Hi James,
Knowledge without application leaves only knowledge without application. No employer wants someone who is knowledgeable but can'tdo the job.
Barry Westling
I find using hands on demonstrations of previos lecture content extremely helpful in getting information to click with the students.
Hi George,
Sometimes the use of senses doesn't have to be directly tied to learning. Getting used to the rhythm of the teachers pace, the feel of the textbook, studying the colors of photographs - it's like tuning in, or perhaps, becoming more aware of our (learning) surroundings. That can also help students appreciate the subtlties of their learning experience. I agree, more senses used repetitiously is a good thing and helps retention of information.
Barry Westling
We use sight and hearing in pratically everything we do. I occasionally teach a PC repair class, which brings the senses of touch and smell into play. (Although, with smell, it's usually something burning, which is usually NOT a good thing.)
Hi Diane:
In fact, most pedagogy enthusiasts agree that hands on learning is the best for adult learners.
Regards, Barry
Hi Thomas,
A sense provides input for an individual to synthesize. Balance, pressure, temperature, pain, stretch can be incorporated into a lesson, just as the more common senses of taste, smell, vision, hearing, and touch. The more senses we can use especially in combinations simply reinforces the body's internal memory of the material being covered. Creative instructors can put thoght into their lessons to make these "sensory resourses" more useful.
Barry Westling
Applying different senses in teaching is vey effective to match up with the the different capabilities of students
Hi Leigh,
Wow! Great example of an experience that will probably last a lifetime.
Barry Westling
Hi Chara,
Tuning in to the sensitivities, stimulations, and informational insights gained from use of and awareness of our senses can potentially impart more lasting rewcall and retention of information than many other kinds of learning strategies.
Barry Westling
We have a field trip to a chiropractic college that does autopsies, it allows students to see the organs and even hold and touch some of them! It definately leaves a lasting impression!
In my oral communication class, I use a lot of the senses of sight, touch, and sound. One method I incorporated to help my students understand outlining was giving them a handout with an example of a proper outline with each part titled and explained and lecturing on how to outline. Then the students had to work in small groups and put an outline puzzle together. Incorporating the tactile task of physically putting a puzzle together helped many of the students catch onto the proper way of outlining a speech. I was very encouraged.
Barry I agree with you one 100%.there are now so many diff ways to bring in the classroom ,in any course.the five senses play an intergal part in the learning process.
Hi Amina,
I believe senses can be used in just about any class in many ways, and when we put on our creative hats, we can achieve interesting and interactive methods to convey ideas that involve senses. These don't have to be necessarily great and mighty methods, just bringing more of an awareness to the learning processs through the students many "inputs" that translate to new information and knowledge through the instructional process.
Barry Westling
I use the senses in my classes
specifically in Bio,if they have to learn about "matter",nothing is going to be easy than actually demostrating the three forms of matter,
may sound like an elementary class, but my sonography students understand the concept of body tissues better when they see,touch and feel it,much of the information is gathered and ultilized later when they scan body parts and learn how dofferent tissues sre visualised on ultrasound.students may bring in an example of a solid/liquid and gas,interaction of sound energy with these media works wonders when teaching this concept.
Hi Marcia,
Your teaching setting is flourishing with opportunities to explore the use of senses. Comparing and contrasting, application related situations, recall and analysis seem to be abundant and useful to getting your students to think critically.
Barry Westling
In the clinical setting there are many opportunities for showing students how important using our senses are in caring for patients. Besides seeing/observing our patients, touch is extremely important in our basic assessment,for example, to feel the temperature of the skin, as well as, listening to heart sounds, breath sounds, etc., smelling different odors can indicate infection, or other problems and tasting medications such as liquid Potassium Chloride, can show why it is important to mix it with another liquid to decrease the sharp taste.
Hi Olmarys,
Right. Combining activities breaks up the monotomy of slide after slide after... etc. An exciting class brings lots of instructional activities to enhance learning, and make it interesting and fun.
Barry Westling
Visual learning relies on sight and the information that accompanies it. So what you're doing is good. Other teachers also add discussions, practice exercises, and case studies (for instance) in between slides to enhance the visual information displayed on the PPT slide.
Hi Isaac:
I agree a hand's on approach is typically the best way people learn. This can become challenging for an instructor that is teaching a conceptual topic. When the concept is conceptual, it might be helpful to create scenarios and/or worksheets, then have the students work on them during the class session.
Regards, Barry
Therese,
I think all students have a little of each of these learning styles, with maybe one style a bit more dominate. Regardless, if we plan well, we will be choosing activities that stimulate or require all of these senses in a great variety so that we are bound to reach all students in every class.
Regards, Barry
