It helps me to quickly understand each students learning ability. I can see problems and respond quickly, then act. It helps me to be a better insructor by keeping me focused. Without the knowledge from these work modules, a person could become blinded by routine and the learning process breaks down.
Hi Rich - Welcome to Ed 103! You are exactly correct- if the instuctor does not address the learning styles of his/her students they will not learn as well as they could have and this is crucial! Best wishes- Susan
The flow of the class is dictated by the students and how they learn. Understanding the learning styles of the student is the most critical part for instruction.
Hi Kathleen - I am very interested in the voice program you mention. Can you please send me some details? Thanks! Susan
I currently teach online and I do have my learners take a learning style assessment and have them do a small essay on the results. When the learner seems to be struggling I can go back to that essay and identify what type of learner they are and see if that is part of the struggle. Some learners are auditory and in an online environment where there is no lecture hall it can become difficult for them to grasp the information as well as the feedback. I use a voicing program to leave them a .wav message about their paper or their work to provide further feedback. Kathleen
I feel that the way the Dunn model discussed the various differences in learning styles was very beneficial to me and I learned alot. The socioeconomic differences in my students makes my teaching style diverse to match their learning needs.
you can then address each style and each students individualy in order to respond to their needs.
Hi Jeff - That's it exactly! It also makes teaching more interesting for faculty. Best wishes - Susan
Knowing the various learning styles of your students can benefit one by enabling a variety of teaching methods to be used for a larger understanding of the material by the overall class. Using this knowledge can ensure you students are more successful.
Hi Harry - I completely agree. A good instructor is contantly watching his/her students, assessing for mood, comprehension etc.. Best wishes- Susan
I think I would be a plus if you are able to use more than one learning style. I actually use visual, reading and hands on methods, most of my students are visual learners so my goal is to get everyone on the same page sometimes hands on is also helpful to get the material to a point
Benefits are that the instructor has the ability to tune in to the needs of individuals as theclass progresses. It is not hard to see when someone is "not getting it." A short discussion after class or even an email could well be the extra attention this student needs for this information due to his or her learning style.
It is not possible for instructors to address all learning styles at the same time. And while varied instructional techniques may be employed, the instructor still needs to tune in to the responses and reactions of his or her students constantly.
Hi Alejandro- Welcome to Ed 103! You have a good point - we do need to help our students to be successful outside of our classrooms and to do so they must learn to be flexible and willing to continue to grow and learn. Best wishes! Susan
Knowing the learning style of your students is beneficial because as an instructor you can shift your style to accommodate how the class will process the information. Knowing how students differ may help you help your students expand and be more comfortable with different learning styles. Life is not a classroom and as educators we are part of the equation that is responsible for preparing the students for the real world.
Knowing the learning styles of my students can help me plan my learning activities to target the majority styles present in each of my classes. It makes clear the importance of varied delivery methods to reach everyone. To become more effective as an instructor I will work towards recognizing my students learning styles and vary my delivery.
At the end of the day, i want my students to be comfortable in class, and to give them the best opportunity to succeed. Knowing their learning styles is just as important to me , as the information that I give them. Letting them know that I will do my best to work with them as individuals,using their skill set, gives me an advantage in relaying the messages from class, and in turn not have any distractions and disturbances.
If you can find out quick enough it will make for a better learning enviroment. The students don't have to stress about how they're going to learn if you can present it the way they feel comfortable with.
I find the biggest benefit to teaching in the various learning styles is that the students are able to comprehend information in their style (even if they do not know what their learning style is).
When they comprehend they are able to give the information back in discussions, quizzes, and tests. Therefore, they feel good about their ability to learn and give back what they have learned; this then bolsters their self-esteem and self-worth which increases their ability to assimilate more information. It is great for the students because they are seeing their success which in-turn is great for the instructors because they see the students learning. And it is always nice when the class as a whole is maintaining the A's and B's -- because we were able to present content in a way they could assimilate.
No, I don't think that every student knows their learning style, my students are all different ages for ex: I have students out of school for 20 or more years they don't know what learning style or study habbits are . We actually try to use all learning styles so that we have at the end the same goal to pass with a good grade.
I also find that when you place students in groups, you are accommodating all different learners. Each one brings a different thought or idea into the project in order to complete. The students find their weaknesses and their strengths and acknowledge (not every time)their weakness.
