Great course, ED 209.
I see a lot of adult learners come through our school, and they are the self-directed learners. From these, I can always count on timely assignments, serious class input, and finished projects.
They are sometimes mentors to the younger aged students who are still trying to find their way through college life.
The text on passive and active listening was important for me, to focus on my own ability to hear my students. Am I really listening? Or am I waiting to give them my opinion. The topic covering verbal and non-verbal communication was enlightening. This is a course topic in most communication-theory based colleges. Non-verbal speaks volumes, and the consequences at times haven't been good for some folks.
As for seeing students as customers, I think this idea of being good listeners and helping them through the learning process is an important lesson for instructors. Customer is a word that denotes business, and in a way, education is a business...we're about learning, instructing and helping students achieve success. However, it is the type of customer that goes far beyond the cost, their pay-out, but what they get for that. We should never sell out as instructors and let corporations mandate the flow of education. That's what they hire instructors for.
It's a noble idea to maintain good business, but it's even more important to maintain good students as customers, coming to the table eager to learn what we have planned weeks to share and explore.
