I have a great diversity of characteristics among my students from age to cultural to economic to formal study habits etc. It is a tremendous challenge, but I try to learn the most I can about what my students are hoping to achieve, and what obstacles lie in their way. I don't compromise the learning objectives of the class, but I can often times accommodate the different characteristics, especially with the help of fellow classmates. The challenge turns out to be very rewarding, although at times, gut wrenching.
Hi Terence,
What are some methods you have used to get to know more about your students? How are you using this information to customize your instructional delivery?
Gary
Hi Bob,
You make a number of very good points about knowing learner characteristics. Knowing them really helps with customizing course content plus the point you make about them knowing you care about their success. This is a very powerful tool for motivation.
Gary
Hi Stephanie,
I think this approach would be very beneficial for a diverse student population group. This enable them to contribute their own life experiences to the content and flow of the class.
Gary
Learning more about each student will provide the information needed to develop customized teaching strategies for the individual.
It plays a vital role in that we, as instructors, can have a baseline from where to take the student on his/her learning journey. To know that a student is a visual, auditory, tacile learner or a blend of those, gives me a framework from which I can present material most effectively, although I attempt to merge all three into my presentations. Also, to have a student detail any past educational experiences, as to how he/she best learns opens up a world of communication, letting the student know that the instructor really cares about connecting and leaving an imprint upon the student's knowledge bank through the educational process.
Understanding learner characteristics is important so that instruction can be tailored to the needs of the learner. Would a constructivist approach instruction be best in addressing the needs of a diverse learning population?
Most of the students in the classes I've sat in work part time jobs...the instructors will alternate teaching methods to keep them fresh and alert.....
Hi Karen,
This is a great example of integrated instruction. You are keeping the students engaged while appealing to their senses. Once you have taken them through the process it will be stored in their working memory and available for recall when needed. I would like to attend one of your sessions, because from the written description of how you take them through a demonstration I am hooked. I can only imagine what it would be like to be standing there watching you cook. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Gilbert,
All good examples of being an observant instructor. By knowing where your students are coming from and how they are reacting to what you are presenting you can make any adjustments that are needed to keep the course on target.
Gary
Since I teach a Culinary Baking class, I need to be acutely aware of the tactile and visual learners. These students do not normally do their homework or the assigned reading to know what will be demoed the next day. Which means they do not know the definitions or methods that will be used. They will be starting behind the 8 ball for the next day. This means that I must be able to explain in many different ways why something is happening and also show visually the changes that is occuring in the product as it is being prepared. I will use for an example, making Carmel.
The reader will know that sugar goes through many stages before getting to Carmel; soft ball, medium ball, hard ball, tread.... the last stage will be Carmel. The visual learner needs to see what these stages are. The taxtile learner needs to fel what the stages are.
I use a themometer to show the temperature of the sugar and then put a drop of sugar into ice water to show how when the sugar cools I get the desired stage of cooking. The soft ball sugar when dropped into ice water forms a ball that is soft to the touch. This allows my visual learner to see a temperature and then the desireds outcome of a soft ball of sugar. The textile learners get to feel what the sugar is doing so they can understand that as the water is cooking out of the sugar, a new stage of cooking is acheived.
I continue to cook the sugar and Carmel stage begins. This is the browning of the actual sugar since there is little to no water left in the sugar. I explain to the students that they are going for a nice "Honey or Amber" color. Since I teach a lot of younger males, I have to give them a description they understand, so out comes the "New Castle Ale" or "Samuel Adams" beer colors to describe the color of the Carmel I would like them to make.
I need to cover the class material that is on the Course Ouline fore the day, but I also need to make sure that all the students understand what I am asking them to learn. When doing the kind of demo that I descibed above, all 3 of the learning types are covered. Plus I have the additional back up of covering all the material several times so that way they have heard the "cooking stages" multiple times so their retention is heigher no matter the learning style.
The key to this demo is to keep the students engaged, keep asking questions. Can they feel the difference, can they visually see the sugar getting thicker, can they see the changes in color, etc. Keeping the students engaged while they are basically watching a pot boil is no easy task, but by using the techniques above I keep the class talking and moving forward instead of just standing around and watching the pot.
Jason,
Love the mini interview idea. I agree the better you get to know and understand someone the better you can work together. Do you also give the student some return info so that they have something to latch onto as well?
Jeff
Very important. Watching who is really paying attention and who understand and who don't. (I have an accent!) Keeping eye contact and asking to repeat and by helping right away, is, I find more effective. Figure of speach, using examples, asking for feed back.
Hi Jason,
This is how rapport is build with students. By taking a personal interest in each one you are creating a connection that will serve to motivate the students throughout the course and give you an understanding of where they are coming from if a problem should arise. Great job.
Gary
Hi Glen,
Good job of using the resources you have in your class, meaning your more experienced students. By having them share their life experiences and insight you are helping to build their self confidence while helping the younger students see what lays ahead for them. This builds a powerful knowledge base for all students.
Gary
Hi Anthony,
Good way of approaching a class. You have balance with what you are planning and delivering to your students. Your method enables all students to succeed if they are willing to put forth the effort and can see their future in what they are learning.
Gary
Helps me relate to the student on a one to one basis. If I understand where they are coming from in their back ground then I can plan accordingly for what they need to learn in class.
I try to find time with each of my students to do a mini interview: where are you from, do you work in the industry, what brought you here, what classes did you like and why, dislike and why... Often I learn intereseting facts about the student and usually find we can make some kind of connection. This connection can be useful to me in the future when trying to teach and or help the student through a problem.
It gives you an idea of how to plan for some of the unique situations that can occur in class. If you know the different types of learners and their age difference it should help you in implementing your teaching ideals and then achieving your goals. Older students that have real-life experiences can be a real asset to your class. In many cases they add to discussion and they can assist fellow students in the learning process.
If I understand the different varieties of learner characteristics, I can better design assignments, projects, and presentations to match these characteristics. Teaching general education courses, I tend to get a wide variety of learning characteristics with my students. I try to address as many different learning styles as possible without weighting the material in favor of any one style or characteristic. With enough front-end planning, it’s usually possible to tailor an assignment that will appeal to younger, older, mature, and immature students. If this is done early enough in a term, I’ve found it helps get me familiar with what make a student “click.”
