Our program focuses on the physician's office. So not only do I use my experience I use my students experience as a patient to introduce an objective and then help build the bridge to what it means in the profession.
When disscussing the course content I make sure and point out how it is related and will impact their success at the extern sites.
As a chef instructor teaching brand new culinary students fundamental skills, I think a good way to demonstrate my class's importance and relevance is to share stories of successful chefs both in the local industry and "celebrity chefs" known nation-wide who began their careers in classrooms very similar to my own.
I also receive from time to time plates of food prepared by other classes, and like to point out how the fundamental basics my students are currently learning are being executed in finished dishes prepared by more advanced classes.
Hi Bill,
Get with the sociology instructor so that you know how to better present this to your students and for your understanding.
Patricia Scales
By explaining how the current class materials will benefit them in the long run to help them become better professionals. For example tying the current information being taught to some goal or requiremnet that they will have to complete in order to be successful in their particular field. I am a Medical Assisting Instructor and I teach Anatomy and Physiology. I explain to my students that doing well in A&P classes now will help them perform better on their third party exams they have to take to become a Registerd medical Assistant(RMA).
This is a question I think about often. I am a general education instructor in a career college. Why should veterinary technology students have to learn sociology, or algebra? For courses like these, some knowledge of the subject matter may be a prerequisite for understanding their relevancy. For example, I think asking why a veterinary technology student should learn sociology might be a good essay question to ask at the end of the course, but this still leaves the question of how to show relevancy at the beginning.
Hi ANTOINETTE,
Great questions to poise to students to get them to understand the course relevancy. These are great points to get one thinking as well.
Patricia Scales
Hi Joseph,
Awesome! I am sure you have great stories to share with your students that are applicable to their career.
Patricia Scales
I teach ethics. I often get students who believe that they are already ethical people and therefore do not need any further instruction on the subject matter. I demonstrate that my course is relevant by asking them several Socratic questions. First, I inquire as to what their defiinition of ethics is, then I follow up with an inquiry about what makes them ethical. My third question is then about what amount of consideration did they give before deciding to enter the medical field. Typically, most students will say none. They just felt that they know what they want to do, and that should be the end of it. I then point out to them how the vast majority of ethicist would then deem such a course of action as unethical. That usually knocks the socks off of most of my students and they then become a lot more engaged from that point on.
Hi Kennedy,
I really like letting my students know how the course pertains to the real world and their career.
Patricia Scales
I currently instruct and work the lab out in the field I also graduated from a sister school to where i instruct so i draw from my practical experience in school and in the hospital to relate it to our studies in class. this way the student realizes that what I am teaching will be applied in there career.
I think you can show relevancy to the course to your students by adding some of your personal experiences when you were out in the field and also what you did when confronted with the situation.You can also have a discussion with them to see what they would do if confronted witht the same situation.
How it applies to their degree choice
Hi Lori,
I agree! When students find out how the course will help them in their career or to even gain employment, they have a better understanding of the course relevancy.
Patricia Scales
Initial students can demonstrate course relevancy by doing a simple internet search on their prospective employment field. The can show there relevancy to the course by doing a job search, or employment screening requirement, and finding the way that their education will answer those employment questions.
Thank you,
Lori Hules
Showing relevancy to course content can be by specific example from professional experience, especially in my field, Massage Therapy. I share with my students scenarios and real problem solving cases I have dealt with in the field and how it stands relevant to the course material in lecture and labs.
Hi Paul,
When a class prepares students for their certification test, they fully realize the importance of the course.
Patricia Scales
I teach fundamentals of electricity to students desiring to repair electrically operated machines. It's pretty simple, when 9 out of 10 problems found are electrical in nature. The other class of mine, prepares them for their certification tests. There again, they will not be able to work in the field without the instruction offered in my classes.
A great way to show relevancy is to give them real world examples of how they will utilize the information given the in class in their future careers.
By giving examples of course related topics that I experienced in the field.
