Visual Learning
In class just the other day, I noticed that some students were having trouble understanding a topic we were covering. I realized that I could re-format the material and present it in a visual way in order to really show them two different methods of putting it all together. I found this to be really helpful, and will adjust other lessons accordingly in the future.
Stacey,
Your last sentence is an important reminder for dental hygiene programs to consider as they work with DDS's in clinical practice. Learners need to have as many different venues of delivery presented to them as is possible. Most of us like to touch and manipulate items to reinforce the knowledge we have.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In the teaching of dental hygiene, visual aids and models are used for many activities. The text books need the back up of hands on tactile models to reinforce learning objectives. This is used in lab settings and in the clinic.
I was inspired to write a post here since Antonia wrote that she needed visual aids to understand procedures in her dental office. I am sure dental students learned with visual aids also. Maybe in the DDS's clinical practice the use of such aids should not be forgotten.
Dr. Antonia,
Good chair side manner. I wish my dentist would use such informational strategies when talking to me about a procedure he feels is needed. Tough to follow all of the technical terms but with graphics I can understand the general idea of what is going to happen. This is true as you know for our students as well. Thanks for making this point.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I also believe reinforcing the written content of material with a visual aid makes the subject matter more relevant and comprehensible. I am a practicing Dentist, and I have found that procedures performed on patients have a much better outcome when the patient been "dentally" educated through oral explanations and visual examples.
Robin,
Visual content retention seems to be a constant for many students. So you are doing the right think in offering the other venues for learning but supporting them all through vision.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Through many terms of teaching, I have resigned in my mind that I will have many different types of learners in the classroom. One of the most common types of learners that I have had are visual learners. I use many different types of teaching styles, and visual normally wins hands down. If I lose anyone in the different types of learning styles, I am able to capture them through a visual demonstration.
Jessica,
Thanks for sharing this experience with us. This reinforces that we need to be aware of how our students are receiving our content and if they are able to internalize it. If they aren't then we need to make adjustments so they can.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
