Every individual is different and trying to understand a learners characteristics will help an instructor to revise or readjust the delivery of a topic to better assist that learner
Students enroll in higher education for a variety of reasons; student success in higher education depends, in part, on their own personal characteristics, their motivation, and on external factors. Understanding the interplay of these dynamics on each student assists the instructor in planning a more effective learning session - for each student. A student will feel vested in the learning process if s/he feels the instructor understands his/her particular needs and characteristics.
Also, let's not forget the advantage the instructor will have with his/her class by gaining an understanding of learner characteristics. After all, it's discouraging to teach to a glassy-eyed audience.
It helps to know how the students in your class need to see the material so that they can grasp it.
It helps because it allows you to see what type of learners your students are. It allows you to plan more hands on activates if that's how they learn better or prepare more of a lecture.
I teach keyboarding and understanding learner characteristics is "HUGE". Our class usually goes more than 2 hours, so it is difficult for some students to sit that long. I have found that for my active learners, switching things up help. Sometimes we write stores, moving from keyboard to keyboard and adding a paragraph to each one. Also, this is effective in composing at the keyboard. I have found that I have to find out early one what type of learners I have if I want them to be successful. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas that work well in keyboarding when the "boredom" sets in?
Understanding each student as an individual will assist the instructor guide the class with appropirate assignments and will help the student excell
Younger and older students have different needs and drives. Recognition is important to both groups.
It is imperative to know the age groups to better understand what works best to motivate their learning as it relates to what life stage they have come from, currently at, as well as their goals. Also, is important we provide reasonable accommodations to those with disabilities in order to teach and develop them at the same rate as the other students.
I sometimes have a hard time incorporating all learning styles within a class but I try to put in as many as I can. I am also afraid of giving the students too much information.
They beleive in themselves and it builds their self esteem.
by understanding characteristics, you can develope ways to match the learner so it enables he/she to process information in the best way possible for them.
It makes them aware of needing different techniques that may be needed to reach each student
It helps to understand that different people have different learning styles. Powerpoints, lectures, and hands on may be needed for all students to understand the material.
There are differnet types of learners. For example, there are those who learn by reading, those who learn by visualizing, those who learn by doing, and those who learn by listening.
Knowing these differences in learning styles helps an Instructor prepare lesson plans, which includes something for all learning styles. By doing so, the course material is far more likely to be effective with a diverse group of adult learners.
Hi Michael,
What are some of the strategies you use to learn about your students' fears and concerns? Thanks in advance for your input on this.
Gary
That way you can find a teaching method(s) to use that is beneficial to your students.
learning students fears about the subject and class prossedings can give some ease and openness in the sometimes harsh distractions of everyday life,school work.
I agree, certain students need to feel responsible for the outcome of something in order to be motivated.
It allows me to tailor my class towards the various learning styles of my students.
Being a new instructor understanding students was difficult for be in the beginning. After a few weeks I was able to implement better lesson plans and in class activities by relating to the learners characteristics. I will often do as you suggested and break up the class into groups of different age groups. This gives all learners in the class the opportunity to interact with learners they wouldn't normally interact with.
