Last Minute Sign-ups

In my program area I am experiencing higher than normal last minute sign-ups. This causes a big problem for me and for the instructors. You may have experienced this. The problem is we don’t know whether to cancel a class or let it run. Case in point, on a Wednesday I had 3 people signed up for a class. I needed to cancel it by Thursday and needed, in this case, 5 people for it to go. On Thursday I got number 4 with a possible number 5 so I let it ride one more day. The class ran on Monday with 7 people in it. Had I cancelled on Thursday as I had planned…well, you get the point.

I wish I could say this is something we can fix but it isn’t. With the tight economy, last minute planning and the current culture, this kind of thing may be with us for a long time.

What is an instructor to do? Decide a cut off time that works for you and communicate it to your programmer. If you are good to wait till the last minute, great. If you aren’t, that is great too. Just let us know. Make extra copies of your handouts for those last minute arrivals. Be flexible with your class plan. If you believe you are going to have 5 in class and 10 show-up, be ready to make some changes. No, this doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Finally, be aware we are watching the registration numbers but can’t monitor them all the time. We do our best to let you know who and how many you will have in class.

Please share with us any thoughts you have on this subject and what kind of challenges you face.

How many in my class?

Wondering how registration is going for your class? You can check it online at any time. Click on the link below to take you to our new registration system and do a search for your class by class title. For instance, I did a search for Macintosh Basics. It brought up the screen showing there were 7 seats. This means that there are 7 seats available. Now I happen to know that this class has a total of 20 seats so that means that there are 13 students signed up for this class right now.

If you don’t know the maximum seats for your class you can find it in two places. It is on your contract which was emailed, mailed or otherwise sent to you or you can call your Program Manager and ask her/him. We will send you a roster before your class, but knowing the number ahead of time can help you prepare.

http://selfservice.cocc.edu:7001/flexibleregistration/index.jsp?frc=CLMAIN

Can We Talk?

One element that is often lost in a classroom is the opportunity for the students to interact with one another about a topic. The Socratic method of instruction helps restore the lost element.

An aspect of the method is for the instructor to pose a question with students then given time to discuss it. Students use classroom material, prior knowledge, and facts to bolster their opinions.The instructor steps back and observes the process, but it’s the students who are talking and, therefore, learning.

Studies suggest that students retain what they learn when they talk to each other about the question. They tend to focus on both the similarities and differences in opinions and compare the ideas of others to their own. Thus, they begin to develop their own voice regarding the subject.

Teaching the Correct Level of Material

As previous posts have suggested, having a successful class for both the students and yourself requires a number of classroom management strategies. This suggestion involves making sure your class material is the same as the description in the schedule and that you inform the students as to what will be taught.

For example:

1. If you are teaching a beginning class, confine the content to beginning material.

2. If you are teaching an intermediate class, you might briefly recap relevant beginning material but be sure to teach intermediate material.

Getting Ready for the Winter Session

In order to be ready for a new session and its classes, I review a check list of activities that help set the tone for the classes. The list is shown below. Give it a try.

• Contact the students before the class begins and offer suggestions on materials they will need to bring, location of the classroom, parking issues, etc.


• Greet the student at the classroom door and introduce yourself.


• Provide materials for making table tents or name tags to help others know their classmates.


• Inform the students about break times, restroom locations, cell phone etiquette, etc.


• Conduct an ice breaker to help people feel comfortable.


• Start the class on time.


• Give an overview of the class.


• Provide frequent breaks during the meeting.


• Encourage participation.


• Conclude the class on time

Myth Busting: Is Multitasking a Good Thing?

Have you ever wondered if multitasking saves time or is a good way to learn or if you are too old to remember all the tasks?

Well, a recent issue of Inside the School carried an article by Maryellen Weimer that indicated we may need to rethink our multitasking, at least when it comes to education. Titled “Three Multitasking Myths,” it discusses research related to each of the following urban myths:

• Multitasking saves time.
• Multitasking is as good as single-task learning.
• Multitasking is for the young.

The end result: all three of the myths were busted.

Read the complete article by clicking here.

Five More Teaching Tips

The following five teaching tips build upon the ten teaching tips posts of May 21 and May 28, 2008.

