I often use video tapes to break up the routine.
Hi Mona:
I think your specific content area you teach in is a wonderful "lab" for utilizing the power of sensory stimulation in learning. It probably could be designed into a course because theres so much benefit to students.
For your question about smell, I am going to suggest sight to augment smell. For instance, you could blindfold your students, pass around different fabrics or materials, and by touch smell, malleability, etc., have them try to describe the sample item. I could see this helping them describe a fabrics texture later on to clients based on this learning tool.
Regards, Barry
This is the exact subject that got my interest. I am a firm beleiver in visual and hands on learning.
I teach product for Interior Design. I have used sight and touch by showing materials and passing the around the class. Sometimes even sound by having the students walk accross one type of floor and then another to hear the difference. Of course taking them to a product fabrication site is a great learning tool.
I had not thought of using smell, but would love some suggestions.
In my studio classes if a student does not understand for example how much space to leave between a chair and a coffee table, we will measure with a tape in the classroom using a real chair and something as our table and then have them try to move between them using sight and touch.
If we are designing for ADA, I have them sit in a wheel chair and go in and out of the classroom door to understand why you need to leave 12" clear on the push side and 18" clear on the pull side of a doorway.
Hi Elizabeth:
Good desciption of the variety of senses involved in a specific learning setting. A lot of this could be applied to almost any classroom.
Regards, Barry
I agree with a lot of the above comments. As a Pastry instructor, I try and instill in my students the importance of using all of your senses. Not only do you need to read the recipe before and know your steps, but you often need to check for proper temperatures (feel), know what the product should look like in all stages of mixing, be able to smell , see, feel, and taste for doneness. In addition to all of those things, working in a kitchen requires good listening skills and a compacity to multi-task while taking in more instruction.
Hi Kevin:
Absoutely. Culinary seems like the perfect example to demonstrate the importance of sensory applications in class.
Regards, Barry
Hi Stephen:
Wow, how the senses are involved in your specialty area! Instruction in your area must by necessity include the senses.
Regards, Barry
culinary students must be prepared to use all senses in both class and out in the industry
I, like another of the respondents also teah in the culinary realm...wine appreciation, to be specific. The sense - smell, taste and touch - are what the discipline is all about, and I schedule many tasting labs to make real for my students what can only be abstract when I merely talk about smells, textures and flavors.
Hi Ann:
Good example of using multiple senses. Obviously not every class session is going to lend itself to using all the senses. Some are less obvious (pressure, balance, pain, etc.) but the more senses used the better will be the retention.
Regards, Barry
Hi Quesstonnal:
Color is is great eye catcher! Asking different students to come and write on the board with a certain colored pen helps engage students also.
Regards, Barry
I teach baking and I am always explaining to my students you can't bake if you don't follow directions. I ask them to read through the directions before we start. I describe each step in detail and explain why we have to do each step exactly. Then as they are in progress, I talk them trough the process. While they are doing the project, they are hearing the directions. My hope is at this point it has been instilled in so many different ways, they may have gotten it. Later, we taste the project and see how it came out.Putting it all together solidifies the experience.
I use different color pens on the board and different fonts to catch the eye. Pictures are also a great way to describe a procedure.
Hi Jacky:
Whenever a teacher can integrate more senses or utilize multiple senses in a given lesson, the learning environment will be improved. Each specilaty has to determine what methods work best for their classes. The more ingaged the student is in their learning the more successful they'll be as graduates and employees.
Regards, Barry
In my profession it would be seeing touching ,tasting and evaluating ,and developing the basic of quality
Hi Eli:
Your statistic is interesting. As we add sense to the learning process, retention is increased. The best way is to have students tteach to their classmates. Of course, this assumes they will be prepared and are teaching the correct information.
Regards, Barry
In one study, students finishing a lecture style course knew only 8% more than a control group who had never taken the course. (Rickard, 1993)
That says it all! Whereas some students learn best through auditory channels, most students learn through use of at least two senses combined to understand a concept. Keeping this in mind, I try to mix up my classes. In addition to helping my students grasp a concept, it keeps them (and me) from getting bored. I present concepts using lectures, video presentations, hand-outs, self-assessments, guest speakers and group projects. Small group projects might include a project to see which group builds the highest structure with a deck of cards. This was fun! I gave no rules so some students put the cards on the ground (compared to leaving them on the desk) where they wouldn't slip; some leaned the cards against books; etc. Large group projects have included a team paper and presentation.
Hi Stephen:
I can believe listening would be important. Adjectives such as sizziling, crackling, boiling, simmering - these all are related to the sounds of cooking. In another sense, snesing customer satisfaction or comments or, even the tone created in the restaurant would seem to contribute to acute hearing and visual observation.
Regards, Barry
Hi Mark:
Great technique! With your permnision, I may use that one sometime! In learning, more senses create better information retention. Integrating sensory learning can take thought and planning but the result is an enriched class lesson.
Regards, Barry
I will often make my final comment on a particular slide and just ask students to comment. I will remain quiet for 30-60 seconds; to let the thoughts build up with them. I see them looking around at others, the slide, there notes; I think they are visually and audibly connecting with their information and getting ready to share. Environmental Science is a course about everything we see, hear, smell, touch and taste, in day to day living. Students can readily call on what they know/have learned and start in.
