It connects the instructor with the class. It also makes the class more interesting and excites them on the material the instructor is presenting
Having worked for many years prior to becomming an instructor I have found the use of real world examples to be invaluable. This allows the students to better understand the pending work world they will be entering given that it is from that world and not just from a text book.
It is one thing to describe something from a text, it is quite another thing to link the text to a real-world experience and describe that experience to a class.
Like we have learned, everybody loves a good story teller. The best teacher, I think, is a teacher that can connect what he or she is teaching with anything. When I mean anything, I mean literally anything.
Students like analogies. Students need to visualize a material. If a teacher connects something with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the student will see it in their head and hopefully will make that connection as well. Story telling is a tool that we must use to be effective teachers.
David,
yes & your experiences & examples help them connect the theories to the real.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Marco ,
I completely agree with you. The most effective instructors can pull analogies out of thin air & these really are useful in helping our students recall the information.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I believe any time we can put a picture in their head, they will remember it much longer. I try to do this whenever I can because students will come to me later and say, "You know I always remember the point you made about"_____", because I can see you telling us about it.
The lecture itself may be structured as a narrative, or a story can simply be an illustration of a key point. Taking advantage of the natural drama of stories can help the pacing and flow of your lectures. Think of yourself as a storyteller. Rather than marching through the material, fact by fact, you can add storytelling flourishes. Let the suspense build - pause for a moment before revealing the results of the story, to draw in students' attention. Stories can also be a natural way to introduce humor into your lecture.
A memorable example creates a picture in the students mind. One can retain something faster with a comparison, a fun fact, or even a quote.
Memorable examples give students something to relate to the information they are trying to absorb, rather than to simply rote memorize. It aids in recall of that concept when the student needs to put it into practice. It even helps with lecture when the concept comes up again. Instead of having to reteach or go into extensive review of the concept, simply referring to the memorable example brings back the concept and its application with clarity. I sometimes even tie concepts to silly or ridiculus examples which can make them even more memorable. Examples that are readily "visualized" mentally have been particullary helpful for me because they are so easily recalled.
Ivan,
this is so true. I tutored a friend in undergrad in History & she commented that she understood it so much better because I related it as a story rather than facts.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Heather,
yes, not only do the examples help to solidify concepts they really do help greatly with retention.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Jon ,
this is a great idea & those silly examples really can be great posts for recall in the "heat" of the moment.
Dr. Ryan Meers
People dont remeber words. It doesnt stick as well as creating the picture. Myself, a visual learner so i do well when an instructor uses examples that mean something and creates a mental picture. Something that they can refer back to while taking the test.
The field I teach gives students the opportunity to become self employed as well as an employee. I find it important to share the pros and cons of both approaches, and the examples of both good and poor choices/decisions from my experience. If I can save them from set-backs I will.
Shea,
absolutely, the mental pictures we create really help to retain the information & provide those pegs for remembering the content.
Dr. Ryan Meers
When you are teaching students a subject where remembering the different components are essential, particularly if it is a subject where material is built up on, then usuing memorable examples is pertinent. Or of course, when it will be something they will need to "remember".
Brenda,
yes & the memorable examples can also be wonderful ways of helping the students see how the information is applied.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Using real-life examples works very well. If you can present topics on the same level as your students they can use their own life experiences to relate, rather than creating brand new information or topics. I the opportunity is present to build on exisiting information, the student is more likely to grasp the information.
Yes Bernie,
I too have been in my specialty for many years. Stories easily come from so many years of life experiences. I do find that the students without much life experience do not relate to those "memorable moments" as much as the more experienced students do, so I carefully watch my amount of "war stories" when the (often) younger students display boredom or disinterest.
In defense of including memorable moments of history, it deepens the learner's appreciation for current concepts, by showing how those concepts evolved.
