Different Learning Styles
As an instructor, it is up to us to recognize that each and every student may have a different learning style. It is our responsibility to teach using styles that can reach the full audience in order for our students to succeed.
Hi Mary,
I concur! We should make ourselves available to those students who may need extra help in order to understand the concept.
Patricia Scales
As a clinical coordinator, I often have the opportunity to instruct students. I understand the different learning styles but I also believe that that instructors should be able to understand the needs, abilities,skills,and experiences of their students. Some students learn at a slower pace than others therefore the instructor should be readily availble to tutor and mentor the individual in question. Instructors she be trained in the best methods of communication possible
Thank you Patricia. I really appreciate knowing that there are tools out there that can be used to assist both my students and myself in making those determinations.
Hi Jackie,
There are several tests on the internet that pertains to learning styles that you can give each student on Day 1 to determine their learning style. Most of the learning style tests are very short. They can be completed within 20-30 minutes.
Patrica
I know that I am a kinesthetic visual auditory learner. How do I go about determining the manner in which my students learn?
Hi Rose,
Super! It is great when you can teach a lesson/concept so that all learning styles can be reached.
Patricia
Even though I am new to teaching and have only being doing it for about a year and a half, I am happy to say that I have been able to reach all learning styles. I will give the information from the book and also give examples of real life using the learning from the text. I try to create handouts or power points to assist with learning.
This is so true. We have a wide range of students and learning styles. It is important for the instructor to adapt their lecture to fit as many of the learning styles of the class they are presenting to. Maybe include some visuals, some lecture, and some hands on. Also, explain why the tasks are relevant so the adult learners buy-in to the excercises.
Even though my institution offers the traditional classroom setting versus on-line distance learning, some of my better days involved integrating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (competencies). Thank goodness for remotes and power-point clickers! A brief lecture mixed with images on the projector screen and hands-on demonstrations really captures the students' attention. If nothing else...the students anticipate "what will happen next? or whose side of the room is she moving toward?"
I have recognized this with different classes I have had over the years. I often get the same group of students for different classes as they progress through their program. It is much easier for me to prepare and teach a group once I have identified the way they learn best. I now make it a habit to ask the students early on in the course if they know their learning style. Most of them do know and do not hesitate to tell me.
