HI Maggie- Thanks for your post to the forum! I agree, by mixing up our delivery we benefit as well. Best wishes - Susan
I meant to say that if I were to teach using only my preferred style, I would lose (disengage) 3/4 of my class (not love, typo. Sorry).
The benefit of knowing the different learning styles are being able to adapt to each individual student learning habits. This knowledge can help the Instructor delivery & can help touch on more specific information for the students learning.
I am an auditory learner and I've always done well in school with the traditional lecture. However, if I were to teach using my preference only, I would love 3/4 of my students. I've really enjoyed integrating exercises, video clips, discussions, assessments, research, case studies etc because it benefits the students as well as giving me a break. 2.5 to 4 hour class times are typical, and it's tough to keep the attention span of students as well as to prepare that much content if it is solely relayed via my preferred style. However, I enjoy the fresh perspectives and alternate viewpoints that emerge from shifting teaching styles to address the needs of the students. I feel I get as much for the classes as they do.
Knowing the learning styles of students enables the instructor to use various presentation methods to meet the needs of each student.
What would the best way of, getting to know your students, without crossing the line of fraternizing?
HI Linda- Thanks for your post to the forum! I agree, it really is a challenge to vary delivery style in the online environment. Depending on the capabilities of the learning platform that you are using, it is great to incorporate videos and audio clips whenever possible. Consider adding links to YouTube videos for example. Allow your students to post things like this as well ( subject to your approval of course!)
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career and all the best in 2010! Susan
HI Mary - Welcome to ED 103! Thanks for a very thoughtful post to the forum -it's a great idea!
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career and all the best in 2010! Susan
PowerPoint can be helpful but sometimes it can become too much of a crutch. I like to lead a discussion and make students critically and asking discussion questions can sometimes utilize this method.
I agree. Sometimes this can be challenging in an online environment or when you have a large class. Some instructors I have heard have students complete a survey at the beginning of the term to assess what learning style the students prefer.
I try use a combination of teaching methods. I use PowerPoints with images for visual learners and try to use audio lectures for auditory learners. Hopefully, through a combination of different methods, each student will learn some of the course material and satisfy the course objectives.
In the course I teach, I use powerpoints. Most students find this an easy way to learn. But, I realized by simply adding written descriptions to the slides, it will enhance the learning of the students who receive their information via written form. A very simple idea that takes little time, but benefits a certain segment of my students.
Is very important as an instructor.
It is important to know the learning style of my students so as to address each of these styles as I am covering course content. Many of the courses I teach allow for each learning style: visual, written, auditory, and kinesthetic--especially the computer courses. However, when I teach writing classes, I am kind of at a loss of how to provide the hands-on that students some students need. I am not sure if the group writing assignments would be considered hands-on or not. I suppose in some respects it is, since they are talking with each other, sharing ideas, making up stories. However, I also do not lecture much in these classes, so the auditory learners are left out. I think this is especially true of the online classes. It is hard to address the auditory and kinesthetic learner in this environment. I would be interested to hear ideas of how to make online classes more diverse so as to address all learning styles.
HI Debra- Thanks for your post to the forum! I also teach on-line so have experienced similar problems. I find that, as you mention, students are often overwhelmed with the volume of information on an online class's site. I do not open the entire class at once but rather on a weekly basis. I make sure that there is a weekly "To-Do" list that is not only listed in the Assignments section, but is also included in the Announcements section that is also emailed weekly to the students. Best wishes and Happy New Year! Susan
It will assure that I deliver my content in a way that all students can effectively learn it. Repetitive use of one style is not an efficient way to teach !
By knowing the learning styles of our students instructors benefit by increasing their effectiveness in the classroom. Knowing this information allows us to tailor the delivery of our course content to maximize the learning of our students. As a result, we also become more effective as an instructor.
Hi Anthony- Welocme to ED 103! Here is a link to a free learning assessment inventory.
http://www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/lsi/lsitest1.html
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career and Happy New Year! Susan
If you know your student's needs, then you can cater to them to help them learn faster, and more successful.
I can plan my course content to utilize the various learning styles which would reach more of the students in the class as well as introduce the other students to other styles of learning which they may be required to use in a work setting.
