I find this to be important so that I can 'reach' all students and aid in their learning process. I also find this keeps my students excited and eager to learn.
This is also for my benefit. If I vary my methods, it keeps me on my toes. I then get more excited about the material based on my students' reactions to what delivery I have chosen.
Make the class interesting, different types of learning styles, students turn off very easy
I teach online and find that I have the ability from the beginning to present the material in several different ways to reach all of my learners. I have written materials and videos with audio. In each of these mediums and I can present data, demonstrate examples and answer the most commonly asked questions. I haven't figured out how to reach my textile learners, so any suggestions would be welcomed!
this keeps the students interest. It also depends on the content. If I am doing chemistry, I better have a variety of learning methods. I f I have a lab class, then that is usually easier because most of the class is hands on which tends to naturally keep up the class's attention.
For one thing, giving the material through a formal lecture method only entails that your students become passive learners. Learning is a two-way street. It should be interactive, with both the students and instructor engaging in dialogue and open communication to inform, question, clarify, and understand material or content.
Secondly, I have always told students that it help better in content retention for them to use most, if not all of their senses in learning new things. We have all these perceptions to help us in learning, that is, to be integrated to the higher center (cerebral cortex) where information is processed. Thus, taking notes (tactile), reading (visual), hearing and audiotaping the lecture, then playing it back during content review (auditory), if all done collectively would lead to better learning and more retention.
Thirdly, students are people. Everybody needs variety because it is the spice of life. Varying instructional methods of delivering content makes learning more fun and not be perceived as a task or chore to be done.
I try to look ack on courses I took and what I liked and didn't like. An instructor that just drones on and on can be a real bore. I try to keep my lectures to 15 minutes and then turn to another activity to reinforce the lecture.
Adult learners are easily bored. Nowadays, most are visual so PowerPoint presentations are important. However, giving students the ability to learn by doing is very effective and gives the class a variation.
I have found that students do learn in a variety of ways. I lecture, put example and explainations on the board, I use handouts, some video and audio presentations and power point presentations. Always at brief intervals ask if students have any questions.
This is required in order to keep everyones attention and, to make sure you are taking advantage of everyones different learning styles.
Very simply, to engage all of the learners. It also makes it more interesting.
To reach all students effectively, as many methods as possible must be employed. Even though a person may be a more hands on type of learner, it doesn't mean that person can't benefit from lecture or any other method. No one is exclusively one type or another.
It is important to offer a variety in order to keep the students interests and keep them asking questions. It also gives the instructor a chance to try different things and see what works best.
You must do this in order to try to accomodate all learning types...It also keeps the class interested through variety.
Many of the adult learners I teach learn differently. By demonstrating different instructional delivery methods you will be touching on every learning style within your student class population. I use my own learning styles to show student's the different learning styles that we use even if we didn't know the name of that style. Offering varied styles in delivery will also help the student's know which learning styles they are weak in and therefore they can work on learning those along with continuing to build on the learning style that works for them.
Hi Kacie,
Right you are. This is what makes teaching fun plus we get to be creative every time we step in front of a class.
Gary
Excellent points, well said! Best of luck to you Mark!
It is sooooo important. It ensures all of your students' needs are being met to produce the highest knowledge retention possible. It keeps things fresh to "switch it up" a bit for both students AND instructors.
There are many reasons why you want to use a veried delivery system in your clases. Here are just some that come to mind for me:
1) Your students all come from different backgrounds and thier learning styles will all be different.
2) Some students might just not get what you are saying one way but get it another way.
3) Keep your class fresh. Your students will stay focused longer if you change things up on them.
You must address the fact that all students have a different knowledge starting points and interest in your course. Keeping interest levels up by variety will improve overall retention of content.
Hi Kristine,
Thank you for sharing this website. As you say it is a great one to give an instructor the big picture of in terms of learning.
Gary
