Student Designed Instruction update

The decision to let the students decide how they wanted me to teach the HR course is going absolutely fantastic.  Every day I walk into class I know I am doing something that has 100% buy in from the students because they chose what I am doing on any given day. 

This includes the online quizzes I create after the days that I have lectured over the past two weeks, which they have 36 hours to take. 

Today we reviewed the essays they wrote based on SmartBriefs Workforce, that is free and e-mailed daily to HR professionals and others. The students were to write a short summary on the article they selected and why the information will help them be a better manager someday.  At the start of class, I had them share one or two of the articles they wrote with their neighbor.  I then went around the room and called upon a dozen or so of them to share what they had told their neighbor with the class.  I was able to tie what they read in the SmartBriefs to the information they were given in the lectures (that they had requested to get a basic appreciation of HR) to demonstrate that what I taught them indeed has real world applications.  We had a great time!

You gotta let go of your teaching and give some control to the students!  Let them tell you how they want to be taught and you will actually have a more productive learning environment.  That has been my experience so far.  I just wish I had thought of this 15 years ago so take advantage of it now.  If you have any more questions on what I did to create this class based on student input contact me at any time via e-mail (mlalopa@fooded.org) or phone 765-494-6218.

Bon Teaching!