Raquel,
Real life situations are great examples & I've found it's helpful to not only share the success stories but also my mistakes too.
Dr. Ryan Meers
It applies what they learned to a real life situation.
I teach Contemporary Cuisine. I am constantly presenting my students with real-life examples. I talk about all of the interesting and new cuisines that chefs in the industry are preparing. They worship these people because many of them are celebrities, it is very easy to hold their attention during the boring parts that way!
Memorable examples will help the student visualize what the instructor is talking about, therefore they will be able to retain the course content.
I love using memorable examples, as I know this is what also helps me to remember key points of information. For instance, I loved the example used in the forum where ther heart was compared to an electric box! That was fantastic! I will most definately be using that as an example in the future!
Coleen,
When I was teaching history to high school students, it was always interesting & exciting to see how many of my examples/illustrations made their way back into essay responses on the exams. They do help!
Dr. Ryan Meers
Elizabeth,
Absolutely; the memorable examples we use are best characterized as pegs on which the students can hang the concepts they are learning.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Memorable examples are important because it can help a student retain the concept or information in a more practical form. For example, I tell my students that I want them to learn the concepts and be familiar with the knowledge not necessarily memorize word for word. When they leave my class they are going to take a certification exam which will question their knowledge of the subject and theories. A memorable example makes things more applicable which is a good indicator that you have truly learned something. I recall reading somewhere that you truly have learned something when you can explain it in the simplest terms.
The more involved the students are in the learning process the more they will remember the content being taught.
Miriam,
I have heard that as well & have found it to be true in my own experience. Those memorable examples provide great points on which the facts & theories can be built.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Eva,
It has been demonstrated many times over that the more active & involved students are in the learning process, the more they will retain.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Memorable examples are ways to tie the information you are teaching to a students learning process. If the student can recall the example it will help them recall the information you were trying to convey. People often associate information they have just been introduced to with an example of its application to help jog their memory when they will need to recall the information, for instance during an exam.
Students and people in general remember their own experiences better than anyone else. Application of real experiences can be excellent triggers for retaining information. In my classes I try to incorporate real world examples to help students apply certain topics.
Using examples, something relateable helps to reinforce and helps student retain the concept or idea.
Patricia,
Real world examples help provide pegs upon which our students can hang the theories, facts, techniques, etc. And then, as you said, help them recall this information when they need it.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I really think that history, in particular, should never be boring because it's actually a huge collection of stories.
John,
Yes, yes, yes! I taught history for 4 years & said the same thing. Sadly too many history teachers only teach dates & facts & don't package them as the stories they are. But many instructors do this no matter what the course, stories are powerful.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Students will have experiences, people or thing to link with the concept. This is a great way to facilitate learning.
With the use of examples both from students and instructor, students tend to remember and relate more to the concept taught.
Jacqulin,
Absolutely! These experiences, whether from the instructor or other students are great opportunities for the students to connect the learning to something real & tangible.
Dr. Ryan Meers
