Teaching versus Instructing?
Is there a difference? How so? How do you instruct without being arrogant or coming across a know it all? Especially with professional examples and experience influenced ancedotes!
Hi George,
Students need to and want to know how the course work is applicable to the real world. It means more to them whenver they know they will posssibly encounter various concepts in the real world.
Patricia
One of the most interesting and effective things I have discovered after teaching as an adjunct faculty member for about seven (7) years in a curriculum geared toward my profession (day job), is sharing with the students just how much teaching the material to them has kept ME fresh in dealing with my profession on a daily basis. Demonstrating how a topic discussed in class surfaced in a real-world application during the intervening week between the last class seems to reinforce the value of the material being reviewed with the class.
Kirsten: Your question is? Is there a differnce between teaching vs. instructing. The answer is definately YES!
Consider the following:
Teaching is baically to show how to learn to do something - ie: to teach a child how to swim ( they have never done it before) - to provide with knowledge or insight, etc., to cause to know,to understand.
Most adults come to class with quite bit of life's experiences. What they need is to connect the subject they are taking, and you are teaching, with WIIFM. - What is in it for me. Now! How can I use it and why is it relevant?
Instruction - is similiar but more in the line of details on procedure; or directions. So there is somewhat of a base to work with - in the adult experiences, as compared to brand new experience(s).
Like so many words in the English language there are nuances in meaning or similarities in their deritives. So when dealing with adult learners consider using Faciliator in place of Instructor or Teacher.
A Faciliator - from Fr. after faciliter - facile - to make easier. Think of increasing the ease of performance of any action,resulting from the lessening of nerve,or nerveous resistence, by the continued successive application of the necessary stimulus to foster understanding.
Think varied subject matter and presentations. How can we, as the Faciliator, present the information in an interesting, fluid, practical way that makes sense to the vast majority of the class?
How can we, help the students relate to the subject matter based upon their current level of education, training and background? That is our challenge. So we do need to do a little research on the students background and have them tell us a little about themselves in our claassroom introductions. Then we need to find out more about them as the class goes on. Self-disclosure is needed to help us vary our presentations.
So our preparation needs to be such that we present the same material in serveral different ways at several different levels to our classes. We use humor, we use outlines, we use video, audio, class discussion, and individual presentations, theirs and ours, along with illustrative stories - on point. We also use current events from the newspapers, or internet that relate to the subject matter and course content.
We continue to Innovate, Adapt and Overcome obstacles to communication and understanding. We research ways to do it in order to get the material across to the class and stimulate their involvement and desire to research further for answers.
Not easy - but the distinction may add some insight to your question.
Larry Bignall, Cleveland, Ohio
Hi Kirsten,
Involving students in the learning process rather than lecturing to them works most of the time. Give them time to absorb new ideas then have them practice the application of these ideas. My courses are analytical. I have students work on problem solving in class where I am there to guide them but not tell them.
Cheri
Students should be coming to you with the understanding that you are the expert. Now there are a few that think they know more than you and in some cases do. When I have a student like that in class I ask them to put together a guest lecture one day or lead a group activity. This helps to validate that you appreciate their opinion and expertise. You definately run into a student like this more often when dealing with adult learners.
As for your expertise and knowledge, you were chosen to teach a course because of these things and the students want to hear from you. They want to learn from your experience, you just don't want to spend the entire class period talking about you. :)
Hi Kirsten,
Yes, teaching is the action of a person who teaches. Instructing is to communicate knowledge to. There are many knowledgeable instructors that are very humble with the intellect ablilities.
Patricia
