Efficient Methods at Combined Study Programs

What is it about?

tudents on combined study programs range across a number of backgrounds, age categories and reasons of study; however their aim is the same: to get higher qualification, improve and enhance knowledge in a particular field (which had been based mostly on practical experience so far) and then be offered better paid jobs and more attractive chances at the more and more competitive job market. As time is usually a problem for these students (age 30 – 45, regular job, usually married, have children) teaching and as well as learning approach have to be both time saving and efficient. Therefore problem-focused modules containing explanation training feedback for home self-study, simple handbook with additional available brief information and further links to the Internet proved as the best teaching-learning aids. Many-year practice at university showed that step-by- step focused modules supplied with sufficiently wide range of practical examples, exercises and solutions regardless the subject (equations, fractions..in mathematics; tenses and questions in a foreign language) have become the most efficient tools with best results achieved and most positive feedback from students. These modules are verified and approved for he combined study programs and certain modules may be identified as prerequisites for subsequent study.

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Why is it important?

138 Zdena Rosická and Šárka Hošková-Mayerová / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 131 ( 2014 ) 135 – 139 Can you count or calculate the price of plums? How much is a kilo of pears in winter? How large is your rectangular orchard? Say dimensions and the area of the plot. Express in % fruit trees in your garden/farm/municipality. How often do you water trees? Are 2 feet longer than 1 yard? How much juice can you squeeze from 10 kilos of apples/pears/peaches? Try to estimate. What is a diameter of a plum tree? (15 years old) Are two radii the same as a diameter? Ask similar questions including math operations +, -, :, Fig. 1.(In: Pictorial English Dictionary, OUP, Hong Kong, 1991, p.111) 1. Read data presented in Table 1 (Fig. 2.), compare countries, areas and number of fruit trees species grown in particular countries. 2. Work in pairs, ask questions. 4.Discussion and conclusions Adult students should always feel the relationship between knowledge and its practical application, they become more motivated and initiate more work themselves; new knowledge can give them more scope for creativity and enable them to become more independent. They mostly appreciate a ́discovery style ́ in knowledge presentation because they can feel like more involved in the learning process, they are exposed to learning facilitation, which helps them to change and develop understandings of presented study materials. In contrast, they try to minimize the volume of strictly content-centred learning, which is more about memorizing facts. Both teachers and study materials should follow the roles as facilitators, help students to understand the subject and build on their prior knowledge. Unfortunately, most of them having the knowledge, information and skills available prefer passing examinations as their priority to benefitting from further ́theoretical academic ́ knowledge. Students usually focus just on the existing knowledge, particular learning outcome, such as a better grade, rather than personal transformation and learning approach; they do not automatically become responsible for their learning.