This is true that’s why I lecture I lecture to all the learning styles .I call it catering to all my student s
Carol,
For many technical careers, I can see that it would beneficial to get hands on experience concurrent with theory. This seems it would also contribute to better focus and attention, and make for more interesting classes as well.
Barry Westling
i am fortunate that I am teaching both theory and hand skill development for their career. So with tactile and visual working together, the development of the skills proceed quickly with positive reinforcement. I am pleased that I don't just teach theory or just skill. the combination leads to a fun environment with learning comprehension higher and student determination strong . Grouping and allowing the students time to refine a physical skill allows for bonding, discussion,student helping student and all participate eagerlu
Michael,
I think writing notes help stimulate senses, and reinforces the points the instructor is trying to make by inducing thought, evaluation, summation, and recording for review. I encourage students to rewrite their notes as son as possible and use their text for reference. If there is time, one more summary on note cards allows feeling the cards while reviewing the notes further. Some students will record themselves reading from their note cards, then play back hearing their own voice recite their own information they feel is important. It's repetitious, but effective.
Barry Westling
Visual images such as powerpoint are an effective strategy due to the fact that sight constitutes 83 percent of learning. However, you need to use the 10:20:30 rule. No more than 10 slides per 20 minutes of instruction with at least a 30 font so students can read. You do not want to read verbatim from the power point. Just use it to hightlight information. Too much information on a powerpoint slide will overwhelm students. It is also a good idea to give powerpoint slides in handout form so that students can take notes as needed.
Pamela,
Great process. I think of PPT as a tool, and try not let the medium get in the way of the information I want to convey. Having a demonstration or lab activity is a great way to reinforce the material immediately preceding the hands on. And repitition is always beneficial in most any setting.
Barry Westling
I prefer to use PowerPoint to introduce a topic and then empasize key points during lecture/discussion. To bring all points together I have students apply the information during a practical demonstration. The following day, I select a student to lead a repeat demonstration.
Pamela,
Great. I think whenever students are involved in tasks, multiple senses will just sort of automatically come into play.
Barry Westling
I plan to utilize lecture or presentations and where possible, actually allow the students to put the info to use. Example would be going over a head hook-up then actual allowing the student to do one.
Gurinder,
Obviously, more senses involved in learning contribute to more opportunity for retention of needed information. Lab, demonstration -- activities that involve handling or manipulation often provide use of most senses in many cases. There are assessments that intend to help identify personal learning styles, but I have found that, although they indicate general tendencies, they are not always very accurate.
Barry Westling
I think students benefit from the use of a mixture of all the senses -visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. I normally try to identify this in my first class by asking students to let me know if they know their style of learning. This gives me some idea how to modify my delivery method. I incorporate more multimedia if I have a class that is more visual learners. Last term, I had a student who was just auditory learner, she will sit in the class with her eyes closed and just listen. First I thought she is sleeping, then I asked her after second class and then she explained to me, and true to that if I asked her question, she was able to answer it. As far as involving hands on experience, we have labs that gives them opportunity to practice and learn by doing things.
Kathy,
I think more senses, whether in study or in application in the classroom is bound to improve retention of needed material. For instance, with personal study, I suggest writing notes, then rewriting and summarizing (perhaps by word processor), the reading the notes aloud (perhaps into a tape recorder), then playing back, listening to the information while reading the notes (or just listening), then testing oneself, and then finally, testing others. Any area that falls short has just been identified as an area that still needs attention.. Repetition works well for recall information,
Barry Westling
In the field of Communication Studies, we say the more channels of communication (senses) used in a message, the higher impact the message will likely have, which is usually applied to designing a persuasive message. This discussion of using the senses is the same idea, applied to learning. Do others have examples of doing this successfully in the classroom?
DENISE,
Great example. I think as students become actively engaged in their lab experiences or even many demonstrations in the lecture, multiple senses are just automatically called into action. We can plan specific exercises to enhance the sensory experience, but relying on our own innate sense is often just as good.
Barry Westling
This sounds like an interesting approach. And now that I evaluate my teaching approach, I think I practice this, maybe not every 7 minutes but at least 15-30. I teach clinical for medical assisting so, I have to approach the topics for each level of learning for my students.
This is a great topic. I am actually "working on" this strategy in all of my courses. I have found in my phlebotomy course as they are being introduced to "finding a vein" I advised them to palpate the vein and surround surrounding areas with their eyes close. They vein you see is not always the best vein to draw from. It has been an amazing outcome and many of my students have successfully drawn from a vein they was not pronounced as others. This type of approach teaches them to not only to depend on their sight but their touch. After all in the medical field we should be "touching" our patients. Finding a pulse, drawing blood, documenting symptoms which we see on our patients, that is what a medical assistant does and we can do all of these with each of senses. (with the exception of of taste)
Lisa,
Wonderful. This is a great example of the creativity instructors can tap into.
Barry Westling
using properly colored candy, to create gram stained blood cells, with aquick info lecture on each type engages all 5 senses and more lc
Christa,
These are all great ways that senses can be used. There are many senses that are stimulated just by naturally interacting in the lab setting. Same is true for nearly any class activity where students are engaged and not just sitting, passively receiving a lecture.
Barry Westling
I believe you must stimulate many senses in learning. I like to break into group discussions for one. I also like going to lab to get the students moving...not to mention this reenforces what they have just learned in class. I bring lab items into class for them to touch and pass around while discussing the topic
