The Successful College Learner - Article Example

The Successful College Learner The Successful College Learner As a lecturer in hairdressing at South Lanarkshire College for eleven years, I have taught students of all ages, from school leavers to mature students. They come from all walks of life and are looking to develop a career in hairdressing. This diversity of learner profile demands that the lecturer takes cognisance of a variety of learning styles. When they come to college, many students do not have any academic knowledge about this field, but all are usually eager to learn. It usually require more work than most of them imagine and the instructor must keep that in mind. Some may choose to merely stay and finish their preliminary studies while others could opt to study for an Higher National Certificate (HNC) in hairdressing followed by an Higher National Diploma (HND) in make up artistry. In order to assist them along the way it is my belief that the teacher must be able to utilise different teaching methods for different situations. During my time as a lecturer, I have applied several different techniques of teaching to meet the needs of these individual students, or at least I thought so. I soon realised that I was trying to get students to respond to my style of teaching rather than responding directly to their distinctive needs. While this method was certainly ego gratifying at time, it was perhaps not the best method to go about teaching others. I discovered through my studies and my life experiences as a teacher that we all learn in different ways and are motivated by different drives. There is no single fit when it comes to addressing the needs of these diverse learners. I began to research to review my own teaching methods and researched other avenues. I discovered that there are two overall methods of learning that work well in this particular environment. Self directed, or student directed learning is the first and experiential learning tempered with humanism and behaviourism is the second. While there are certainly many more systems and styles that are also part of a well rounded educational experience, these two as far as I am concerned have become my primary toolkit. Self Directed Learning, Constructivism This type of learning allows the student to study at the pace which is suited to them; for me this involves developing a learning plan that not only suits the student and their own life and learning styles but also suits the required assessment deadlines. What is self directed learning? Students are given the rudimentary aspects of project and individual learners are required to take the steps and make any decisions necessary to complete it. Thus the learner can become empowered to take increasingly more responsibility for various decisions associated with the learning endeavour (Hiemstra 1994) Constructivism is a concept that was pioneered by Jean Piaget and involves the learners ability to use current knowledge and build upon it (Broderick & Blewitt 2006). It is also associated with play and the concepts that play can build useful connections to more practical knowledge and skills. In my opinion I believe that students would be more inclined to play than work so this concept certainly possesses a great deal of merit. Of course the role of the teacher is to exercise a certain amount of overview and direction so the learners do not go off course. Some students prefer or perhaps have to study on a part time or evening basis, so this type of delivery suits them. Students can often retain more knowledge when they are in their own environment and they can go at their own pace with little distraction. For the most part students in this environment are returning and continuing learners that also have steady employment and need some flexibility. (Brookfield 1986). I have taken notice that when students hand in projects done in home study there is an increased effort evident especially with projects containing artwork depicting examples of products, tools and equipment. Students tend to use their imagination and express themselves more. By combining artwork and some play with the assignment the learner is more connected to the project. Presentation standards are also excellent, with binding, lamination etc., adding to their growing technical expertise. In contrast, if they were in class they would be reluctant to express themselves quite as openly or, in a sense, more creatively risky. This demonstrated how peer pressure is present in the learning environment - some students will hold back, fearing they will be singled out, whereas, other students do not succumb to pressure and just say what they think. Until the learner is comfortable in the learning environment, they try to avoid this type of peer pressure. Young learners seem less affected by this than their mature counterparts do. (Viadero 2003) Perhaps the level of embarrassment and socialisation is higher in the older student. However, I have also noted in the research that positive peer involvement increased the lower performing learner to increase their overall classroom performance (Viadero 2003). Open learning, as a delivery mode has proven a very popular technique, although it must be correctly monitored. Due to certain resources not being available within the salon environment, the student would be required to attend the library where they can source books, use computers and other reference material. These resources are readily available to our students; they also have the use of laptops for their home study. I