking for.
Students love to see their own work posted in a classroom or bulletin board. It makes them feel that what they did has been deemed at least acceptable by the teacher, and then they are more likely to buy into the teacher's method of managing the class, and would more likely perform better in class. They are also more likely to act as peer monitors and discourage other students from disrupting the class.
i show examples of exceptional work so students have an understanding of what is expected
In showing examples of the work students will be performing in the course, you are reducing the anxiety present at the start of every new course for a student. Sometimes when we as instructors simply state what is required, it can be misinterpreted or overly complicated. By showing students what is to be expected on a project or a presentation, they have a feel for what you as an instructor are looking for and, thus, feel that they can readily accept the challenge ahead of them.
I have found that non-examples teach as much as examples. Also, students see that other students did not have all of the answers before they started the class, but learned and had realistic demands that could be met.
It is helpful to show my students examples of what they will be doing so that they know what to expect. By taking away some of the "fear of the unkown" I can open their minds to concentrate on the subject at hand. If they know what to expect, they are not worrying about the unknown when they need to concentrate on the task at hand. This applies in any classroom environment, whether online or brick and mortar. All students, young or more experienced adults, come into their first class with a certain trepidation concerning what to expect. By easing their minds and taking some of this away, they are able to learn faster and retain information longer. As a result, I don't need to re-visit material as often as I may have prior to using this technique.
Hi Charlotte,
Absolutely! Visuals give students great confidence as well as excitement.
Patricia
Hi Joelle,
Students like and appreciate having a guide to follow. I normally give them the guidelines of the paper and a handout of the rules for APA format. This has worked well also. I can see how your students can really benefit from having a sample research paper to refer to.
Patricia
Hi Annette,
Great idea! It is amazing what students can learn from each other.
Patricia
every student not only has their own way of learning but their own way of expressing themselves. eve nwith adult learners projects are very helpful. I usally require a power point and 5 min. leacture to allow for each student to have a teaching as well as learning experence from each other.
Great idea and possibly students would not be as nervous about what is expected of them, especially students who have been out of the classroom enviorment for awhile.
Students will like to know what they are going to be doing throughout the course and this way it will give them something to look forward to and to help maintaine their intrest in class.
The typical student at my school has already experienced life and knows the ups and downs. they have struggled with jobs and careers and are looking for a better way. If we show them the examples of what they will accomplish by attending classes, they will be more motivated. It will give them hope and the light at the end of the tunnel.
It helps to show students examples of work they will be completing because it sets an expectation of what you want to receive from them as an instructor and it also helps them to understand what an A paper looks like and what an F paper looks like and what they need to do to receive the best possible grade.
Nicole
