Engaging Diverse Students in Your Classroom IVY Tech Community College Adjunct Conference April 19, 2008

Think about your favorite cartoon character…..

Diversity Age – Generation Socio Economic Family Education/Experience Race, culture, religion Ethnicity Gender Politics Major/ education background

OBJECTIVES CLASSROOMS TODAY ARE DIVERSE MAKING CONNECTIONS FACILITATE LEARNING STUDENTS LEARN THROUGH VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTS FOR THOSE CONNECTIONS TO OCCUR.

Learning is About Making Connections: “A-HA” ABSTRACT TO CONCRETE CONCRETE TO ABSTRACT BETWEEN TWO FORMERLY ISOLATED CONCEPTS

Making Connections is Imperative for Learning “We must explore ways to help students make those connections…”“We must explore ways to help students make those connections…” 1.Cognitive 2.Neural 3.Social 4.Experiential Dr. K. Patricia Cross

HOW? WHEN THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE SO DIFFERENT?…. AND THEY ARE ALL IN THE SAME CLASSROOM?

WHAT TO THEY HAVE IN COMMON?

How Adults Think Perceptions are reality Inundated with data Forget fast Learning styles differ Use different languages Reference experiences

How Adults are Motivated Attitude Values Ego involvement Credibility

What Adults Need Desire to Learn Learn by Doing Center on Problems/Solutions Experiences Important Informality Variety of Methods Guidance, not grades

They Differ in Style and Approach Find the Motivator Define the Attention Span Create options in Organization/Strategies Create Different Relationships

Differences in Style Generation Y: –Not like to memorize –Want faculty to act as their peers –Have shortest attention span –Motivated by technology –Expect fun and entertainment

Differences in Style Generation X –Memorize begrudgingly –Recognize Faculty authority, but ignore it –I like it when class is fun; but and I have other more interesting things to do. –Motivated by reduced load and getting finished. –Have attention span if interested. –Is class over yet? I have lots I want to do.

Differences in Style Baby Boomers –Memorize to get ahead; a tool to use. –Recognize faculty authority; but complain about it. –Create own fun in and out of class. –Motivated by performance; group dynamics –Have longer attention span

Differences in Style Matures – GI Generation –All faculty have complete authority –Hard assignments make you tough –Longest undivided attention span. –Gotta memorize to learn it!

1. Learning is About: The Powerful Paradigm How do we identify it?

These powerful experiences are called our... Boundary Box Truth Belief Paradigm Schema

2. Learning is About: Using Whole Brain Thinking Right Brain Left Brain Shift from divergent to convergent thought.

Right Left Brained emotional, intuitive, lateral, diffused, integrative, imaginative, creating, analogous,dreaming wondering, timeless rational, logical, linear, sequential, discriminative, deductive, active, analytical, defining, goal-centered, questioning

Skill Builder - Roman Numerals Turn the Roman Numeral Seven: VII into an 8 by adding a single line _________. Now, turn the 9 into a 6 By adding a single line _______.

How to move from one to another Right to Left –Print –count –multiplication tables –alphabet –outline –diagram Left to Right –walk backwards –sit on floor –cursive –mind map –draw illustrations –cartoon –metaphor –music/candles

3. Learning is About: Attention Span Realities 7/7 Rule 3 Rule First /last

TEACHING THE ADULT IS LIKE FLYFISHING

4. Learning is About: How We Organize Information Single Focused Multi-Task Focused

What is this? QWERTYUIOP

What is the pattern? 1,4,9,16,25,36,49 Painted eggs, fireworks, champagne, candy canes, shamrocks, jack-o-lanterns. We recognize sequences, cycles, shapes, processes, similarities, and probabilities.

Single Focused Thinkers Do one thing at time Concentrate on the job Committed to tasks Adhere to a plan Respect privacy Emphasize promptness

Multi-focused Thinkers Do many things at once Highly distractible Committed to people Change plans easily Interrupt more than value privacy Borrow & lend easily

5. Learning is About: How We Process Information Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Emotions Intuition Scientific inquiry Linear/logic

Is it Really True?… 10% of what they hear 60% of what they see 90% of what they do

6. Learning is About: Using Need Based Language Personality Traits/Needs Value Control Self Esteem

How Do We Provide a Stimulus for Making Connections?

Strategies for Cognitive, Neural, Experiential, Social Connections 1.Frame 2.Metaphors 3.Mind Mapping 4.Brainstorming 5.Celebrate/FUN

Framing Concept Transition Application Anchors Benefits Transition Anchor Application Benefits

The Frame Transition: Take the adult student from one place to another Benefit: WII-FM- What’s in it for me? Anchor: Anchors in the mind: story,illustration,data, testimony,visual Application: What do I do? What is my next step? How will I use this?

2. Share EXPERIENCES…Ask for a METAPHOR Life is Like….

3. MIND MAPPING Relocation good parking same town building buy/rent near MAC

4. BRAINSTORMING is... Cross- Fertilization

Rules for Brainstorming Generate many ideas Not criticism Share ideas Quantity more than quality Moves quickly Everyone participates

5. Celebrate...Have FUN Give me a “W”

SUMMARY CLASSROOMS ARE DIVERSE. ALL ADULTS HAVE NEEDS FOR SOCIAL, EXPERIENTIAL, NEURAL AND COGNITIVE CONNECTIONS FOR LEARNING TO OCCUR. WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE EXPERIENCES THROUGH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ADULTS AND TECHNIQUES THAT WORK.

“Creating a climate for learning is the challenge that lies ahead. It will require the active participation of every member of the college community, working to establish the connections that constitute learning.” Dr. K. Patricia Cross