ISSUE: A student is not confident in the classroom, even though they are an adult
They could have had a bad experience in prior formal education
It might be a very long time since they did any schooling
English might not be their first language
The room is full of strangers, so they feel shy
SOLUTION
Don't present learning material that puts students on the spot, or puts pressure on them to think by themselves and answer to the whole room.
As much as practicable, do group work. Adults do best in a collaborative environment, and it fits with AKO (Māori learn best through cooperative learning opportunities
After a brief discussion period, get students to write feedback on the whiteboard (WAY less confronting that having to speak in front of the class)
Time is precious and group work can eat time. SO time each phase and keep it short. Students can think up answers very quickly to uncomplicated questions. Eg., One minute to discuss, one minute to write on the whiteboard (bring lots of answers). That's a two/three minute task done!
Get students to write on sticky notes, or on pieces of scrap paper they can hold above their heads when it comes time to reveal their answers. You can then read out the answers for the benefit of the aural learners.
NOTE: By having one student record answers, any student who struggles with reading and writing can opt out of the recording responsibility (this makes it a safe task for them).
ISSUE: The learner need doesn't align with the lesson you've planned
What you or the tutor thought the students needed to learn misses the mark - students will become unengaged, particularly if they already the content.
SOLUTION
1. Be flexible with your lesson plans - you may have to adapt them on the go.
2. Ask the students how confident the are with the subject before you start the lesson. You should always try to gauge prior learning if you can.
Engaging students in the gauging process (remember, some students might not have the confidence to admit to not understanding material or content, especially if it's already been taught before). it needs to be quick so that it doesn't eat into your teaching time:
Get the students to form a continuum: point A is Jedi Master understanding of APA referencing, Point B is bumbling around trying to find the light sabre 'on' switch. Students can arrange themselves and you can see how much they feel they still need to learn (or not).
Hand out scrap paper. Get the students to write a number between 1 and 10 - 10 being a high diver able to pull off a triple back flip with a twist and no splash, 1 being a belly flop and taking out the sunbathers with your backwash. With this technique, the shy students don't need to let the other students know where they are at with their learning.
You could use the same techniques to identify areas the students are really struggling in; get them to write in a large font what resource format/s they are struggling with for APA referencing, for example. That way, the confident students don't get to dictate the direction of the lesson.
ISSUE: Lack of motivation
Most of us learn best through doing and in adult education, experiential learning is top of the andragogy best practice list, particularly if it involves problem solving.
However, what we teach has less to do with the exciting initial phase of discovery through 'doing'.
Yes, research is still discover, but it's a very passive way of learning and may not elicit the whoop-and-cheer-filled response we would like from our students. And then there's APA...
SOLUTION
We can incorporate experiential learning in our lessons by giving them practical tasks:
Scavenger hunts
APA have a goes
Interactive tutorials
Etc (other exciting stuff Merren hasn't created yet, but watch this space).
You're probably already doing a lot of this.
BUT...
We can also frame our lessons by making them sound exciting - sell what you are going to teach them. For example:
"You need to know how to conduct effective research to prove to your tutors you know your stuff. I am your information gathering sensai and by the time I'm finished with you, you'll be info ninjas armed with the skills to kick your assignment's ass" (or something just as cheesy involving wizardry or The Force). Hey, it'll get a laugh or a few eye rolls AND it will get your students engaged.
We want to reduce that shoulder sag and communal sigh at the thought of referencing or reading journal articles.
ISSUE: The students have a range of needs across your lesson topic
You go to a lesson to teach what the tutor has asked you to teach and you find some students already have a good knowledge of the topic, while others know very little (your lesson is not going to cater for all learners).
SOLUTION
1. Use the suggestions in the box to gauge the prior learning of the class so you can identify the spread of needs.
2. Cater to the highest learning need (those whose knowledge of the topic is limited).
3. Have other resources to extend the knowledge of those who are already familiar with the learning material.
This is called differentiated learning.
Ideas for extra lesson content for the advanced students (that's hands off for you because you'll be teaching the students with bigger learning needs):
Get them to test their prior knowledge with a quiz, kahoot, articulate activity, HP5 activity
Get them to design a learning activity for the other students (a mix and match APA reference, for example)
Give them a hand out you've already prepared (the laminated APA practice sheets, for example)
Pair them up with a student who knows less (tuakana/teina model) and have them teach a particular skill