Juliet,
Would you at least "consider" changing things in later semesters (if you had the control) if the student had a valid point. Sometimes we can learn from our students and realize we might be teaching something that is out of date. Content changes quickly in many fields.
Herbert Brown III
I would respond to the e-mail privately, thanking him for his feed back. I would explain (briefly) the purpose of the assignments in the grand scheme of the chapter and class itself, and welcome his input, as long as it remains appropriate. I would not change a thing...
The student should be reminded of the course outcomes and draw attention to how the assignment relates to a particualr outcome as it should.
I would tell the learner that the relevancy of the activities may not be apparent to him or her at least initially; however, I would explain why the material is important and relevant and why those particular selections were chosen.
I would respond to the student explaining why I think they are relevant. I would let him know that he can put as much into the course as he wants to and that his responses might help others.
I've actually had this to happen to me on several occasions. It is important to let the student know that you have to have a foundation and in many jobs you touch on things that you wouldn't think is an important part of your particular field or job. It is important to let them understand that being able to communicate both verbally and in writing.
Well, the first thing I would do is consider what he is saying and evaluate. Perhaps I missed something? Once I determine that I haven't, I would then proceed to explain exactly why they are relevant and why the assignments are NOT a waste of time by starting with the OBJECTIVE. Then I would outline why the material helps him/her to achieve the objective by breaking down specifics.
First off, I review the dBoard items before I release them. I must feel the question is correct for the module content. (..and sometimes it isn't!) If a student questions me, I would then state my case. After that, I would ask the student to give me suggestions for questions that I can use now or in the future.
Most courses are organized with learning objectives and it is important that the discussion questions connect to those learning objectives. Sometimes when students say the discussion question are not relevant, it may be another way of saying the student does not understand the question, feels overwhelmed or does not understand the importance of a question.
If the student also goes beyond complaining about the questions and stating that the assignments are a waste of time, then it would be helpful for the online teacher to explain how the assignments relate to the learning objectives and to real life situations.
For example, I have known of students who think taking English classes is a waste of time who are technology students. However, when I explain that it is essential that people be able to write reports and communicate effectively in emails for career promotions, the dialogue with the student can change. In other words, making an association with the concepts and the student's career are effective.
Also, I would politely remind students that if the initial discussion questions don't appear to be relevant to him or her, that he or she has an opportunity to ask additional questions that he or she perceive as relevant. In other words, I will give a student an opportunity to offer suggestions to improve questions gladly and say, "what are some examples of questions you might consider more relevant than the ones found in this week's information?"
Finally, it is important to engage all students in the learning process. If a student is disengaged, there may be extenuating personal circumstances that prevent the student from focusing on a particular course. I recall a student who saw no relevance in taking a Business Law course I taught 30 years ago although he was a business major. So I gave him some examples how a lack of fundamental legal knowledge could harm him or his company, meaning how it could have cost him money. Afterwards, he began to see that a lack of knowledge could be hurtful to his professional career so he changed this perspective. I did not criticize the student's opinion. Instead, I explained how the course knowledge would assist him with his professional career.
I would send a private message acknowledging their thoughts, I would explain the purpose of the learning activities and how they relate to business.
I would recommend the student to remember these concerns when the course evaluation comes up. That their input is appreciated.
Diana,
I believe that anytime you can personalize the experience for the students and allow them the flexibility to complete work in their areas of interest you will better motivate them in their learning.
Herbert Brown III
I make a lot of my assignments based on the individual student's current experience, either in their work world or school/home world. I ask them to write about their experiences or pick projects related to their world. This has worked for keeping students engaged.
I would explan that this is how the educational curriculum is set up and that we as a classroom can re evaluate and may add different perspectives on issues. Also it should be mentioned that as an employee we do not get to pick and choose what is expected or what we should do. We have supervisors want.
Opinions with adult learners are common. I would ensure that the discussion is relevant by providing information on how it is related to learning outcomes and objectives, as well as other real-world situations.
I have found in my experience that remaining positive (even when you are dealing with a negative comment) is always the best medicine. I would acknowledge the student and give them respect as you answer how, in fact what we are discussing is relevant. I would tell them I was sorry they didn't understand and I hope I helped in making it clearer to them.
That is why courses have Learning or Terminal Course Objectives. An instructor can always tie back to those objectives and even program objectives to show the student(s) why certatin topics, assignments, questions are relevant in their area of study.
Additional explanation of the relevance and purpose of the assignment may assist the learner to see the necessity.
If a learner sends me an email indicating that the learning unit is irrelevant and wasting his time, I first would want to find out why. I need to consider the argument and determine if there is any merit to the statement as it applies to the student.
Upon finding out the specific issue, then I believe I should show the student why the concepts in the course content apply to him or her. I ask them to show me how concepts are applicable to the general population and to them.
I believe most issues regarding the course content are that students may have an immediacy issue, and do not see how it applies later in life.
Walter
I would thank the student for their opinion and feedback. I would explain that the activities are relevant for emphasizing some of the course objectives. In addition, I would explain how the activities correlate to contemporary occupational practices.
John,
I appreciate that you recognize that the student may have a point regarding the content and you are not just listening to their suggestion but you are turning it in to a better learning experience for the student. I might just encourage us to revisit the content in future semesters and tweak it based on this or other experiences. That helps us be better instructors.
Herbert Brown III
