Doing is Learning's Best Friend
The more the students do after a lecture or a video, the more they learn. I use all three learning styles in my classroom to make sure every student is getting something out of the lecture.
Our team has conducted variations of the same course to widely different audiences; US and non-US. Previously, we did a week of mostly lecture with PowerPoint slides, followed by a week-long practical exercise, in about 3 stages they had to complete. Instructors helped facilitate. We learned that we had to practically re-teach each class in order for the students to correctly do the week 2 activities. Now we make relatively short presentations, followed by instructor-guided, very targeted PEs. When they get to Week 2 requirements they are much better prepared. Great learning improvement. Still lots of room to incorporate some of the things presented here to accommodate learning styles. Also the debrief would help considerably.
Students seem to succeed when they hear the info with an idea that lecture will unlock their learning style. Following we give them visual demonstration during which we would have few students take interactive role ( do what I do ). Day usually ends with time to get students hands on days before they will practice/perform the task.
Greetings Theodore!
Repeat Repeat, practice practice, repeat repeat.....
Isn't that the way we started on the learning path in preschool, kindergarten, elementary and on throughout our learning experiences? So why not continue that with adult learners?
Good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 facilitator
I agree that giving your students some papers to do what you just demonstrated is a way to insure that they really get it. I also think that letting them work in teams has value. If a student doesn’t understand something one of the other team members can help them understand. The team approach lowers the chance that they will give up on a subject.
We should use as many learning styles as we can in order to reach every student. I teach at a culinary school and have found that a combination of demonstration, hands-on activity and the written word works well.
I agree! I try to use all learning styles so that all students are able to master the objective.
As a chef instructor, I feel the best learning comes from hands on experience.
Good for you Gilbert!
Then you can feel more confident that you are meeting all student's needs.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
That is good that you incorporate the three learning styles after the lecture or video. I have to plan the use of the styles better because it will help to reinforce the lesson content.
Sometimes it is hard to know how much my students acquired from my lecture. I like to give my students some papers to draw what I just demonstrated on the board in different situation to make sure they really get it.
