I am a pastry instructor so we have several ways of teaching out students with the senses. Not only do they verbally receive the information as how the procedures are done but then we show them through demonstrations. As we demonstrate the procedures the students can ask questions to further their learning process. Then students will make the product, learning in a kinesthetic process. Finally the students are tested on how to make products.
Michele,
Smells are interesting. I think we've all ramdomly smelled an odor or fragrance that immediately brought back a memory of some kind. That's a pretty powerful memory inhancer! If we can find ways to incorporate that into of lessons, even intermittently, that would be a great asset to promoting long term memory.
Barry Westling
I think that the manipulation of visual aids really brings the subject matter to life for my students. I love the idea of using the sense of smell. I haven't thought about that sense too much but I will definitely look for ways to incorporate it into my lesson plans.
Diane,
Applied to classroom and lab learning, using mutiple senses improves retention o9f essential information. For instance, incorporating visuals along with video and dry earse board will compliment a discussion format. Students taking notes, rewriting notes, reading aloud their notes, having another read their notes aloud, sumarrizing their notes - each step promotes rehearsing key information and another opportunity to think about key information.
Barry Westling
I like to encourage critical thinking skills as I am developing a concept, having the students pull together something using as many senses as possible. In health care and nursing in particular, you learn to trust your senses. For instance going into a patient room and smelling a certain smell will let a seasoned nurse know a patient has a certain type of bacterial infection. Also having students share their experiences with each other is very beneficial.
Lisa,
More senses means better retention and successful learning outcomes.
Barry Westling
That's a great point. The same is true in the veterinary field. We train our students to use all their senses when monitoring patients during anesthetic procedures and when doing exams. Their hands should be on the patient when possible, the sense of smell or sight can be used to alert you that a patient has vomited or regurgitated while anesthetized, etc. The smell of bloody diarrhea in parvo dogs is something you never forget once you smell it, which goes along with your example. Bringing examples into the classroom will definitely help students remember!
Brenda,
Another great example. The more senses we can incorporate into our lessons the better off and better retention will occur for our students. Sometimes, this takes some creativity but much can be repeated in subsequent classes.
Barry Westling
Here is real world example - nursing domain ! - NOT for the squeamish.......
I can teach a student about melena (blood in the stool) what causes it, what does it look like etc.
However, once a student actually smells what melena smells like - this is a for-the-rest-of-your-life association.
Smells get linked to pathology (even cancer has a smell) and once a student learns to pay attention to olfactory info, they become better practitioners and impact patient outcomes.
Chukwuka,
Yes, and as you imply, the more senses we can employ in the instructional process and individual study, the better will be the student's retention of information and ultimately, better student learning outcomes.
Barry Westling
Seeing, hearing, touching, and smelliing are some of the senses mentioned in the discussion. These senses are put into action when we use simulation as instructional delivery method. At the end and during debriefing, students do verbalize a better grasp of the concept than when traditional lecture was used for the same content.
Jaime,
More senses involed in learning means better retention of information. Sometimes we have to be creative to think about using other sense. In the end, it's going to be better for our students.
Barry Westling
I like to write notes. Discuss as your writing, leave parts for open discussions/questions.
Notes help those who like to write,read,listen. It creates a way that all senses can be hit.
Pamela,
So true. If we could walk in these students shoes for a few days, I'm sure most instructors would have a greater appreciation for the difficulties and challenges sensory impaired individuals experience every day. Tweaking the course to confront these kind of impairments really would probably help all students understand and perhaps a better learning environment would occur for all.
Barry Westling
Pamela,
Right. Instruction is enhanced when more senses are inserted into regular daily lesson planning. Some didactic classes might not seem as applicable for involving senses, but any activity that gets the students up, moving around, interacting, and doing will naturally involve senses and help students stay interested, involved, and result in better retention of information.
Barry Westling
Sometimes you may have students that are hearing impaired or sight and it is a challange for them but I always find they are such in tune with their body they can really bring it all together. They sometimes make the best students. I enjoy working with them because they teach me so much.
P O'Dwyer
I use all senses. Medicine requires you to have a certain standard and you must be on your toes and be paying attention. Feel is very important in teaching phlebotomy and sight. Hearing is so important in blood pressure and pulse. Often you use more than one because you are multi tasking even taking a pulse which must be timed, felt, counted, and documented. Teaching these skills can be a task but once you get them there its like someone gave them a first prize ribbon.
P O'Dwyer
Marco,
Senses in instructional lessons and personal study enhance the the retention of key and essential information. Each added sensory stimulation contributes more to student learning. Rewriting notes on note cards that are then read into a recorder, then played back allows the student to hear their voice, touch the note cards, see the information, and review the recorded information. Extra steps but a great way to cement information in the brain.
Barry Westling
Suzanne,
I think most students have aspects of all three lerning styles, perhaps with one, or even two more dominant. I also think most people use visual learners in their own way to assist them with thinking and memory tasks, including those used in masterering new knowledge. That said, the more senses we can incorporate in our lessons, the better student retention of information will be.
Barry Westling
A great example of this is letting the students touch models and examples that you are talking about that way a student can do more than just read about certain examples.