1. Build relationships with the students. Talk to them about their hobbies, interests, activities, etc.

2. Relate their hobbies/interests/activities to class content. As a result, they can connect more easily with the subject matter.

3. Ask questions regarding a student’s response. Attempt to determine what the student had in mind when responding to classroom material.

4. Be fair. Being fair in this context means everyone receives what they need.

5. Be organized. Not only does it make the class progress smoothly, it usually helps the students learn the material.

Make the Courtesy Call

Has someone given you a courtesy call to remind you of an appointment? I find them to be of value and decided to extend the same courtesy to my students. It has turned out to make the beginning of class much smoother. This results from the calls being a time to answer questions and/or pass on additional information.

An example that comes to mind is the student who informed me during the call that they would not be unable to attend the class. I advised them to contact the department at (541) 383-7270 and make the necessary arrangements. Additional information that can be given includes:

• A statement about parking conditions.
• What items the student needs to bring to class.
• The availability of food.
• Directions to the classroom.
  

I make the call about a week in advance of the class. The script is along the following lines:

Hi, my name is (your name) and I am calling to remind you that our class (fill in the topic) will be starting on (fill in the day), at (fill in the time). It is located in room (fill in the number), at the (fill in the campus).

Contact your program manager for a class roster with names and telephone numbers.

Remember When?

Remember when you taught your first class for Community Learning? I recall lots of preparation, butterflies in the stomach, and a hope that the students showed up.

Let us revisit those exciting times in more detail while focusing on the classroom environment:

Do you recall anything that was not right within the classroom?

Could you operate the audio-visual equipment?

Did the room become too warm?

Please let us know your recollections for we are starting a new blog feature called the Community Learning Teacher Videos (CLTV). It will consist of short video clips that deal with a single item, like how to operate the audio-visual equipment, keep a room cool, clean a whiteboard, etc.

Place your recollections and suggestions on the blog by clicking on COMMENTS or share them with your program coordinator (Glenda, Nancy, Paul, Rachael). We will begin video-taping the CLTV clips as soon as we hear from you.

A Teaching Resource:The Teaching Professor

A blog by the name of The Teaching Professor is a rich source of information on teaching students who attend colleges and universities. Much of what is posted on the blog is easily applied to the students enrolled in our community learning courses.

Recent posts of particular note include:
“Factors That Lead to Rapport” (April 9, 2009), “Concerns About Active Learning” (April 3, 2009), and “Course Characteristics That are Most Important to Students” (March 31, 2009)

The Teaching Professor can be viewed at http://www.teachingprofessor.blogspot.com/

Solving Student Registration Issues, Part II

The post of last week offered guidance regarding a student who unexpectedly show up. The following post has suggestions on what to do about supplies and the need to stay in touch with the Community Learning office.

1. Supplies. If you have a class that requires supplies to complete a project and the student came without the required supplies, you can:

• Share supplies (for a fee to the student) or perhaps talk to other students in the class who came prepared and would be willing to share supplies for a fee (always emphasize that the supplies need to be reimbursed).
• If there is a second class or there is a lunch break, perhaps the student without supplies could purchase some before coming back to class.

2. Be in touch with the CL office on the days before your class.

• Your programmer will send you a roster in a timely manner. We try to give you enough time to prepare supplies. However, the earlier we send a roster, the better the chance that additions or subtractions will occur making your original roster less accurate.
• Students can “register” online 24 hours a day. Our website does tell them their registration will not be complete until our office contacts them to confirm. However, we do see larger numbers of students registering online for a class the night before the class begins. This can be challenging for you, especially if you are teaching an early morning or a weekend day class.

Finally, remember to follow up immediately after class with your programmer with questions, concerns and convey the names of all students in question.

Again, a special thanks to Glenda and Rachel for this two part post.

Solving Student Registration Issues, Part I

Community Learning participants are registering later and later for classes. This is a broad trend and not unique to COCC. We want our students to be able to register as late as possible but, as instructors, you will need to have a strategy for what to do when the number of students in your class is greater than the number of students for whom you prepared materials. Here is what to do about students with registration issues:

• If a student shows up in class and says they have registered, take their word for it. Please take their name and daytime phone number so that your programmer can follow-up.


