Welcome back for part three in our series on helping adult learners learn. Since we have so much info to share, we are going to expand the series to four parts.We will address guidelines for using interactive methods in this post and save our discussion on problem students for the next one. So be sure to come back next week for part four!
So far we have considered the way adults learn—how they are self-motivated, need to understand the rationale behind the theory and enjoy interactive methods.
In our last post we examined specific ways to engage adults in the learning process. We looked at four purposes of interactive learning and how to implement them in our training.
Now we turn our attention to guidelines for implementing interactive methods effectively. Using these methods is all about getting adult students to buy-in to what you are teaching, gaining their eager and willing participation in the learning process. There are several guidelines that will help bring students along in this process:
1. Explain the rationale This concept was introduced in the first post, but let’s examine it a little more closely. You will achieve buy in much sooner if you let students know why you are asking them to do a particular activity. Do you want students to perform role plays? Begin by telling them why:
“Each buzz group should talk about the discipline situation on your card and how to handle it appropriately, then you will show us through a brief role play. Pooling your ideas and presenting your role play will hopefully yield some unique approaches to these situations that will be a help to all of us when we face similar scenarios.”
This explanation helps students understand that the role play activity serves a significant purpose in their learning.
Here's another example. Suppose you are planning to give a pre-test. Begin by telling your students why:
“I’m sure many of you have helped newly-saved children begin to grow in their faith. Before we look at our student manual, I’d like to know what you think on this subject. Please take a few moments to jot down three or four things you feel are most important to share with newly-saved children. In a few moments I’ll ask a couple of you to share your thoughts with us.”
With simple explanations like these, students see the purpose or value in what you are asking them to do, and they are more likely to give their cooperation.
2. Ease them into it No one likes to be put on the spot. Performing role plays or skits, giving reports or even participating in buzz groups can be socially risky activities, especially if students do not know you or each other very well. Always use the least threatening methods in the early part of your course. Methods like neighbor nudge or writing down questions to hand in anonymously are easier for people to do in a new group setting. Save the more public methods like shout outs and role plays for later in the training.
3. Match activity with the audience You need to “read” your audience! Note the average age and capability of your students. Older folks may not want to do activities that involve a lot of physical movement; some adult students may have trouble reading or writing quickly; young adults might enjoy methods involving technology.
Older students might enjoy doing a casual Scripture search to examine the biblical basis for a subject, while younger students (who all have cell phones!) might enjoy a text-messaging showdown to see who can text you the answer to a question first!
If you try a method and your students don’t enjoy or benefit from it, don’t automatically assume it’s a bad method. It might be the right method for a different type of group!
4. Give students permission to pass Never pressure adult learners to participate in a method. Letting them know they can pass on the activity removes the fear. Many will participate if they know it’s their own choice to do so.
5. Intersperse activity throughout the class time Look at your material and find natural places to split it into sections. Place an interactive activity between each section. You may want to conclude a section of lecture with a brief (60 second) activity that allows students to summarize what was taught. You may want to begin a section with an activity that helps students connect with the topic, etc. Try not to go for more then 10-12 minutes without some type of interaction. (See part two for method ideas!)
6. Close with an interactive challenge Using an interactive method in your conclusion can bring a class session to a meaningful close and ensure retention of what was taught.
For example, you might ask a question such as, “Think for a moment about all we have talked about in this session. What is one key idea you will put into practice in your next children’s class? Write it down or circle it in your notes, then take a moment to silently commit that plan to the Lord.”
A variation might be to have students tell the person next to them the key idea they received from the class session. Having students tell or write the key idea helps seal that thought in their minds and hearts.
We hope these guidelines will help you as you seek to implement interactive methods in your teaching. Be sure to come back to the Café next week and learn what to do with those rascally problem students!
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