Hi Shelia, Thanks for your post. Yes, using diverse delivery is always a win-win. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
The students are more successful if they are allowed to experience different learning styles. It would be unfair, and possibly detrimental to many students if the instructor used one style of teaching.
I'm an adjunct instructor and work with the students in the clinical stage of training. Helping Dental Assisting students learn chairside assisting. Supporting them and help them learn the hands on part of being an assistant.
It is very important to learn the learning styles of your students, so it will be easier to engage with your students.
Hi Chad, Thanks for your post to the forum. I really recommend having your students take an online inventory of learning styles. It will take them only a few minutes and give you the info that you need. Here's one that I have used:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Susan Polick
In a 12 week math class with students from multiple disciplines I have little time to discern individual styles, but I use powerpoints with examples, explain/elaborate on the examples, and after one or two examples assign problems for students to do. I believe this will reach each of the learning styles in a reasonably efficient fashion and give ample time for feedbck and questions.
Hi Holly, Thanks for your post to the forum. That's it exactly! Those are the keys to an effective teaching experience. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I think that it is important to provide multiple approaches that complement the learning styles of students for a number of reasons. First, by using a student's preferred learning style, they can see improvements of 10-15% on their exam scores. Second, by building a supportive class environment, students will feel more comfortable in participating. Finally, and most simply, students are apt to get more out of the course if their learning style is used in the course.
Our students do not like to have to open a book. Lectures cannot completely cover all the topics so reading is necessary to "fill in the blanks"..
Hi Benjamin, That's an excellent point! Thanks for your post to the forum. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
it is important first of all to use a variety of instructional modes to reach as many learning styles as possible. Knowing that the majority of your students are kinesthetic, it does not make sense to lecture too much. Although students prefer to learn in a certain way, it does not mean that they cannot learn any other way. As teachers we can give them strategies to help them learn in multiple ways.
Hi Billie Kay, thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, getting to know our students is important. I try to take notes after I speak to a student one-on-one so that I can occasionaly reference something they may be interested in specifically. You will really be pleased with how helpful knowing the learning styles of your students will be! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
here at the motorcycle school most of the students are hands on, sometime we need help with the ones that are not. Thanks
I think student introductions are very important, and I also make sure I introduce myself, sharing a little about myself with the class. This helps them see me as a real person and also encourages them to share.
Since I've been working on this course about learning styles, I believe I will incorporate asking the students questions that help reveal how they prefer to learn.
Hi Sandy, Thanks for your post to the forum. Getting that information early is so beneficial! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
This will help them to retain the information you are teaching them. It is our job as an instuctor to go the extra mile for our students
It is important to provide the best approach and resources to complement each individual learning style for each student..
As online College Instructors, we have implemented a student prep course where we ask students to decide which styles they most identify with.
This helps us determine which strategies we will need to use to comliment each individual student.
Hi Jenny, What a great affirmation of your student focus! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I recently had a student approach me to confirm that the student introduction day one, was huge for her. She confirmed that the instructor taking time to get to know each student was an indication he/she cares deeply about the student's success.
This time is certainly valuable to me as an instructor identifying learning styles.
Because some students learn faster than others and with a different way of understanding.
