“Empower Learners and Enhance their Communication Skills” Typically students attracted to technological studies are kinesthetic learners that have demonstrated lower enthusiasm and inclination toward learning skills that are rooted in traditional communication studies. Relevancy in curriculum creation and holistic sensory delivery are key ingredients necessary to captivate the technological student and drive effective course development.
The intent of this poster style presentation is to display the creation of five innovative teaching activities, developed as part of a research and innovation project, for faculty within the construction sector to empower learners, enhance their communication skills, and help foster an effective learning environment. These activities are designed to encourage active participation in speaking, listening (Card Task, Toolbox Talk), reading, comprehension (Instructional Video Series), and written (Weekly Lab Workbook, Building a Technical Report), skills through experiential learning, reflective practice, and narrative inquiry. It is proposed that when subject specialists “uncover” these activities, holistic student engagement will occur and real or perceived learning barriers will be minimized.
As educators, finding ways to engage learners is critical to a meaningful experience for all stakeholders. Through informal dialogue STHLE participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own curriculum development strategies to generate innovative teaching activities applicable to their subject matter and teaching environment.
Learning Outcomes After viewing this poster presentation participants will be encouraged to:
Integrate elements of the various communication skills into their curriculum development.
“Uncover”, through experiential learning, an innovative and strategic approach to purposeful curriculum development.
