Thursday, June 16, 2011

Introduction to Avidyne R9 Avionics

How to setup and use the basic functions on the R9 computer simulator by Avidyne

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Engaging the 21st Century Student

Notes from Dr. Mark Taylor Presentation 
Western Michigan University Fetzer Auditorium, Kalamazoo Michigan
May 16, 2011
Meet Generation NeXt: Understanding and Teaching Today’s Students

www.taylorprograms.com 

Kids today have grown up with the digital world at their fingertips and parents who managed their time. The students in school today have a few different characteristics then past students.  Not that they are all the same, but as a group they tend to be less compliant and less idealist.  Many of them see their parents as friends who offered options, instead of authority figures.  They all got the trophy for just showing up, so many do not value hard work and may take criticism poorly.  Protected from normal outcomes, many have not developed decision making skills, but love to offer their opinions.

College has been a struggle for some.  Part of it might be that they are used to their parents bulldozing the way.  The very few hours of studying a week which got them by, in high school, does not cut it in college.   Many have said that their connection to the net has left them easily distracted with attention issues.   Yet when they are engaged in something they value, with their ideas of unlimited horizons they can accomplish many things.

Mark Taylor’s opening lecture was about comparing this group of students with past and how to better engage them.  Generally today’s students are good at finding information very quickly, especially if they value the information.    By moving towards less lecturing and involving students more, they will learn to value and apply the required knowledge.  What worked for us, may not work for the average student. Most of us were automatically engaged in school, we loved the stuff we were learning, that is why we are teaching it.

Dr. Taylor gave some ideas for engaging the 21st century student.  They included
  • Improve students’ understanding of class expectation.
  • Moving content out of the classroom to before class study.
  • Make students responsible by quizzing them on being prepared.
  • Make class more active and a time of discovery.
  • Have students teach each other by rephrasing learned material.
  • Use the limited class time to teach students what information to value and to link knowledge with the skill that uses it.
  • Improving student future orientation, by showing them what they will be doing as the professional they aspire to become.  
  • Showing students the benefits of your class by linking class goals to needed skills.
Dr. Taylor ideas for working with student workers included

  • Make them feel as part of a team they value memberships and relations.
  • Understand the difference between age groups of workers. (Working with the Generations)
  • Helping them understand the expectation of adult life including
    • Orientation to authority  (Taking orders),
    • Importance of productivity,
    • Dealing with customers, and
    • Expected appearances.
  • Expecting some defensiveness – remember they think they are special and grew up with praise
  • Realizing your expectations may seem unrealistic to them, so help them by
    • Using another of the same generation to talk to them,
    • Sandwich praise with feedback to correct them related to a goal,
    • Giving more procedural and development feedback, and
    • Giving less personal feedback.
  • Helping them learn methods to stay on task.
 See blog entry from Mark Taylor first WMU visit from September 2010 at Notes on Dr. Taylor Sept 2010 WMU visit 



Reference

Taylor, Mark . (2011, May). Meet Generation NeXt – Understanding and Teaching Today’s Students: Lecture delivered at Western Michigan University Fetzer Auditorium, Kalamazoo, MI.