choose to deliver theory work and projects in this way. It enables students to identify pictures of different hairstyles and differentiate between ladies and gents haircutting. In my experience, project work involves a particular level of commitment from the students, however, I am available as a resource and they are provided with a project checklist which assists with their self directed learning. Students find that they feel a sense of ownership as regards their project. By allowing them the freedom to work independently as well as to co-create their curriculum, their level of interest is certainly increased and maintained to completion. (Wolk 1994) Used for cutting, colouring and long hair projects which are part of the assessment, this type of delivery proves advantageous to students with family or work commitments, enabling them to maximise study and improve learning. This perhaps favours the adult learner as they generally have greater self-discipline, allowing them the opportunity to manage their study, work and other commitments. Students who prefer a more structured learning environment may feel disadvantaged as they enjoy the support and sharing of ideas facilitated by a classroom (salon) environment. Younger learners like the support offered by their lecturer and being encouraged to achieve (Armitage et al 2003). However, by fostering an air of independence and self-direction, I find that the learning experience is always enhanced and the students consistently benefit from relying more and more on their own abilities and insights. This is especially relevant in this particular form of educational environment. Experiential Learning, Humanism & Behaviourism These three areas, while moderately interchangeable, all have unique values and are cross-applicable over a wide range of age groups and student levels. As I will explain, Humanism is the cornerstone of my teaching and experimental learning and behaviourism are the tools I employ in that endeavour. The first method, Experiential Learning is a means by which the student not only learns the academics of the subject but is also able to, through their own experience of practising their skills, more able to enrich their knowledge of the subject. The approach to experiential learning utilises participants own experiences and their own reflections about that experience, rather than the lecture and theory as the means of generating understanding and transferring skills and knowledge. By allowing the learner to create their own life experiences as regards application of the subject helps them to more quickly develop longer lasting skills and knowledge (Kolb, 1984). In some way this lets the learner take the skills, make certain assumptions about them in the real world environment, and then return with their own unique grasp of the knowledge. Typically an individual begins the learning cycle by first having an immediate experience, which becomes the basis of observations and reflections. The individual then assimilates these observations and reflections into testable hypotheses. By testing these hypotheses, the learner creates a new concrete experience and starts the cycle anew. (Atkinson 1991: 139-140) The application of this theory is that through practical based assessment and workshops, students will build up the confidence to become hairdressers and will be eager to try out these skills in a salon environment. Disadvantages of this are that without a lecturer to instil good practice, bad habits may form and evolve a reluctance to try any other type of learning. This particular type of learning is common to everyone and success is achieved through practise. Hairdressing, being a practical trade, requires a lot of time to develop the necessary skills essential for this type of career. The first time you try something you rarely succeed, however, with practise you can develop a skill very quickly. This is where not only lecturers and instructors encouragement and guidance comes to play but also peer to peer reinforcement and assistance is invaluable. By giving the learner rewarding feedback a cycle is developed in which the positive feedback, acting as a reward, compels the learning to continue to exercise their skills in the hopes of even greater reward. This type of learning is called behaviourism and was an idea popularised by the Harvard clinical psychologist B.F. Skinner who theorised that human development can be motivated by external stimuli (Strickler 2006). This type of development is used in my lessons to demonstrate creating different hairstyles and the various ways of achieving the desired result. In hairdressing there is generally more than one way in executing a style, experiential learners prefer trying different things and like working together with others within the classroom (salon) environment, to talk to others and share thoughts and ideas with other members within the group. Again we see the value of working in class groups as Viadero pointed out in her research entitled, "Study Evaluates Peers Effect on Achievement" (2003). Using pictures from hairstyling journals as a starting point to a lesson is another way I utilise this type of delivery. The students must consider how the hairstyle was cut and styled and what tools could be best used for each particular style and why. This promotes learning and encourages students to use their own imagination. They also quickly realise there is more than one way of achieving every individual look, allowing the students to develop their own skills. Experiential learning can enhance your self-awareness and increases self-confidence so therefore enhances skills. If a subject is fun it will be motivating and enjoyable. Remember my theory on play being more fun than work, this is also where behaviourism, promoting knowledge by using outside stimuli, comes to the fore as well. Learners will become better at it and will try to improve themselves at every opportunity (Rodgers 2003: 98). In these scenarios the learner is the one carrying out the tasks, the person who is seeing the results and, as such, it can be very satisfying. I will guide them and give praise, encouragement, and constructive criticism, resulting in a content group. Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand (Kolb 1984). Experiential learners can learn best from their own experiences, learning is not sponsored by some formal education but by the students experiences. The lecturers who teach practical subjects within a trade must also involve themselves in their own experiential learning regarding their teaching methods and practice. I find myself making changes frequently and strive to keep up to date with new theories or ideas regarding teaching and practice in the classroom. I realise that I must also practise and develop my own skills to be a good teacher to others by participation in ongoing continuous professional development. Now, how does humanism play a part in all of this? The basic tenet of humanism is the belief in the natural dignity of the human being and the belief in that dignity to determine right from wrong and make decisions based on rational and straightforward logic and design. Projecting this into the realm of education, as a lecturer and instructor I must believe that each and every student has the power to succeed in their endeavours and base my teaching methods on the most erudite and efficient way of helping them to achieve their goals. As the other goal of humanism is to unite humanity as a species and the effort of one is the effort of all (Pecker 1995). Humanism could perhaps be considered my philosophy of teaching and behaviourism and experiential learning the tools of the trade. Overall, I think understanding experiential learning and humanistic behaviour is a very important part of teaching students especially within a practical subject. A disadvantage, however, is that a bad experience can result in loss of confidence, for example, if a haircut/colour does not go to plan. If this occurs, the student would require extra work to regain their confidence. This humanistic approach would be to give encouragement to the student and help them to face each task head on, this building up the confidence and removing the fear factor from them, make them feel that they are capable of taking part in practical work again. It is part of the lecturers’ responsibility to ensure the learner is ready and able to carry out the task if this happens. Experiential learning respects the individual’s ideas and choices, gives the individual the right to “confront” difficult situations and achieve a resolution this humanistic approach generates space and time to stand back and reflect when pressure/doubts become to strong. Experiential learning gets to grips with the most important aspect of training and that is a change in behaviour and attitude (Rodgers 2002: 112). The Learning Environment Tutors have a duty to consider Health and Safety and the law in their management of the learning environment. Making the learning environment user-friendly is an important condition of effective student learning (Armitage et al 1986: 111). This consideration has many parameters and oft times subtle nuances when dealing with a diverse segment of students. But in general, when a student starts college, they undertake an induction course. Important health and safety information on the college building, rules and regulations, which must be adhered to, are imparted at this time. It is essential that every student complete an induction course, as must new members of staff (Armitage et al 1986: 112). In regards to this particular environment in which we work, it must be as authentic to the real world as possible and, therefore, must resemble an actual operational salon. Doing so offers the student a more realistic working environment, which, in turn will maximise the effectiveness of the learning experience. External factors must also be observed as they can effect the environment as well. As a lecturer of a student with learning difficulties, I have had to cope with various demanding situations. If the aforementioned student has difficulty understanding a task, her mood changes dramatically. She becomes argumentative, bangs things on the table and raises her voice. She refuses to be reasoned with or reprimanded or work towards an acceptable resolution. This often results in her leaving the room. By definition, children with learning disabilities (LD) experience difficulties in specific areas of academic functioning (Kavale & Forness, 2000). In addition to their academic difficulties, many children with LD exhibit behaviour problems or social skill deficits (Gettinger & Koscik, 2001; Gresham & Reschly, 1986; Kavale & Forness, 1996) and experience peer rejection (Kuhne & Wiener, 2000; Ochoa & Olivarez, 1995; Swanson & Malone, 1992). Given their academic, behavioural, and social deficits, it is understandable why many children with LD would perceive themselves less favourably in these three domains of self-concept (Bear, Minke & Manning 2002) Naturally, this can have an adverse effect on the remaining students