Since our jobs as instructors is to help facilitate learning, it certainly is beneficial to understand more about how the brain works. Because the brain works with different mechanisms in various capacities, so too must teaching methods reflect this diversity. It is specifically helpful to create learning experiences for our students so that episodic memory comes into play; this helps make learning special and memorable in a positive manner.
Raymond,
So well said. I think the same way and do much the same. Many students appreciate this approach. Some think it's time wasted, but this is to be expected.
Hi Klaus,
I know you are going to develop some keen insight into your students and how to approach them by watching how they function in the classroom. Let me know how your observations work in terms of learning improvement.
Thanks.
Gary
I am able to understand the different needs of some of my students especially those who cover up by various means. I am going to take some time to observe students who are trying to get my attention in their own special way.
understanding the basics of learning, would of coure be a building block start. however,my instructional strategy and /or teaching method, at least for the time being is to follow the lesson plan and implement new ideas, relative to the questions asked by the students. this may give me some insight into how the individual students may be thinking in regard to the lessons at hand. at which point I would attempt to respond to the entire class regardless of their individul way of or level of understanding. they will have to come to the table and accept things as they are, real world. I do not believe that we should be hand holding individuals at the expense of the rest of the class. we are not in kindergarden.
Hi Stephen,
This is why it is so important to integrate different approaches as you have seen with your son. Creating multiple connections (mind-body) helps with retention, motivation and application.
Gary
I suppose one of the more striking ideas of the ED108 course is that in a 24 hour period humans retain 25% of what they hear as opposed to 70% of what they are tactilely involved in. I have seen this in action as my son suffers for bonsfide Attention Deficit Disorder, and that hands-on learning is far more effective with him than simply listening to a series of facts and ideas thrown his way. The class I teach is largely lecture driven, but I have and will now even more employ tactile principles as a way of both learning and reatining that which must be learned.
I like to teach using a variety of methods to reach all my students. I start the class with an hour lectures that includes visuals, then studetns work in small groups for discussion or projects, and finish with hands on application of the subject. For homework I assign videos or reading assignments that support what we studied in class.
It will benefit me immensely to be aware of what types of learners I will encounter. It will help me figure out the type of learners I'm instructing and how to adjust my courses to benefit them more.
I will be adapting my teaching methods to encourage more note-taking. Possibly using guided notes. I will test this out and see if it helps my students in future classes.
Hi Clarine,
The benefit of your strategy is that you are offering your students a number of different ways to learn. By doing this you are going to give each student a chance to acquire new knowledge and skills in addition to keeping their interest in the content that is being shared.
Gary
Understanding the basics of learning will benefit the instructor because he/she can adapt their teaching methods. It is important to learn about learning before you learn how to teach. Each student is unique with different experiences and factors that shaped each of the minds of those learners. These experiences and factors contribute to the overall learning successes or failures. Using different learning styles will aid in the retention of information. Although memory is very complex, memory is basically the retention of information over time. Phases of memory include encoding, storage, and retrieval. Introducing students to study strategies based on an understanding of memory will aid in learning success (e.g. mnemonic device).
It is important to understand how people learn in order to to give instuction in a variety of way. I was trained as a high school teacher. My job as a teacher at that level was to help students organize themselves so they could get the main points of a lecture and retain it. I used a variety of methods ranging from lecture, reading assignments to homework assignments that asked the to rearrange the information to hands on activites that required the students to apply the knowledge. By using serval methods to teach the student were able to take information from short term memory to working memory to long term memory.
Hi Anne,
Thank you for the kind words about the content of our modules. The content is based as you can see on years of experience with students that come from diverse backgrounds and different learning abilities.
You have a great attitude about how you will work with your students and meet their respective learning needs while working to motivate them to stay engaged in the learning process.
Gary
I probably enjoyed this particular segment more than any I had read in previous on-line courses, finding it incredibly relevant in evaluating how I teach my students in the career college where I work. It has enabled me to mentally put myself into my students' shoes and asking what information is relevant to their learning and what is 'fluff.' I have done some of this already by 'sifting' through definitions in the chapters of the textbook we use and giving them term sheets of only terms that will truly augument their learning and keep them from the angst of 'information overload.' And I have choices sometimes in the hands-on assignments -- Choice A,B, or C -- knowing that some students have greater proficiency in drawing, painting, and constructing than others. This is a mandatory class for all students, and I realize that students with interior design or fashion design as a career choice might be less intimidated by some of the hand-on work than, say, students in Informational Technology, so I encourage students to do a somewhat more simplified form of an assignment if they choose, yet still geared to the learning goal of an assignment. For instance, an assignment on producing a particular color harmony through painting can be done by A)painting an actual room perspective or small line of clothing using those colors or by B) creating a completely abstract composition using those same colors. One of my mottos is "I teach so that you can win" and students appreciate that -- however, I still am a 'stickler' for craftsmanship and accuracy, as those are basic to good design.
Hi Cynthia,
You have got a good approach to reinforcing the material you share with your students while keeping the content fresh and engaging. This will help with storage and retrieval of the needed information.
Gary
This chapter was interesting to me since I teach my students memory as part of my Psychology class, but had not really thought all that much about how it applies to my teaching strategy. However, when looking more closely at my teaching style, I see where I am already utilizing a few memory techniques such as repeatition. I also try to avoid lecturing on similar but different concepts too close together to prevent retrieval errors when the student is trying to remember something discussed in class.
Hi Brooks,
Good comments about how we need to plan our instruction to incorporate and integration of methods in order for students to use both sides of their brains. The more we can do this the higher the content retention is going to be and this is the outcome everyone involved in the learning process desires.
Gary
Hi Joelle,
Great way to sequence the learning integration process. Once the students have worked through these steps they are going to have the content and applications stored in their memories to the point they can retrieve such content when needed in quick order.
Gary
Hi Andrew,
Good point about how to get new information stored in the working memories of your students. By making application of newly acquired knowledge the students can find that knowledge easier in their memories when needed out in the workplace.
Gary
Success requires a great responsibility on the part of the teacher. Learners come to the course with defined expectations; unfortunately, barriers exist. If students can be shown that the course benefits them, they will perform better, and the benefits will be longer lasting.
Educators must remember that learning occurs within each individual as a continual process throughout life. People learn at different speeds, so it is natural for them to be anxious or nervous when faced with a learning situation. Positive reinforcement by the instructor can enhance learning, as can proper timing of the instruction.
Learning results from stimulation of the senses. In some people, one sense is used more than others to learn or recall information. Instructors should present materials that stimulates as many senses as possible in order to increase their chances of teaching success.
There are four critical elements of learning that must be addressed to ensure that participants learn. These elements are:
motivation
reinforcement
retention
transference
Adapting an instuctional strategy involves taking all of the information you have accumulated and generating an effective plan for presenting your instruction. Examples could be:
Content Sequence and Clustering
Learning Components
Student Groupings
Selection of Media and Delivery Systems
