Get Your Students Hired
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Students as Customers --> Customer Service in the Classroom
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
To meet the needs of adult learners we need to be flexible and competent. Even self-directed learners require support. It is in our best interest to be aware of our verbal and non-verbal cues.
Most adults are very motivated to learn, specially based on their specific goals. Self directed learning is a great way for these students to thrive. Although guidance is still important for the process to be successful.
Be prepared for discussions and allow students to form opinions. However, the classroom lessons need to be outlined and structured for students to have expectations.
Good information here. I have found this to cause me to examine the balance of my delivery between "student centered" and Instructor directed" approaches. This tends to vary from cohort to cohort and needs to be higher on my list of evaluating the best approach for a given group or individual.
Adult learners are more likely to take their own initiatives for studying and applying knowledge from experience, however many adult learners benefit from a structured environment where they are aware of what topics need more of their attention.
To treat students as customers we need to implement guidelines, use effective teaching strategies, and mentor.
Interact with students for the different learning style preferences, then create lesson plans. Students have different learning styles.
All students are individuals and have different learning styles. In order to promote effective learning, instructors should recognize their student's individuality and tailor each student's lessons to their needs.
Would be awesome if we can get all students to meet or be:
Independent.
Willing to take initiative.
Persistent and eager to learn.
Disciplined.
Confident.
Desires to learn more.
Able to organize time.
Develops plans for completion.
Enjoys learning.
Remains goal oriented.
Unfortunately not all are, and we have to guide to get there. We can doooo it.
Smatt
Self-directed learning is very important for students learning. Most adult learners are very self-motivated and just need additional guidance for learning a specific skill. I always say that I am a "tool for learning, a source of reference, a guide".
Although self-directed learning may be a trait of some adult learners, my current experience is that many students acknowledge not reading the assigned required reading before class and have an expectation that the instructor should tell them what they need to know. This is very disheartening and frustrating especially when the students are pursuing becoming a professional nurse and potentially caring for members of the public who still have a lot of respect for the nursing profession. In addition, one must wonder if they will adopt and endorse the principle of life long learning to pursue and implement evidence based practice in their future work if they do not currently demonstrate motivation to read about topics to be discussed in the classroom.
Organized classroom time is always more positively beneficial to the student. It is helpful to stop and flip the classroom at least every 15-30 minutes.
Good to explore different styles of learning for adult learners. Andragogy opposed to Pedagogy needs to be the mindset for the adult learner.
To treat students like customers we need to implement guidelines, techniques for advising, and mentoring.
I appreciate that many adult learners are independent and self-motivated but some adults need more guidance and encouragement in the process. I appreciate the different types of learning techniques to incorporate into the classroom setting to help the different type of adult learners and their post experiences.
Self motivators have several characteristics. Adult learners were found to have different preferences for learning such as teacher directed discussions.
Some students want lectures to be organized and have an outline. Some students like to work alone when others like study groups. I feel as instructors we need to ask how the studen's learn best. If a student is having difficulty then they need to meet with the instructor and try and find away to help the learn.
I have learned that customer service in the classroom depends on the instructor's level of preparation and understanding of how best to motivate students to own the learning process.
It is not easy but we as instructors must try to teach to each students learning style.