Could you recommend some first day assessments that will help gauge learning styles for entry level college students.
The benefits of knowing the learning styles of your students can make you a more effective instructor because you will know how they learn more efficiently as well as to be successful.
By knowing the different styles of learning in your classroom you can vary the instruction to accomodate each individual. When lecturing along with powerpoint presentations you are incorporating two styles likewise when demonstrating set-up of specific equipment you are again reaching two styles of learning. Having the students read aloud helps with the auditory and written word learners. I attempt to integrate various styles of instruction to reach my target audience to enhance their understanding.
If you have an idea of the learning styles you will be to adjust your teaching to make the information more beneficial to the whole class.
Doug
I think this is the most inportant part of class since i have so manny different students from manny different places i need to be able to adapt to there learning styles
I understand the difference in learning styles and who a faculty member can use different methods to derliver the information to the students. What I am finding is very challenging is in an online environment, is that, although there are synchronous and asynchronous interaction with the students, it sometimes does not matter what is there. Students are going to do what they want to do. These self-motivated students take advantage to what is availabile to them, while other do not. Sometimes, students feel too overwhelmed with the amount of information that is provided that they don't what they can to their ability and leave everything else alone. I imagine though, that having more is better than having less. The important things, is to provide as much information that you can, in a variety of ways, to ensure that you are covering all types of learners.
Knowing the learning styles of students can help an instructor design and relate class content in the most effective manner. As a General Education instructor, I feel that the more varied my teaching style the more my students retain information. Furthermore, I believe that as a general education instructor it is imperative that I incorporate a wide variety of delivery methods: handouts, worksheets, etc., during my lectures so that students get a chance to put what they are learning into practice.
If I have 30 students in a class; I am 100% sure I will have learners of all different styles; therefore I go into the classroom on the first day of class know I have to lecture, move around the room, have hands on training, have a movies etc.
Laurie, teaching as if you are taking the course is an excellent idea. It reminds oneself the needs of how ideas and information is taught and received by the students.
Thanks for your contribution and reaching out to all learning styles.
by sendig out more successful students
If I know the learning styles of my students, I can better develop my lesson plans according to the needs of all of my students. I can incorporate varying activities into each lesson plan.
By knowing the learning styles of my students, I can prepare lectures that reach out to each of the students. I teach keyboarding online. I prepare recorded lectures where I demonstrate how to do things like documents or the basic use of Blackboard. Within my course I also have lecture notes that can be read. I try to teach my courses as if I was taking the course myself and to reach out to all learning styles.
For me it allows me to determine the best way to present information to my class where it is hopefully interesting and the students can see the value in it. One of my classes is a requirement for graduation and not very interesting to students because they are just ready to be done. It is critical information for them once they are out in the professional world but getting them to understand that and embrace the material is challenging. I try to do a variety of activites that focus on each type of learning style. My hope is to be able to have something for everyone.
Amy Rogers
Students learn material different from others, by utilizing different methods you are able to deliver the content effectively
I do agree that as instructors, we need to prepare our lessons to the different levels of learning styles that each student may have. Then more students will have more.
Knowing how a student learns aids the instructor in gearing their course delivery in such a manner to reach all of their students at different levels. Since student excel when they are taught at their learning style, this benefits the student to acheive maximum input from the course being taken.
Hi Amir- Welcome to ED 103! As you describe, our students should evolve in terms of their skills thoughout our classes until they finish our programs. As you mention, I think Capstone courses are very useful as they serve to summarize what the students have learned as a whole in the program. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
Susan,
I think all of the information were great. One thing that I have experienced and now better understand is the level on how students will learn as they advance within the program. For example, the ramping course I teach; I have to provide a lot of "hand holding" and many different types of learning styles for the students. Comparing this to a capstone course, the methods of communications and learning style are more similar for all students in the class.
Amir
HI Katie - It seems so basic, but so many instructors don't try to identify the best way to teach their students. It will change from group to group , but bottom line - teaching to the learning styles of your students will pay off! Best wishes - Susan
The importance of knowing students’ learning styles lies in our responsibility as instructors to provide the best opportunities for students to learn. Students can become frustrated and discouraged with learning if their preferred style is not utilized. Simply discovering whether a student is primarily a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner equips us with this knowledge. One of the most important roles we have is utilizing methods to appeal to students’ primary learning style.