• If the class is full with a wait list, we always follow the wait list procedure of first on, first called.


• If they have not registered, politely explain that you are unable to take a registration at class and unfortunately they cannot attend without pre-registration. This is a liability issue for the college.

What to do with students who have registered but are not on your roster.

• If you have prepared extra handouts, great! If not, explain that you received your roster before their registration was processed and consequently were unable to prepare materials. Offer to email or mail handouts after the class, arrange for them to work with another student if possible and either share or observe.


• Remaining positive and focusing on the overall quality of the class will help you avoid getting derailed by additional students.

This is a two part post. Next Monday, we will discuss the issues of supplies and communication with the department.

Thanks to Glenda and Rachel for this information.

Another Opportunity for Teaching Adults

This Saturday is another free session of the Teaching Adults class. Meet the current group of new instructors, discover the latest in department information, and teaching tips while sharing your teaching knowledge and expertise.

Please join us:

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Boyle Education Center Room 151

9 a.m. to Noon.

Helping the Students be There

Have you noticed how the doctor, dentist, and other professionals give you a telephone reminder of your appointment? Why not give the students a reminder?

Some of our instructors have found that a simple, short phone call several days before the start of class can be a rewarding experience for both the instructor and the student. For example, it serves not only to heighten anticipation of the class, it can be a time to unravel any mysteries— where is the classroom, should they bring anything, are there snack facilities, etc.

Of particular note is the opportunity to talk with the students before the class begins. Discovering the reason they are attending, their prior knowledge of the subject, what they would like to obtain from the class, etc., can provide for those last minute adjustments to class activities that turn it into a better learning experience for everyone.

Your program manager can give you a student roster with telephone numbers.

Six Aspects of the Adult Learner, Part I*

As you finalize your classroom presentation, it would be a good idea to keep in mind six aspects of the adult learner. The first three of the six are given below. The remaining three will appear another time as Six Aspects of the Adult Learner, Part II.

1. Adults are autonomous and self-directed. They need to be free to direct themselves. Their instructor must actively involve them in the learning process and serve as a facilitator. Specifically, an instructor must get participants' perspectives about what topics to cover and let them work on projects that reflect their interests. The instructor should allow the participants to assume responsibility for presentations and group leadership (if applicable). They have to be sure to act as facilitators, guiding participants to their own knowledge rather than supplying them with facts.

2. Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and
knowledge. This would include work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education. They need to connect learning to this knowledge/experience base. To help them do so, the instructor should draw out participants' experience and knowledge that is relevant to the
topic. They must relate theories and concepts to their students' prior experiences and recognize the value of experience in learning.

3. Adults are goal-oriented. Upon enrolling in a course, they usually know what goal they want to attain. Therefore, they appreciate an educational program that is organized and has clearly defined elements. The instructor must show participants how this class will help them attain their goals.

Part II will be the post for September 29, 2008.

*From the League for Innovation

More Teaching Tips: Stay Neutral, Active, Clear, and Play

With the new school year starting, try these tips:
1. Stay neutral on content. Your job is to pass on information but not be so attached to it that if anyone challenges it (not you) you don’t become confrontational.
2. Listen actively. Look people in the eye, use attentive body language and paraphrase what they are saying. They will return the favor when you are talking.
3. Paraphrase to be clear. Restate what you have just shared in a different way. This can clear up the looks of a “deer in the headlights” that you can get every now and then.
4. Play Ping-Pong. Picture yourself standing up front with a Ping Pong paddle in one hand. If someone asks a question or makes a comment, redirect it by sending it back to someone else to answer or build on. This helps the students not be solely dependent on you. They have a lot of knowledge and experience to share, take advantage of it.

Top 10 Teacher Tips, Part II

Last week's post was Part I of Hotta Dover's article on teacher tips. It covered Tip 1- 5: being prepared, varieties of teaching strategies, encouraging interaction, building rapport, and use of the black/white board.

This week's post is the Part II, Tip 6-10, and is the final post related to the article.

6. Use Other Audio-Visual Aids Effectively
Audio-visual aids such as overhead projectors and transparencies, flip charts, audio and video players, etc. can be tremendous assets when used effectively, but great liabilities when not. Check equipment before class to ensure that it is working, that you know how to use it, and that tapes and counters are cued.

