Dear Newbie......

My fellow educator

Firstly, my heartiest congratulations on joining this noble profession.

This profession (or shall I say mission) has been the domain of some of the greatest personalities to have walked this earth since the beginning of time. This journey not only allows us, as educators, to impart knowledge and learning to others but also requires in-depth self reflection and continuous improvement.

A few pointers and check points that might help you (in my understanding at least) in beginning your trip down this challenging path are compiled below.

First and foremost it is a good idea to read up on the theories on how and why people learn. Different people subscribe to different theories. Your role as an educator might need some tweaking depending on the theory you find applicable in your circumstances.

Another area to prepare upon is the forming of a learning network formed with individuals with similar skill level sets. These could be your fellow graduates from the university times or peers at your workplace or similarly positioned individuals in other organisations.  This network of people will be your cushion to fall back upon when you need help academically or professionally.

Before proceeding with your first class with your students I suggest that you edit the course outline in such a way that it is very clear for the students to know what is expected of them. This will enable them to be certain about the requirements of the course from the onset.

It might also be a good idea to have the students discuss their expectations of the course during your first session with them. It will help you in gauging their strengths are requirements for the next 16 weeks or so.

As an educator your biggest aim should be to make the students independent, self-motivated and lifelong learners. Try to use strategies and techniques that bring out and establish these values in your students.

From my experience I can vouch for interactive learning and Project Based Learning strategies to be the most satisfying for engineering students but that should not stop you from experimenting with other strategies as different folks require different strokes!

A new technique that I can recommend for a trial in your class is the concept of a “Flipped Classroom”. I had tried it recently for the first time and my students found it to be very interesting and motivating. In fact in their feedback the students’ mentioned that they have understood the concepts much more thoroughly and completely.

Another important aspect that students appreciate is constant feedback on their performance. It will be prudent to have an honest channel of communication with all the students, ensuring they are always in the know of their progress and its comparison with any benchmarks. The reverse process of receiving feedback from students on your own performance is just as important for exactly the same reasons.

Finally a word on assessments.

Use a variety of assessments to gauge the students’ abilities with the content. The emphasis should be on understanding and not memorising. Both summative and formative types of assessments form integral parts of the assessment strategy and a good balance will able to reflect the students’ real ability.

I wish you all the best for your upcoming endeavours