Learning Styles
How will blended delivery help you to include all of the learning styles in the student learning process?
Learning styles are so fascinating. I take a poll at the beginning of the course to find out everyones learning styles. THen I make sure when I deliver instruction I do it to satisfy the styles of all the students for example I will show a video, do a hands-on activity, have them listen to me talk, have them produce a piece of art or info graphic etc etc. I incorporate a variety of learning styles in my teaching.
I find this both challenging and highly rewarding. Moreover, the students enjoy being able to learn from several different mediums.
Since the research has revealed over 70 different learning styles, and given the low psychometric properties (reliability & validity) of the VAK learning style assessment instruments, the efficacy of using learning styles in predicting learning outcomes has been questioned when designing content for a specific learning style.
Su,
Nicely put! Yes, the challenge to flexibility is for instructors as well as students in a blended model. Additionally, the support towards self-directed and customized learning means that instructors must be aware and responsive to the diverse leanring needs and goals of students.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Taylor,
As you mentioned, blended learning uses many different learning styles, which can be useful to our diverse learners, and to instructors as well. It is a good way to cater to the diverse population of our learners.
Cheers
Su Somnarain
Hello Steve,
I do believe, and even more convinced after reading the lectures in the course that blended delivery is meant to target different learning styles. As teachers and facilitators, whether in the classroom or online, we can become 'stuck' in our way of teaching. When we blend channels, perhaps one that is of familiarity and one that is familiar to our learners can be quite advantageous since it involves the learner and the instructor.
The blended channel can be a different way that may 'speak' to the learner as opposed to more traditional or stream line methods. For example, in a science course, it may be good to present lecture notes, while incorporating videos that can explain further to the learner. We can target the diversity in our learners by using blended methods of delivery. Great question!
Cheers
Su Somnarain
By using a blended delivery, I am reaching all the different types of learning styles. This keeps students engaged in the learning process.
Today’s students are ‘Nomadic’ therefore; instructors will need to become more creative and open-minded within our way of instruction. This module gave me so much insight as to different ways of teaching various learning styles. Hands-on application, web/Internet, and student interaction with educator. Options in learning will keep students engaged and eager to learn.
Michael,
The central focus must always be learner autonomy - teacher intervention is effective as it supports this. If you think about this, as long as the instructional design changes to become more flexible, the students will have more applied time to actually learn.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Markia,
Does the time you're referring to have to be the school time? There are many ways time can be given to students outside the classroom using new technology - this increases processing and learning time...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Blended learning is the way our campus is heading. It is the way today’s schools are able to reach the diversified learning population that we are seeing in our students attending today. Teacher intervention and guidance must still be allowed and I’m worried that our curriculum department in there push for blended learning on a tight 15 day schedule has lost sight on this. Since this type of learning has not been tried on a large student population as ours. Only time will tell if it is going to work smoothly and to the students benefit.
If the school have more time to do some of the learning ideas, i like the onhands type of teaching with our sudject.
Blended learning is a must have in this day of tech. The student is part of the tech so much we have to have it to keep up with what they already know. It is comparible to books and reading as a form of passing info on.
I really like the blended learning style and how it includes all learning styles is great. it also helps to cross train leaners into a different way of learning. i.e., say we are doing a hands on lab, the kinestetic kids will help the auditory and visual learners to do the the tasks as coaches. then when it is web time or they have to hit the books, the roles get reversed. we also discuss learnings and how they have learned new concepts and skills.
Blended learning will help address all the different learning styles. Each student should be able to find a method that suits him or her best, and by breaking the material into different formats,it should not be a boring task for any particular group of learner.
Milton,
Yes, true, therefore the instructional design should be flexible enough for student diverse needs.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
We must utilize different blended delivery methods to get the information across to the students. However with students today there seem to be way too many to cater to in the time frame we have,maybe it is the type of learning they received in high school or where ever but it make us utilize Blended Delivery.Some students have to retake the course to fully understand the material, no matter what method you use.
Michael,
I would suggest that blended provides both - it cretainly does not cancel hands on for those students and disciplines that require it. Nevertheless, it does also help build learner autonomy as well...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
james,
Yes, the overall goal is that students can understand their own learning style/perference and continue to learn accordingly...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