7. Manage Handouts
Try telling students that you will be giving a handout after presenting the material, but that you'd like them to listen and think for now.

8. Check for Understanding
Asking students the question, "do you understand?" is an ineffective means of checking comprehension. Depending upon the focus of the lesson, check comprehension by 1) asking students to make a choice such as, "Is this statement true or untrue?" or "Is the best answer A or B?" 2) giving a demonstration of a practical task; or 3) brainstorming further examples to illustrate a point.

9. Give Feedback
Keep feedback focused and positive.

10. Ask for Feedback
Give students regular opportunities to provide anonymous feedback on your teaching and the course. New teachers are encouraged to invite feedback from experienced mentor teachers as well.

Top 10 Teacher Tips, Part I

This week's post is from an article by Kimeiko Hotta Dover. Click on a link for the complete discussion.

1. Be Prepared
Before you set foot in the classroom, make sure you have a plan for the course and class. Share your plans with your class.

2. Use a Variety of Approaches
Plan a variety of approaches and activities for each session. Varying teaching strategies appeals to learning style differences and keeps participants attentive and engaged. Aim to get participants out of their chairs and interacting at least once per class.

3. Encourage Interaction
Have students work in pairs or small groups whenever possible. Not only does interaction acknowledge and draw upon the tremendous experience and knowledge adults bring to the classroom, but students gain confidence as they check and confirm answers with their peers.

4. Address Students by Name
Addressing students by name helps build rapport.

5. Use the Board Effectively
Bring your own whiteboard markers and/or chalk and an eraser to every class. Monitor the size, pressure and legibility of your writing. Use a variety of colors for emphasis and clarity.

Next week we will post the remaining five tips. They relate to visual aids, handouts, student feedback, etc.

Ten Principles of Learning

1. We learn to do by doing.
2. We learn to do what we do and not something else.
3. Without readiness, learning is inefficient and may be harmful.
4. Without motivation there can be no learning at all.
5. For effective learning, responses must be immediately reinforced.
6. Meaningful content is better learned and longer retained than less meaningful content.
7. For the greatest amount of transfer learning, responses should be learned in the way they are going to be used.
8. One's response will vary according to how one perceives the situation.
9. An individual’s responses will vary according to the learning atmosphere.
10. One does the only thing one can do given the physical inheritance, background, and present acting forces.

From: Edwards, Lea. "Interventions for Health Promotion", Health Education, 1981, Chapter 9.

Four Laws of Adult Learning

Robert W. Pike (1989), an internationally recognized expert in human resources development and author of the book Creative Training Techniques, has conducted thousands of adult training seminars. His principles of adult learning, referred to as "Pike's Laws of Adult Learning," have built upon the original philosophy to provide similar guidance for trainers:

Law 1: Adults are babies with big bodies. It is accepted that babies enjoy learning through experience, because every exploration is a new experience. As children grow, educators traditionally reduce the amount of learning through experience to the point that few courses in secondary and higher education devote significant time to experiential education. It is now recognized that adult learning is enhanced by hands-on experience that involves adults in the learning process. In addition, adults bring a wealth of experience that must be acknowledged and respected in the training setting.

Law 2: People do not argue with their own data. Succinctly put, people are more likely to believe something fervently if they arrive at the idea themselves. Thus, when training adults, presenting structured activities that generate the students' ideas, concepts, or techniques will facilitate learning more effectively than simply giving adults information to remember.

Law 3: Learning is directly proportional to the amount of fun you are having. Humor is an important tool for coping with stress and anxiety, and can be effective in promoting a comfortable learning environment. If you are involved in the learning process and understand how it will enable you to do your job or other chosen task better, you can experience the sheer joy of learning.

Law 4: Learning has not taken place until behavior has changed. It is not what you know, but what you do that counts. The ability to apply new material is a good measure of whether learning has taken place. Experiences that provide an opportunity for successfully practicing a new skill will increase the likelihood of retention and on-the-job application.

(The following material was excerpted from the NVAA specialized offering "The Ultimate Educator" by Edmunds, C., K. Lowe, M. Murray, and A. Seymour, 1999.)

Anyone have more laws or insights to add to the list?