I don't have a form that I use... I just think of a few questions to ask each class....
for instance...
what is your name?
do you have any children?
(short answer/fill in the blank)
I do the majority of my homework at night when I get home from work True False
I also work while attending school True False
Then I think of a few mutiple choice questions pertaining to what the class is I will be teaching to see if the students have any knowledge of the subject matter.
Each one is different depending on the class I am teaching.
I have the students either switch papers with their neighbor and tell us about the person sitting next to them, or I just have them read their own.
I hope this answers your question....
Over the years of teaching, it has become clear to me that limiting instructional style to the traditional lecture method put some students at a disadvantage, especially if there is a lot of subject matter to be covered within limited time. Becoming familiar with the different learning styles of the members of the class not only evens out the learning field, but also presents to me ever-changing opportunities to adapt my teaching strategies to different groups of students.
Wht type of a learning assessment form do you use? I would be interested if you cared to share.
Thanks
I have my students complete a learning style assessment on the first night of class. I try to incorporate a variety of elements that would accommodate multiple learning styles, but I find it helpful when a student is struggling with a topic to circle back and try to gear it in a way that they understand clearer.
Your students benefit by making it easier for them to learn and retain the information. Utilizing different teaching methods will reach more students instead of only using one teaching style.
By recognizing the ways that our students learn better will help us as instructors decide how best to present the information we are teaching. For instance, when using a power point presentation the instructor could read the slides and could occasionally interject personal experiences, or ask for feed back from the students to help the auditory, written and possibly the visual learners. You might "lose" your kinesthetic learners, but you could always do something in the lecture, depending on what the topic is to include those students also.
This in turn will enable you to reach more students and make your classroom more successful.
As a new instructor with less than one years experience, I have definitely learned that not every class is the same. I now know that I need to get a feel for the class first and then make my adjustments to the style of the students. I used to be harsh at the beginning, now I have lightened my address to the students and it has paid off in the long run. I now begin, stern and strict and I expect high expectations and the students know that if they follow the path I have set for them, they will be successful and have fun at the same time.
The benefits are numerous but most specifically they can help each student to "get" the material.
My question is where can I find a good quick learning assesment tool that I can use in a clinical setting?
If you begin a class knowing your students' learning style, you can tailor the lesson plans to the student. For example, if I am teaching a course of visual learners, I am going to incorporate videos, powerpoint, etc. This will allow me to better reach the student and all them to learn more effectively.
The benefit of knowing the learning styles of your students is knowing how to teach in a manner that will benefit all of your students.
Not everyone learns with the same techniques. It is important to know which sense the students are best at using when learning and incorporate these in classroom instruction. Encourage students to use as many senses as possible to help absorb material.
i only have 3 weeks to asses the learning styles of my students. by the time i figure out my students learning style, they are moving on to the next class. i wish i had more time.
HI Brian - Thanks for your post to the forum. Often students really know how they learn best, so just chatting with them for a minute or so and asking relevant questions can get you the info you need.
Knowing the learning styles of my students makes it easier to taylor the lecture to individuals. Unfortunatly, my classes are only three weeks long and it can take up to a week to figure each students style out. Without a test, is there a faster way to determine this?
The instructional benefits of knowing the learning styles of the students are to set up the class format in a way to capture the highest percentage of students attention and learning quickly.
It can help in providing a better learning environment for the students and create a fun learning atmosphere
Knowing the learning styles of your students benefits the students retention of the material being covered and makes the time used by the instructor to teach more effective.
By knowing the learning styles of your students would greatly benifit an instructor. The instructor would know exactly how to teach to each student to give that student the best senario for learning to occur. But must of us as instructors do not know the learning styles before hand, each class needs to be constructed to include different learning styles. This increases the chances for each student to learn while at the same time keeps the class lively.
Knowing the learning style of the students allows an instructor to better prepare the lessons and the instruction for the students. Knowing a learning style will keep an instructor from losing his students interest in the subject matter. Use of other techniques in the classroom will help to foster more learning instead of only lecturing to them.
Joyce Brown
By taking the time to know your students' styles and reception preferences it will produce a better learning and teaching environment for all. While at times, it is impossible to cater to every individual need, learning the students' styles will help with retention and assessment abilities. As the instructor, you will be well respected and your objective on student success will be clear.
By knowing the learning style of students, they will be more engaged in class discussion. This is a benefit to the instructor as it makes for a more interesting class. It is a benefit to the student as they will be able to process and learn new information more easily.