and the ethos of the class, causing even more consternation for both myself and the class as a whole. The mood can change from relaxed, to tense but I recognise that it is my role as classroom manager and teacher to alter the mood within the room as quickly as possible. I address this by circulating the room, talking to students and reassuring them. I demonstrate that I am still focussed on the lesson, as they should be, and that I am in control. The disruptive student would be spoken to, explaining that there are appropriate ways to ask for clarification and support but that disrupting the learning environment is unacceptable. I am also able to utilise the learning support tutor as a means of support in this situation. External factors are often unforeseen, therefore, a teacher must have the ability to think on their feet (Bear et al 2002) The physical environment within the salon is static; work areas are fixed and cannot be changed. This can cause difficulties; however, solutions must be reached. To combat the problems posed by talkative, unmotivated or lazy students I have found that rearranging the seating plan has a positive affect. For example, seating a motivated, hardworking student with one who is easily distracted encourages them to work well and remain focussed. Through my own experiences I have found this to work, therefore, I move the students on a regular basis so they do not become too comfortable working next to the same person. Mixing partnerships and groups, age as well as skill, can also be beneficial to students as they can feed off each other’s ideas, learn from each other and create a more harmonious environment (Viadero 2003). I have noticed that gender can also affect the learning environment, particularly if one outnumbers the other substantially. In a female only environment, students tend to make and keep a particular group of friends, however, when a male student joins the class the dynamic can change. Students are also influenced by popularity and will behave and conduct themselves in different ways depending on who they are trying to impress and what example they wish to set/follow. Guidance and Support Guidance is an enabling process, which promotes the personal development and autonomy of students, achieved through the exploration of informed choices and the development of self-awareness. It is college policy that a comprehensive guidance service is offered to all students from pre-entry, through induction; in-course participation; pre-exit preparation to post-course advice. To see an example of the main objectives of this, see the example in Appendix I. Within our establishment, there is an umbrella of procedures offering guidance and support to all students. Students always have access to a guidance teacher providing help with any problems or concerns arising, be they financial, personal or directly related to their course. The guidance team also acts as an intermediary between the learning support team and the student, exploring and or arranging specific support strategies. Offering advice, support and information for students having trouble with course content or relating to a particular lecturer is also part of their remit. Guidance staff also supports lecturers in relaying information to some students, if it is deemed appropriate. Struggling students may benefit from a revised programme with some units studied later allowing them to concentrate on a more manageable workload. This course of action is used more with younger learners requiring learning support. They find it difficult to manage their study time, forget about deadlines or, due to lack of knowledge, neglect coursework. As a lecturer, I see it as one of my duties to enforce deadlines and encourage good management skills, offer guidance, encouragement and reminders of approaching deadlines and key dates. Utilising a range of strategies, students generally find their course more manageable and their progress is evident. The most recent case that I had to deal with was a student named Claire; she is a bright well-mannered girl and good in all her classes. She works well and puts a lot of effort into everything that she does. When her mandatory papers where coming back to me she seemed to be failing on all three attempts that she has to do them, I discussed this with other lecturers whose classes she attends and they where as shocked as me. I arranged a meeting with her for the next guidance slot and with a colleague and we looked at Claire’s portfolio. Going through all her analysis sheets that she does for formative and summative assessments, we could not see any sign of a learning difficulty. The student and I met up afterwards and I explained about my concern and couldn’t understand why this was happening, as she is performs excellently in all the practical tasks that she is asked to do. She then explained in her history of education, that when she attempts a mandatory paper her the mind goes completely blank. In her days at school she was simply told she was "thick," and little was done to help her. At this point in her education I told her that the work she does is well above par and there must be something that causes this to happen. I asked her does she feel frightened and panicky when she knows she is going to do a test? She said the sweat just pours from her and she feels as if she is going to pass out. I decided to try something out with her there and then. I looked at one of her mandatory papers and asked her one of the questions aloud. I then asked her to answer it, which she did