Hi Cathy:
In other words, by using a variety of teaching styles, we are more likely to address as many learning styles as we can.
Regards, Barry
Hi Gerald:
Using the senses is a fun way to break up the monotony of a normal class flow.
Regards, Barry
Because today's younger students are highly visually motivated and "sight" is highest on the list of senses percentages for contributing to information processing, this needs to be the number one way to deliver material. Utilizing Power Points can enhance the lecture material. I have also tried to cut down to number of slides to 20-30, thus keeping the students' attention throughout. Also if using handouts of the Power Point, I make a "student" copy that has some blank spaces they need to fill in from the overhead screen. It keeps them a little more engaged, but keep the blanks to a couple per slide or due to differing hand/eye coordination of students, the lecture can get too drawn out.
Though many of us were taught with "lecture" as the main tool of instruction, it is clear from the data that it is not as effective. I think hearing as "discussion" does encourage learning. The exchange of ideas between students, and between students and instructor helps imprint important details. Also repeating important details often helps imprint.
Because the vocational field I teach in is very much hands on, during laboratory periods I try to talk less and allow the students to work more. One needs to give concise instruction and well organized demonstrations, but then allow the students to "get at it" pretty quickly. "Talk less work more" is my philosophy for labs. Some tasks need a fair amount of dexterity or fine motor skills. Allowing students to fumble for a while, then going back and re-performing the demonstration allows students to "see" something they maybe did not pay good attention to during the first demo. I have also found a wealth of demonstrations on "You Tube" to draw on. Obviously, one must preview before showing in the classroom.
I have also found some good "online" math quizzes for re-forcing pharmacology math. Math seems to frighten many students, but I have tried making it more fun with wrapped candy if they get an answer correct. I toss them a piece when they get the correct answer. I also vary the candy selection. It has been a real motivator and the competition seems to create a stepped-up desire for the student to "get it". In the above manner I have utilized all the senses.
The math is truly simple "algebra" we are working with, but saying that word frightens some - so over the years I use the term "mathish". I know is sounds a little silly, but the anxiety level dramatically goes down and the students can think better. I also like to utilize many worksheets and allow them to work with partners - discussion between students is very helpful. With math, repetition is a key component to most students.
As a sensory physiologist by training, i particularly appreciated the point that students utilize multiple senses in the learning process. These "educators" who preach that students use only one sence to learn and that instructors should present the sme material via all the senses excites in me the sense of nausea!
Keep the students engaged, so they listen, hear, and experience the lesson. Use basic communication techniques to verify they heard what you wanted them to hear (paraphrasing, etc.).
Have students engaged by providing multiple types of activities. Hands on for physical skills, video, audio and in my own field of culinary even taste and smell have places in the learning process.
As an instructor in HVAC/R, I have always taught to use all of your senses when performing our work!
Eyeball a situation, smell for unusual odors, feel the line-sets for proper temperatures and hear what a good running machine sounds like so that you can recognize a unit that is not running correctly!
I am in the field of Computers. I often have students to actually visualize computer parts and pass them around for them to examine. In doing this it sets a visualization in their mind of what the part looks like and they are able to make the connection as to what it is and retain it better. Pictures in books are a useful tool however if a student can actually touch it they are able to retain better.
Hi Woody:
Creativity in both delivery of course content and student receipt of learned material can be inhanced through multiple senses. Getting students to become more aware of their surroundings is another example of something simple that improves learning.
Regards, Barry
One strategy that I have used in the past when discussing Cells is to bake a cake and have the students decorate it like cells. It made the information click with the students as well as involved their sense of smell, taste, and touch.
In the medical field we teach the students to utilize all of their senses to determine a patients condition. We feel for a pulse, feel for temperature. We look at the condition of the skin, color and physical responses to touch.
We use smell to determine multiple issues such as infection, breath, hygene and antiseptic agents. Just to name a few. we need to teach them to not judge based on appearance but to determine a proper course of action.
In our massage therapy instruction courses we utilize mediums to allow the students to enhance their learning experience via visual, audial, kinesthetic and olfactory. We make sure that we have the students utilize as many senses as possible to increase their ability to retain and apply the knowledge into their career field.
Hi Daniel:
What we are really describing here is the use of a VARIETY of approaches to keep the class interesting, and help address every type of learning style.
I like your pizza idea!
Regards, Barry
Hi Bonnie:
Great. More senses increases memory and makes for memorable instruction. More senses allows for interesting classes and more opportunity to reference material when the student is studying.
Regards, Barry
I try to have students take notes, fill-in handouts, use powerpoint and white board, also do interactive games. I try to get them to use writing, visual, hearing and action and get them to see how the topic applies to their career choice, will help them to have confidence to use critical thinking to work out what they do not know and give them that foundational base they will need as they progress in their education.
There are a diversity of articles and books out on the market relating to various strategies as they address the various learning styles and senses of our students. The issue for myslef, and most faculty I know, is giving ourselves permission to try these strategies, particularly when they go beyond our own comfort zones. And yet - as our current class emphasizes - that is the only way to grow.
I wasn't big on powerpoint until recently. Then we took some field trips, then I realized this would be a great way to bring this info: to students that did not have the chance to go to a particular visit. So being the HVAC/R field we rely heavily on sight(cleanliness o equipment), touch (feeling of refrigerant lines),and sound (motors, compressors, etc.) Cridical Thinking is very important in our field and requires most all our senses to evaluate a piece of equipment.
One of the games I play is hangman which helps the students focus on learning concepts. It keeps them interested and uses at least two senses!
Dr. Westling: Are there any other tips you can offer as to help students to use their senses in learning other than the two big ones, visual and hearing. Would handouts work to fill the touch sense?
Dr. Westling: I was thinking about how I have the students use their senses in a legal class, and I was surprised to see how many senses I do use.
Like you said, I have them write notes, read aloud the power points, and test each other during team activities. At least two senses are used in each class.
