Kinesthetic Learners and Abstract Concepts
I teach psychology, and I'm curious if anyone has any effective techniques for relaying difficult concepts, models, and theories, which can be quite abstract, in a fashion that suits a kinesthetic learning style? In other words, how can we translate the abstract to the concrete and make the learning process suit this type of learner?
Hi Richard- That is a tough one! You could maybe ask students to complete some sort of hands-on project ( collage, film, sculpture, etc. and send that to you to view. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
This sounds like a challenging area to explore however I teach online and "hands-on" is a virtual impossibility. I have visual and auditory methods at my disposal but in order for a student to touch something, it has to be there in their hands.
Any thoughts on this?
Hi Lisa- What subjects do you teach? Susan
I've always found it a little challenging finding Kinesthetic projects for all to work on. Does anyone have any ideas what type of fun project students can work on together for them to retain information?
HI Kara- Thanks for some "fun" suggestions on engaging kinesthetic learners! Best wishes- Susan
Hi,
I don't teach psychology, but I'm a kinesthetic learner myself. Possibly having students do mock sessions where one is the psychologist and one is pretending to have the "sypmtoms" that have to be diagnosed.
For the math concepts, even for adult learners, I think childish games can still be effective and fun, if it's acknowledged up front that they're childish. For something like algebra, I remember a class where the class was divided into groups. Each group of several students took turns going in front of the class and were assigned values, such as X, Y, =, or a number, and then had to arrange themselves in the correct order and were timed. The group that gets done the quickest is the winner. It's fun because it can get a little goofy, but it reinforces the importance of "order" in a more 3D way than on a page.
Boy, I'm wondering about that too. I teach some algebra and statistics classes and it is very difficult to find kinesthetic aspects. My wife has suggested getting models and toy numbers to let the students push around various items, but I worry they will think this too childish.
Maybe in psychology you could build a physical model of decision making by different personality/pathology types and have the students follow through. For example, build a series of physical connections with wires or tinker toys showing how an extravert or an intravert might interact with a group. But that's just an off-the-cuff idea.
HI Geoff- Thanks for your post to the forum. The general education classes that are usually theory/concepts are difficult to translate into kinesthetic terms. I like to use projects where students create models of psychological processes for one example. Any more ideas from or Psych Instructors?? Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