very easily. She gave me the key words that I was looking for: what is the terminology used when hair goes from wet to dry, Alpha (wet) Beta (dry) I then proceeded to ask a few more questions and she answered them correctly as well. At this stage I told Claire I was going to speak to my manager and ask a few questions of what I was allowed to do in her case. My manager told me I could get learning support in to scribe for her or I could ask the questions orally and let Claire put the answer down on paper. I then went back to the student and told her what we could do, she agreed to be asked the question orally by myself as she felt more comfortable with me and wouldn’t panic. We have now done this with all the mandatory papers for her and Claire has passed all of them. In a situation like Calire’s I had to put an accompanying note in her portfolio explaining the procedure that was done when mandatory papers were required. However, I have also requested that she follow up with her guidance teacher for further follow up. Learning Assessment: The assessments undertaken by students are laid down by the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority). They set the guidelines for assessments and supply us with the students’ portfolios. All students have to carry out formative assessments before they can be assessed for any outcome; this incorporates underpinning knowledge and practical work being carried out within the learning environment (salon). Students will practice their skills in workshops and once competent they then carry the tasks out on paying clients. When the student feels confident enough they will then be assessed for a summative assessment. Refer to Appendix II for the purpose of assessments (Ecclestone 2006). When I am carrying out assessments two particular groups come to the front of my mind, both groups are at the same level and at the same stage of the course. The first group we will call group A, are a very focussed group and know what they are working towards they listen, ask questions. They also watch demonstrations very closely and return with great question and answering sessions. They work hard on formative assessments and will do the work on or before the deadline date and hand it in without any need to ask for it. These students meet the assessment criteria very quickly and are moving through their assessments without a struggle. Formatively assessing these students in the salon is carried out by watching and asking oral questions and giving the students constant feedback about the different tasks that they are carrying out. Within our learning environment a lot of the work is hands-on so the students are given lots of demonstrations and allowed to ask questions. When the students are carrying out the task I will typically work with them guiding them through and instructing them more on a one to one basis as they all work on their own models. If the students are doing a summative assessment practical, firstly they will go through the style plan and explain everything that they have done, hair type and so on. Then they will carry out the assessment, if the students realise that something is not going to plan they can ask me for assistance or be guided in the right direction to achieve the task. Group B are a different type of group they are not good at asking questions get bored very quickly when I am carrying out demonstrations and don’t get involved in feedback, they come across as not interested. What I do with this group is give them very small amounts of under pinning knowledge, give them double the time they need to study for written assessments. Furthermore, when they are doing these assessments the paper is split in to sections so they only are required to study small parts of it at one time. When carrying out practical assessments they have to be guided hands on from start to finish. This group is demanding in a totally different way as I am constantly trying to motivate and encourage them to achieve and when they do I am constantly pointing out how it is a great feeling to be able to carry out a task and complete it. Now that we are well in to the course this group is now realising that they are falling behind other groups and are starting to take on board what is being said to them. The problem with this group is they think when they came on the course they could simply have their own hair done every day and listen to me as the lecturer with nothing else to do but cut their hair whenever they asked. When they discovered that this is not the case they then realised that if they do not start really working they are not going to complete this stage of their education nor proceed to the next level. There are also diagnostic assessments that allow us to identify students needs. If a student is falling behind this allows us to help the student either with learning support or with a practical skill. A process especially warranted in regards to Group B above. I often carried out a diagnostic assessment by using the original lesson plan as a guideline for each student. Taking the lesson plan designing it as a rubric I can chart the course the student is taking and use this as an ongoing review to make sure that students are meeting the goals of the lesson plan at the designated intervals. This also shows me where they are falling behind and need more assistance. In the circumstances with group B this has been proven very successful in showing the students that they are certainly being lazy and showing a total lack of interest in the course work. By impressing