By offering a variety of instructional methods you are more apt to meet the individual needs of the students.
All students learn differently. It is important for instructors to quickly evaluate the students he or she is teaching and modify his or her delivery of the material so that each student has an opportunity to understand the material being taught.
Although there has been new literature that states there is no such thing as learning styles, I believe that each person has their learning preference. With this, it is important to provide a variety of instructional delivery methods to engage each type of learning preference to relate to all students. This promotes the success of all students instead of teaching to the majority of students. Ensuring you have feedback mechanisms and discussions with student to make sure you are assisting them to the best of your ability by varying delivery methods helps extend student success.
Not everyone learns the same way. We have 15 students in each cohort and not 1 of them is like the other. Whether is differences in race, culture, age, etc....we are all coming from different places and our learning styles are as equally diverse. By offering varied instruction, you'll have a better chance of reaching more students effectively.
Jeanie,
Your instructional planning is right on target. You are providing instruction in the various learning venues that enable students to use their preferences to acquire the information and develop their skills. Your area is a great area for this to occur because it is a blend between knowledge and skills.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Students learn in a variety of way, therefore it is important to use as many delivery methods as possible in you lesson. By utilizing the four major learning categories (Written Word, Auditory, Visualization and Tactile in you delivery of subject will ensure that you have reached on learners in your class. Also, by utilizing different delivery methods will help to keep your students engaged in learning and should result in better outcomes and retention of information. Since I work in a cosmetology school it is generally easy to incorporate all these learning styles into most lessons taught.
We use different delivery methods for two reasons:
- to make sure we appeal to all the students and the various learning methods they represent.
- and because even those students best served by the predominantly applied learning method grow bored if the same approach is used time after time.
I find it easiest for me to ensure variety if I look at the entire syllabus at once. When just looking at one lesson at a time, I tend to fall back on those approaches that have worked best for me in the past. Laying the whole syllabus out at once makes it immediately clear when I have overused one approach, and sometimes suggests ways that using one approach in one class may lead logically to a different approach in the next lesson.
Greg,
Good way to offer diversity in your instructional delivery as well as retention of content. You are letting the students see how application can be made of the material that is being taught. This is a win win situation for everyone.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
i teach 30% class room 70% lad the classroom powerpoint is good but alot off the tool are dangers i do powerpoint on one tool at a time then we go to lad i give demo on tool then the students brake in two groups i move from group to group helping our waching for safe hadits
Racheal,
You are right. I teach classes that range in number from 5 students to 70 so my instructional planning is all over the place in trying to target and customize my delivery to meet their learning preferences. Keep up your effort as it gets easier to do this type of planning with experience and the development of your instructional activities.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think this was and remains my greatest challenge so far. It takes a lot of preparation to try and reach everyone especially in larger classes.
Sara,
Thank you for these informative comments. I know they will be helpful to many other instructors. You are right on with your discussion of the need for variety in instructional delivery. This is how you keep the attention of students while increasing their retention of the content. I have a mental picture of that class attempting the dance moves from the video and I am smiling. I am sure this was a fun experience and one that the students did not forget.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
First off, I've read through most of the responses, and have actually come away with some ideas to try (i.e. a study guide that students fill in as I go through a PowerPoint)- so, thank you for that!
To answer the question, there are several factors for why varied methods are important: different learning styles, different backgrounds, technology levels, ages, attention spans depending on time of day, the list can go on. Varied methods of presenting a lesson helps ensure comprehension for (hopefully) all students.
I agree with how it increases the instructor's skills, too. Personally, this module made me explore ways to enhance a presentation, such as adding an interactive quiz on MS PowerPoint. For instance, I can put up a question and ask by number of hands, "who thinks it's option A?"
After looking through the discussion forum, I see I'm not the only librarian in the bunch. As a librarian presenting to students, I make sure to note when an image or video used came from a library database, or how software for the presentation is available on computers in the library. I'd like to imagine that students who feel a lecture/presentation is effective will incorporate similar methods when doing their own presentations. Kind of like how some of the respondents on this board mentioned their own classroom experiences, and why they did or did not care for the instruction.
This reply is already getting long, but I can't help mentioning one brave instructor who presented a video on world dance. She had the whole class stand up and join her in practicing the dance moves shown in the video. Talk about varied instructional delivery!
Terrance,
Students like change of pace and variety in their instructional delivery. When instructors offer both then the students will be more engaged and focused on acquiring the content.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Donna,
Like your style of instruction. This is what learning should be about. The more engagement the more value the students will associate with the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Varying the instructional delivery method is essential to accomplish the mission of educating students. Because everybody's learning style is not the same, providing course material in one delivery method would potentially place many students at a disadvantage.
I think you made a great point: to think about how YOU want to be taught. Even today, in my career, I go to meetings that are incredibly predictable and boring. Throw me for a loop; take me by surprise and you'll have my attention. I also think it's important to teach NEW information, especially, in a way where you are putting yourself in the learner's role. Simplify, simplify, simplify. And don't rush through the information. Make sure it is understood before moving on. That's how I learn best.
DAVID E,
You are welcome. This is a saying that even years old has application for all of us educators. I think of it often as I prepare for new course sessions.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
That inscription "To Teach is to Learn Twice, Once as a student and once as a teacher", has made a tremendous impact on me. I hadn't really thought of that in such a long time. A teacher in middle school once quoted that and back as now has made realize we will never stop learning. Thank you for sharing that!!
Melannie,
This offering of different delivery formats is so important to the total learning process. By offering these different methods the students can work in their different learning preferences to enhance their experiences in the classroom.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
