Can technology reach all learning styles?
Some learners are best taught by "old school" instruction; use of the chalkboard, pen and pencil, and handwritten tests. Has this type of instruction died or has it been proven to no longer be the best approach to learning?
Valerie,
Very true - the essence and characteristics of good teaching remain the same - tools and methods may change.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I agree - I think that 'new school' doesn't mean that we've abandoned the traditional methods, just the tools. For example, my husband uses Google Docs to grade interactively with students. In the old days, you might have called a student up to your desk. It's similar, just with a new, more mobile and collaborative tool.
-Miss V
Chanel, I definitely think this "old school"approach you are speaking of is in place in technology based classrooms, but it has been translated into the use of multiple platforms and technologies to deliver the content in a more dynamic fashion. So, in response to your post, I think the approach is still in place, but it is being reimagined to stay with the times.
Stacie,
I agree - the teaching methods behind the technology can be the same but with technology, they can be enriched and made more efficient.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Hi, Chanel. :) Good to "see" you here.
I don't believe this approach has "died" at all. It has simply evolved! We now have whiteboards and smartboards that have, in a sense, replaced the standard blackboard, chalk, pens, and pencils. But the methodology itself is still in place.
Nathan,
I agree. Also, the capture and distribute capabilities help to expand the parameters of the session.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I am a proponent of still using drawing on whiteboards and utilizing the "old school" proven methods. However, SmartBoards can still make the "old school" more "new school."
As I am a visual learner, I love colors. When an instructor would use only 1 color on the whiteboard, I would begin to doze off. I needed more colors.
We should engage our students by utilizing more colors to clarify our drawings / diagrams.
Carlos,
Literacy is still an issue both with conventional literacy and digital literacy. In other words, we must help our students succeed in both environments if they are be successful professionals.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
My first perception is that "new school" learners are more adept at acquiring the information with technology. My focus would seem to turn this around that it would help them to demonstrate improved written and verbal skills to improve confidence in their area of education.
DANIEL,
Very true...new does not always mean ignoring the "old" methods. Using the most effective tools is key. I like the Smart Board for this purpose, as it combines so many older and newer tools and functions when teaching.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I agree also it is the way you use the tools of teaching the student. New ways work good like powerpoints but also drawing on the white board and useing other ways work good also
I believe that students should choose programs of study carefully. On occasion, I have seen faculty and administrators shudder at the idea of students needing to take certain classes online, believing that students need fact-to-face interaction for effective learning to take place. Then, once online classes are in place, the idea is presented that if everyone does not fully support online education, the people with questions do not want students to succeed. To me, both of these ideas embody critical thinking errors.
Having taught in physical classrooms as well as in online classrooms, many students flourish in both environments. I have also participated in both environments as a student. A particular student may be prone toward success in either environment or may do well in a hybrid program offering both physical and online classroom situations.
Other aspects of learning may be important to a student. Will a student need to practice, for example, basic writing or technology skills, and is instruction in these areas available to him or her?
I can agree. It does depend on the method of delivery. But there is also some level of adaptation for learners that have not entered the classroom in several years. And the method of delivery can help bridge this gap.
Chanel,
The chalkboard, pens, pencils etc. are all mediators in some way...new technology provides a more effective and engaging potential for mediation. New technology can provide a richer environment but it does depend on the instructional design and method of delivery...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