upon them the importance of completing each lesson before they can move on to the next, I motivate them to at least re-examine their attitudes and make the appropriate adjustments. Evaluation At the heart of the evaluation, process lays the question of student learning. How much and what are they learning? What form of learning are they engaged in: is it product or process, to handle tools or to produce a table to set a standard? What is quality and level of their learning? How well is the material learned? Have their skills of learning increased during the programme? These and many other similar questions occur in the process of thinking about evaluation of student learning. (Rodgers 2002) After reading that paragraph, it made me consider the question do I evaluate the student, the course, the course contents or myself? After deliberation, I concluded that I do evaluate my students on the learning process, by constantly asking questions, giving feedback during lessons and when students are carrying out practical tasks. I offer advice, demonstrations, and helpful hints as I circulate the room, observing students working. This gives me the opportunity to evaluate the learning environment and by gathering all the evidence together, I will gain an insight into their learning experience. The course, its content and resources must also be evaluated, for example, a task, which does not go exactly as planned, may need to be revised, reworded, and explained in more detail or even replaced It would normally be desirable to look at assessment as a basic part of the design of reflective or experiential learning situations and not as a separate issue. This is important in these forms of learning because it is often not clear what the learner is expected to be able to learn. If the right thinking is done about assessment with assessment criteria properly developed, the right and proper thinking is likely to have been done about the development of the module. (Moon 2004: 151) Recently, in college, a course in Gents’ Cutting was offered. Demand was high, however, within 4 – 5 weeks numbers fell below a level where the course was no longer viable resulting in the cancellation of the course. Evaluation and reflection revealed that the likely problem was that the lecturer, although well-trained and experienced, was not a trained barber. The students felt there was insufficient barbering work on the course. When the course ran, post evaluation, delivered by a trained barber, the 100% retention levels of students and their positive comments about the course justified the evaluation of the course and content. When evaluating myself as a lecturer, I have to assess if the aims of my lesson are clear, achievable and understood by students. When delivering a lesson, I must consider did the lesson go to plan, are the students learning, and are the lessons’ outcomes achieved? Student feedback and whether the task was executed to a satisfactory standard are also important indicators. As a reflective practitioner, I am confident that I address these aims and adjust my lessons, delivery, and recourses accordingly. List of References Atkinson, George. (1991) Kolbs learning style inventory: A practitioners perspective. Measurement & Evaluation in Counseling & Development. 23 (4), p149-161. Armitage A. (1986). Teaching and training in post compulsory education. (2nd. Ed.). United Kingdom,: McGraw – Hill Education Brookfield Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2006). The life span: Human development for helping professionals (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall. NJ: Prentice-Hall. Ecclestone K. (2006) Understanding assessment and qualifications in post compulsory education and training. (second edition) England and Wales; Niace. Hiemstra, R (1994) self – directed learning in the international encyclopaedia (second edition) Husen, T. & Postlethwaite, N. (eds) Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of reaming and development. Englewood Cliffs, Moon, J. A. (2004). A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice. New York: Routledge. Retrieved Pecker, J. (1995, Winter). Humanism and Tolerance. Free Inquiry, 16, 14+. Rodgers A. (2002) Teaching adults (third edition) England; McGraw –Hill Education Strickler, Jane. (2006) What Really Motivates People? Journal for Quality & Participation 29 (1), p26-28 Viadero, Debra (2003) Study Evaluates Peers Effect on Achievement Education Week 23 (2), p10- 11 Wolk, Steven. (1994) Project-based learning: Pursuits with a purpose. Educational Leadership; 52 (3), p 42 Appendix I South Lanarkshire College Policy and Procedures on Guidance and Support Opportunities to make informed choices about the learning most suited to individuals, abilities, aspirations and longer-term vocational goals, Services which include help and advice to meet students needs in relation to induction, course progress, personal development, career choice, Access to appropriate agencies for specialist professional advice and help. Appropriate support arrangements to students with disabilities or learning needs. Appendix II The purpose of assessment Different purposes of assessment at different stages of a learning programme, both for curriculum design and organisation and for inspection; Assessment methods to suit different purposes; The range of skills that practitioners, tutors and learners need to make the most of the assessment; and Beliefs about assessment and traditions within different qualification systems held by both practitioners and learners. Read More