Tailoring the presentation of materials to the class, involving both the adult and the younger learners helps gain understanding of the materials for all involved.
Knowing the students helps the planning process. For groups of various ages - planning is key to helping all involved.
At our school we have students take a questionnaire to determine what type of learner they are--visual, audio, kinesthetic or a combination. If I have a majority of visual learners I know they will respond better to power point presentations more than lecture. I rarely have a majority of audio but I usually do have a few in each class so I make sure I make eye contact with them when I am speaking. I have many kinesthetic learners so I will have them get up and we role play or act out a principle. I also have equipment available that I pass out for them to examine/use. I am a visual learner myself but most of my students think I am kinesthetic because I tend to be very hands on. I have also noticed that I am not an audio person at all and so when I take classes I let the instructors know that I need visual aids instead of verbal instructions.
Helps you to develop a learnign plan that help the student understand the material.
Lorelle,
So true and we need to remember this as we plan our instructional delivery. They are very concrete in their approach to learning so we need to give them examples that reinforce the course content.
Gary
Adult learners are different from traditional learners, as they have developed routines and preferred learning styles. Course work and materials delivery must reach all learning styles to be effective. For example, materials should be available in text format, auditory format and a tangible format such as an exercise. One of my best strategies to reach students is to include best practices assignment suggestions verbally during lectures and in text format as announcements. Examples and samples are meaningful visuals such as a sample APA format paper. Repetition is also a great way to reach learners.
It helps you know how to plan to present the material to your class. If you have a visual learner, you can provide drawings, or material for them to look at, make notes on, and highlight. If you have students that are more of the "hands on" type, you can provide some hands on demo's.
I think it helps because in essance it lends itself to undestanding a students motivation. Understanding their goals helps but I believe the "why", motivates them. This allows us to create an environment that fosters success. Being able to plan with this in mind may help ease the student allowing them to become more comfortabe with the lab or classroom environment.
This may change how I present my course materials but I still would follow up with the students and accent the positive.
I could not agree more with you. I have found that when I teach the math class I like to spend a little bit of time finding out which math classes they have had previously, which gives me a idea of each students math foundation.
My experience has shown that it is important to get to know a little about the students background and experience so I can get a feel for the overall classroom and approach the students with a better understanding of who they are.
Understanding of learning characteristics is helpful instructional plan because, if the instructor realizes that not all students learn differently. The instructor will be prepared to present the information in a manner that is beneficial to the students
Hi Evelyn,
So true. This knowledge will enable you to customize and target your instruction in such a way that you can hit the different learning preferences of your students and keep them engaged.
Gary
If you get to know your students and their particular learning characteristics then you can prepare your class material to appeal to most or all of your class instead of just a few.
Hi Jorge,
Yes, it is. You can customize your instruction when you have this kind of knowledge about your students.
Gary
Hi Kevin,
So true. Having this understanding and knowledge about your students really helps as you plan your instructional delivery. This way you can target their learning preferences more accurately.
Gary
Understanding who my students are and how they learn is critical when I am planning my lesson delivery methods. By taking their backgrounds into consideration It demonstrates that I am genuinely interested in their success.
By understanding a student's learning characteristics it is easier to troubleshoot glitches in the their understanding of specific subject matter as well as present varied learning objectives in ways that are approachable to the individual student.
I usually try determine students’ goals and objectives while discussing my goals and objectives. I let students know how my course can fit in with their personal or career goals and objectives. I like to preview the texts with my students. I useing the own texts and I expect students to use the own texts in my courses.
I explaining time expectations and what students can do to master the content of my courses.
I helping students set up study groups.
I want them to integrate study skills.
helps you to develop various forms of presentations to address all types of learning characteristics
Hi James,
Well said. This is what being a well prepared and dedicated instructor should be about. This is student centered instruction.
Gary
If Iknow who my students are and how they learn I can plan my lessons accordingly. Knowing their learning characteristics also helps me design assignments and tests to their learning style.This helps them feel successful, because they do better in class and retention is better because of this.
