Because all people are better at relating to "real life" memories because your emotions are tied into them. Whether a good or bad memory the feelings that are associated to them will always reinforce the visual and intelectual thoughts.
In the dental hygiene field, dental charting is a very important factor. It is unfortunately one that the students try to rush through. I have a guest speaker, a dentist, who gives a vivid presentation over forensics and the importance of proper charting. He uses images that will stick with the students and remind them of how important their jobs are and how important it is to do their jobs well.
Students can then relate and retrieve the course content/teaching point when it has been anchored to a personal experience. I try to provide a generic example that most of the students can relate to and then I ask a student for a personal example.
Cheryl,
yes, those real life examples are a great way to attach the theories & concepts to real life.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I think memorable examples are extremely valuable in helping students remember, because it gives them a reference and " mental picture". Many times, life events hold many lessons, each student will take away a little different picture and make it work for them. I like to hear students re-tell a story I have told them and listen to what part was most memorable for them.
Connie,
yes, I've said it often that those example provide pegs upon which the students can hang the concepts from the course.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Connie,
yes, I've said it often that those example provide pegs upon which the students can hang the concepts from the course.
Dr. Ryan Meers
My most memorial examples are ones from "real life" experiences where there are conflicts and unexpected resolutions
I think using real life examples makes what they are learning real. They can relate and it creates an emotion. That is when they remember the concept and have a relatable story to help them retain it.
Sharon,
yes the real life examples are one of the best ways to assist students in cementing the concepts.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Beause it will be easy for the student to remember.
It stands out in the students mind, either brings back similar memories or gives them something to relate to.
Students and humans in general understand better with the right illustrations and/or analogies. Using examples from the students' own experiences improve learning and enhance retention. These memorable examples may also serve as cues for memory retrieval later when students need that information to answer exam questions or to perform a task at work.
I feel they help the student to make identifications with more than just the basic material and further their understanding.
If it's the instructor using memorable examples, it may show the student that the instructor is human and has struggeled or had difficult life experiences. It can also be a spring board to connect with classmates and develop a caring team. It also shows relevancy of the topic in "real day life".
When teaching courses such as Medical Terminology I like to use words that the students have heard before and relate it back to the term. I also use a lot of hand gestures to help the students remember the words. For instance I always remember -itis as inflammation because I cup my hand up and move my fingers slightly and it reminds me of flames which helps me remember and my students remember what -itis is.
I use a lot or real world examples in my classes as well. Sometimes I use them if I see that the class is getting frustrated with a particular hands on activity. I will give an example of how the approach could be different in the working environment and still get the same result. I usually follow with "you have to learn to walk before you can run" and sometimes that can be frustrating but you have to keep trying. Once you get the basic concept down, you can use shortcuts later to make the job easier.
Sometimes if I see the class getting overwhelmed with the content of a lecture, I will interject with a funny patient story that I experienced while I was in the field. This tends to get the students talking and relaxed. It also shows them how the lecture can relate to patient care.
I find that relating memorable examples from my own experience in the field helps to reinforce course content as well as give the learners concrete examples of what they can expect in the "real world".
Using examples is a way to visualize the content and get a sense of how it applies in a real-world scenario. Often times the textbook will explain key terms with a definition and maybe even a paragraph of explanation, but the term still doesn't make sense to some students. Giving an example helps them to visualize what that term really means and understand the concepts that go along with it. I try to use examples as much as possible. Sometimes I might have trouble thinking of an example on the spot and I might end up giving an example that is somewhat "silly", however I have found that students tend to remember the silly/funny examples the best!
I use storytelling techniques to inform students of mental health disorders, symtoms, interventions, and medications. While I am telling them the story, they are cataloguing my descriptions of the location, person, age, situation, presentation, behaviors, symptoms and therapeutic nursing care. They tell me later that they never forget my stories and that they help them remember the disorders and how to deal with them in the future. Thanks, marie
