Be ready to be photographed… a lot! Before every quiz, you have to take a picture to prove that it is you solving it. Which is a nice way to keep track of the honesty of the student who is taking the course.
The continuation of this course makes me a bit worried about how mindful we have to be - and usually we aren’t - at any stage in our lives. In the context of this course, it applies to being an instructor. “It’s about the learner”, I continue reading in Lektor Consulting learner-centered Practical instructor course and yes, it is. The instructor is there to help the student get the information and understanding on how to apply it in his work.
So what are the challenges? What is there for an instructor to do if, in their own mind, there might be good or bad students? Is this just a mental model, which is formed with our own perception, based on our past experiences? And on a bright side - did you know that we can break such models?
These are just a very few questions that you should answer if you want to continue with the course. There are a lot of open questions in it and they actually make me think. So not only do I learn from the outside source - the given material, but I also learn from the inside. The thoughts I might have had previously, the ideas how to communicate, how to adapt to people, how to keep them in the centre, triggered something more than just a simple change of mind.
I like the challenge, I enjoy this very much. And even though in some parts I might not have been 100% accurate, the first brainstorming sessions of today were a perfect wake-up call.
And just when I thought of how I, or anyone else taking this course, should keep their motivation at a high level in order to get the most out of it, the section named “Motivation” came up.
Thumbs up, Lektor, for a well structured process! This, together with different types of activities, videos, presentations that are read to you out loud, makes this course very engaging. I must admit, I did not expect that.
To continue this day’s topic on learning, learning stages, mental models, motivation and beyond – it makes me feel that I am not only being prepared to become an instructor, but it also is opening my eyes in a wider perspective - we call it life. An instructor is a motivator, who enables learning, who makes taking risks… appealing, giving difficult tasks with no guarantee of success. Sounds strange? To me it does. But it sounds very real as well. Knowing how to make the student's inner motivation grow and eventually succeed sounds like a task that I want to achieve.
“People get better at things that are enjoyable and important to them”, so make the learning experience fun! I wouldn’t have expected to hear that during the courses I had when I was still a student or even an active ATCO. This is a very new approach to learning and teaching, at least to me.
The second day did not disappoint me as well, can’t wait for the continuation and see you next time!
This post is the second in a series, and you can read the other ones here:
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9