Read the Room! Always be ready to adapt to your audience

Author and presenter

• Fiona Girkin, Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), CALE

Abstract

Knowing your audience and being ready to adapt to their changing needs is an important in a classroom setting. As a lecturer you create content for specific learning outcomes, however sometimes the audience does not respond in the way you anticipated. This can be the result of differing learning needs or various knowledge gaps. Learning occurs best when students are connected in the process.  Changing your approach to teaching without changing the content can create a more engaging response from students. As an Associate Lecturer in Policing and Emergency Management, in my Lightning presentation I will discuss how adapting to the needs of new recruits is essential in the learning journey to become Police Constable. Reciprocal communication between the teacher and the students is essential in this setting given the variety of ages, backgrounds and life experiences which can often be grouped together in one recruitment class. Students are more likely to learn when they are engaged with the content. Therefore, understanding the group dynamics and existing skills is essential to keeping engagement and increasing knowledge retention. Hence in this presentation you will hear about some practical ways to deliver the same content in a more effective manner for the best student outcomes.