Students have different learning styles, some are visual, some are auditory and some are tacticle, others learn by repitition or trial and error. It helps to know what style your students have and to vary your instructonal delivery.
I have taught classes and labs in the last 16 years at colleges, universities and a technical
institute.
I learned in the last 16 years having taught many ages (16-65), creeds, including men and women that you must teach using many techniques including lecture, demonstrations, group discussions,videos, CD Roms, sample cutaways of parts, using lab trainers in the classroom as well, powerpoint presentations, etc to get their attention since some students will pick up better by seeing, hearing, writing down things, hands on projects using their hand tools etc.
This will normally help all types of students and keep them interested and keep their attention.
Thanks, Curtis Neuharth
So it won't be boring. I always want to keep my students awake & alert. It's also a way of considering the different types of learners in my class.
It could increase attention and learning.
Renee,
You make good points about how to select, structure and deliver content. It needs to be engaging, valued and informative if it is going to be retained by students. The key is identify ways that this can be done and then do it. Thanks for your input on this.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I believe this has 2 answers - 1) to maintain student interests and keep their level of curiosity to inspire them and get them to put their critical thinking skills into action. In my industry of interior design, critical thinking skills are tantamount to successful problem solving of a space and I have experienced too many students whose critical thinking skills have not been developed. I learned this by trying varied methods of instruction; powerpoints, lectures, and the use of CD's for homework activity and found where students excelled or at least grasped the concepts and where they failed.
Secondly, I believe varied delivery is useful for the instructor...we can become bored with teaching the same materials in the same methods class after class. We not only do ourselves a disservice, but we do not motivate our students as our lack of interest shows because of the monotony of the delivery! How can we expect to motivate our students if we find the material delivery boring ourselves?!
Tom,
By doing so you are increasing the engagement and focus of your students. This is critical in the learning process and the more you are able to vary your instructional delivery the higher the content retention is going to be.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Because there are a variety of ways that people learn.Varying the delivery methods increases the chance for that every student can gain an understanding of the material presented.
Variety will also increase the rate of comprehension and hopefully minimize boredom.
As the mod material suggested, I already try to use as many methods as possible while observing each students response so that I can discover which method works best for that student.
To keep students engaged and avoid daydreaming. The mind will wander it it feels like it can predict what's happening and doesn't expect to have to participate. I have found that activities are especially important towards the end of a 4 hour class where attention spans can be shorter.
Vincent,
Yes, you will. By offering variety in your instructional delivery you will be reaching the different learning preferences of your students and this will keep them engaged and focused throughout the course.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Students earn in a variety of ways and most learn in one specific catagory. By changing up my delivery I will be able to reach all student
methods of learning making the class benifcial for all.
With so many different learning styles it is imperative instructors understand and know how to implement different methods of teaching into course content. Everyone cannot learn by instruction alone. Some people need to see something performed in order to grasp the concept behind the lesson.
This is very important to keep students engaged in a course and involve all various learning styles.
It is important to vary your instructional delivery because you have different types of learners in your class. This way you can reach all of them. It also keeps things moving and interesting so the students don't get bored or their attention wanders.
Bridgette,
I use them in my class as well. Over the years I have been researching multiple intelligences and how they apply to learning. I have developed an assessment of the intelligences that gives the three dominant intelligences through which a person processes new information. With a data base of over 50,000 individuals I feel I have a very valid way of identifying and supporting the learning of students. Always good to hear about how other instructors use multiple intelligences as learning tools.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Not all students grasp the material in the same manner. What works for most students may leave others behind.The more basic and fundamental the subject matter the more important it becomes to deliver the material in whatever form is needed to get the student to grasp the concept.
I like to apply the 8 Multiple intelligences of GArdner in as many classes as possible because I feel it reaches out to the students.
Not only are there many different learning styles, they are also mixed and matched. Most learners use a variety of strategies to learn material. A good instructor varies the instruction in order to reach as many students as possible and to save their own sanity. Teachers get bored too.
Norrisjean,
Good advice for instructors. They need to include this type of planning in their delivery efforts.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
This is a critical area of challenge for the new educator. The lecture cannot be the only instructional delivery method. The instructor might use the ice-breaking period as a good time to discuss and gain insight into how the student would assess their learning style. The instructor, then has an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments in the lesson plan, to meet the learning needs of the students.
Norrisjean
