Memorable examples help students process information and facilitates better learning. It's also helpful in the field of criminal justice, which I teach, because it also gives them exposure to the field they will be working in themselves. It can prepare them for what to expect.
Memorable examples are valuable because they allow students to make that needed connection with course content and real life examples so that this information can and will be retained.
It realyy gives them something to relate to. I especially use it when a key point is being made. They may not always remember the key point alone, but using a memorable example from my experience, they put the two together, finding it easier to recall the information.
Real life examples help students relate to a similar situation in their own lives. In my opinion the subject matter becomes more relevant to them.
It gives them examples that help them to better understand the concepts that you are talking about. It also allows them to place those concepts into real world applications.
tameral,
Yes the real life examples really do help students attach the theoretical concepts from the course to real life.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Robert,
I too have found that those real life examples help provide those memory pegs for students on which they can hang the overarching concepts.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Not only does it give them a real world example of the concecpt or procedure to make what they are learninng worth while . but it can give you a chance to share of you own experiences, make you more approachable. How you have learned through the school of hard knocks and letting reep the benefits of your knowledge base.
vinny,
you make a great point here that I hadn't really considered before. By sharing our experiences we are making ourselves more human & our students may feel more comfortable in talking to us about struggles, etc. Thanks for broadening my thinking.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Memorable examples are essential to helping students relate to the material being presented. For example, when teaching a lesson in psychology students were able to remember a key concept by merely relating it to the Allstate mayhem commercials. On test time, many students got a question related to this concept correct because they remembered the relationship with the Allstate mayhem commercials.
I find that in teaching a concept to students if I can give them a real life example or connect the topic to thier own lives, they retain the information so much better. I do this with medical stories from the field (all personal info left out of course!)
Developing a rapport with your students is a key ingredient to the learning concept. Once they realize that the instructor "Knows" them as a living, breathing, personalized, individual, the barriers to learning come crashing down. Memorable examples (if utilized immediately after this realization occurs), especially their own personal ones, become the 'bonding-link' between student & instructor. Not only does this allow the 'link' to be reinforced every time the student enters the 'hallowed-halls' of your classroom, but, it allows for student-retention, in that they now "want" to get to your class because they're acknowledged in that environment. Using this same technique with the course materials will provide equally reliable results. As an example, I make it a point, when I am in the forums or blogging, to put my best effort forward, in regard to my usage of grammar, spelling and punctuation. I'm not always perfect, but, I am willing to bet, that, more than a few facilitators reading the forum discussions, are appalled with the construction of the responses that they receive. Memorable examples, for me, were the "classic" authors, whose prose and style, just made me want to imitate them, more and more. "Practice makes perfect." Wouldn't you agree?
Giving the students something memorable will help them recall the information later. I find that when I hit a dull lecture and try to do something funny or a little unexpected that my students will remember that and be able to recall the information that I was lecturing on much better.
Giving the students something memorable will help them recall the information later. I find that when I hit a dull lecture and try to do something funny or a little unexpected that my students will remember that and be able to recall the information that I was lecturing on much better.
Giving the students something memorable will help them recall the information later. I find that when I hit a dull lecture and try to do something funny or a little unexpected that my students will remember that and be able to recall the information that I was lecturing on much better.
It gives the students something to relate the course content with. I have used stories and some of my experiences while teaching a critical care item and then when the students see it in real life they remember the "story" and can more quickly bring the content into practice.
Quebec,
that is a great example of how this can help. When I was teaching World History to high schoolers, I was amazed at how many times "Joe Egyptian" (a pretend guy I made up in class to illustrate a point) showed up in essay questions.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Paula,
yes, I like to think of it that you are giving the students a peg on which to hang the theoretical concepts.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Joseph,
I too have found that stories help greatly with that rapport. Our students want to know us & when we share our stories they get to know us as people.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Jennifer,
It is very interesting to note how these little things help them recall the information later on.
Dr. Ryan Meers
