I have been teaching for about 17 mths. The buy in is the most important part. The mods we teach are only 5 week incremeents so they need to engage in the process immediately. My first supervisor told me to explain how the class will relate to thier future career ads a a motivator.
At first it was work for the sake of getting through the materials, now it is why we do it. I am just starting to use class portal to remind deadlines, ho,mework and class expectations, as well as placing them up onthe white board,
Students are in my class to obtain a career in respiratory therapy. This career requires an associate degree from an accredited college and passing of national board exams. Some of the things I teach are geared towards passing those board exams and other times I am focusing the instruction on passing the class they are in. I get the students to buy in buy reminding them of the end goal and telling them which goal the current instruction is geared towards.
Hi Christina-Rose,
You are on point! Excitement beginning with the instructor can be contagious!
Patricia Scales
Hi Tim,
I concur! Students get better clarity when examples are shown.
Patricia Scales
To get course buy-in, I tell them how that skill plays out in the real world. For example: Getting students interested in medical insurance and billing is difficult until they realize how much the doctors value individuals whom understand the business end of medicine and often pay these employees more money because of this skill. I am excited about the subject, so that excitement is infectious!
I teach basic computing along with software tools. I'm always looking for ways to apply these skills to homelife or worklife, and encourage the older students to share work experiences where they either used the skills, or wished they had them.
I also look for variety in the use of these skills to help break the stereotypes associated with each tool. For example, I used Excel to create a simple word game that generates silly names based on the students' names.
I motivate student engagement in the the course material by showing professional examples of graphic design work to help define professional levels of skill and the depth of problem solving. By showing the goals in familiar terms of common culture, a connection is made and their aspirations have a relevant point of contact. When the techniques and processes that result in professional level work are revealed to the student, the clarity the examples provide make the ideals more realistic and attainable.
Thank you, it has served me and the students well.
Hi Sandy,
Great response! I too had some of these struggling moments while working toward my bachelor's and master's. It is an awful feeling by the student when you have to do an assignment and you are unsure how to do it. You do not have a much of clue what the instructor is looking for nor do you understand the relevance of the assignment.
Patricia Scales
Hi Dionne,
You are on point! These are sure ways to gain buy in from students.
Patricia Scales
I tell them my personal experiences of how my education and training found me employmemnt, some of my tips/techniques on how to succeed academically, and the type of nestegg they can start building early with the advantage of this knowledge, and some of the things in life they will be able to afford with this nestegg. Then show them the other side of the story if they do not pay attention to their education.
Leon Guendoo
I agree with associating the knowledge gained in class with life experiences. This also forms a bond of that material for the student. This is also evident in the tactile teaching method. Remembering by doing or associating something allows the brain to retrieve that information and helps the student connect with that knowledge. I remember when I was going to school to complete my bachelors' degree and how so many professors related experience to their teaching. This made many of my classes relevant for me. I did have the one instructor who was very limited by what he told us as far as instruction. We had gone through most of the classes as a group and had formed a bond. He gave us an assignment that left so many questions unanswered. We struggeled with this information or lack of information. When the assignments were finished and the presentations were finished he sat at the front of the desk and asked us what we learned. Not being shy I stated that I struggeled more than I learned. He asked "Why?" I explained that I wasn't sure what he wanted from us. "Exactly!" "You had become so conditioned as students that you were on mechanic mode waiting for someone to tell you what to do instead of investigating and relating to your assignment." After that I have always made sure my students understood and bought into what they were learning and experiencing in my class.Knowledge is power as long as it has relevance to the one holding it.
1) Clearly outline the objectives.
2) Demonstrating how they apply to the real world.
3) Explaining how the information will personally help them succeed right now.
Hi Dawn,
I like how you use variety in gaining buy in from your students. You get your students to see the importance of the course.
Patricia Scales
Because I teach composition and many career students think it is a waste of their time, I begin my first class by talking about ways that they will be using writing in their personal and professional lives. Their second writing assignment asks them to evaluate their individual programs and make a recommendation to a friend as to whether he/she would be a good fit there. Finally my final exam is a reflective exercise in which my students are asked to consider what they have learned that term and how they can apply those skills to their own lives. By keeping application as a theme, I think this encourages students to place a greater value on the work that they do in the course.
I give them personal examples of how the course would helped my in my career.
It starts on the first day of class. I do the usual, going over the syllabus, etc. but I also share with them my enthusiasm for the subject, share why I think it is important for them to learn and an integral part of their overall plan to reach their own educational goals. I share a little bit about my teaching philosophy. I also let them know that ultimately I am there to help them. I try to make them feel confident that they will have the opportunity to be successful in the course.
Hi Sandhya,
Great ideas! When students can really see/understand how the course applies to their career, they take more of an interest in the course.
Patricia Scales
Hi Aimi,
Students enjoy it when share applicable examples to their careers.
Patricia Scales
Hi Toni,
I really like how you utilize your students experiences and get them to expand from that point.
Patricia Scales
