During my years of teaching I have learned that students learn differently and that their preferred learning styles change as time and technology changes. Using color stimulates, pictures and videos can be significant attention "grabbers", the way we seat them also determines active versus passive learning and creative supplies certainly grab their attention. We need to teach to the students' holistically capturing all their senses.
How we learn differs from person to person. However, it seems that different generations of students generally learn differently. The generation from World War II was a listening and reading generation, having access to radio and print. Therefore, using the printed word and music seemed to stimulate their learning the most. The baby boomers grew up with TV, thus you add visual learning to the mix which tended to grab their attention. The current generation grew up with computers, the internet, cell phones and other electronic devices which gave them instant responses no other generations had before. Thus, they require more creative stimulation needed to enable them to learn most effectively. As educators, we need to stimulate them to learn with appropriate colors, sounds, supplies and the appropriate seating focus to get them to concentrate on the learning process.
Hi Doreen!
What an intuitive observation and I totally agree. As you well know employers are interested in behviors and attitudes or those soft skills that make excellent employees. I bet your classroom style is very stimulating.
Keep up the good work.
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I find that all the ideas brought up for a multi-sensory learning environment are great.
I am going to implement several of them... such as, candy for students who need a little pick me up, an herb garden present in the kitchen not just for use of herbs, but to also provide extra oxygen in an area that maybe somewhat deprived of oxygen; also flip charts and posters to help emphasize key points.
So far I am really enjoying the information I am receiving from this course.
Hi Phillip!
I, too, have enjoyed gathering new ideas for my
classroom. I do know that my students - mostly young men - always enjoy some type of snack. It really seems to get them focused.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
i would love to use music in the classroom but beeing large classroom and noisy environment (culinary arts college) it is not possible.
personnaly i prefer working in a quiet environment but i could see when it could benefit the students.
I just wonder how the choice of music could be a topic of contention , everyone is so very different in their likes of music.
As these tools change brainiwaves, learning effectiveness. It would be a good fit for me in that I can actually share with the students how and why these tools are used for there effect on them and how they could use the same techniques when they supervise and have to train others. The course I teach is Supervision and Entrepreneurship.
Extending it further, the emotive effect and performance effect not only on employees but also customers.
I am a teacher in the Culinary arts, so we create a lot of items with our hands, We make showpieces in all different mediums.I like to use these showpieces, made in different shapes, colors and textures, to be displayed in the classroom as motivation for my students , who all are then eager to learn the techniques as well as the theory behind the construction of the showpiece. I also love the idea of music, which can be played during the hands on construction part of the class. With regards to the seating, while I complete my demonstration all the students have to have a clear view of me and my work table, so the seating is vital for a successful demonstration.
Have you found out about the sources of and uses color for multi-national classes?
I just down-loaded some icons and plan to have the students color them as an activity of "hands on" to teach them the dirrenent methods of preventing disease in food preparation.
Thanks,
Bennett
Good morning Bennett!
No - I am not familiar with this use. However, I am currently facilitating professional development courses at a trade school where my student had a team building activity. They were given a zerox copy of a human figure with a classmates name on it. They were expected to put positive work attributes on it and then color the figure if the chose to. The interesting thing was that the majority used words but they were much more connected to the colors that described the person. So as the figures became the representation of a team, the color dynamics was interesting in describing human traits.
We do learn from our students - don't we??
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
Good morning Ricardo!
I definitely like the multi-sensory approach and use it often in my classroom. I find having different learning styles in a classroom an instructor must find ways to connect with each student.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
Colors and sound have a real important part of the learning process.
Music well chosen relax the atmosphere in the classroom... using colors to reinforce some important topics is also critical for the understanding on the students.
Creating a Multi-sensory Learning Environment,
The best environment is for students to be able to turn one way to see their computers and then turn away from the computers and face the faculty member when the instruction is occurring. It is also good if the computer screens are easily visible to the instructor as they walk the room to help the learners.
I like to use soft music when the studetns are concentraiting on their work. But I also maintain the volume so it does not become distracting.
I was so invigorated by this forum that I actually stopped to make changes to my power point dicussion, changing it from a pale yellow to a light blue. i have also added icons to my power point to indicate the differnt points in the agenda. I will purchase a flip chart as well as scented markers for group activities which I intend to post on the wall...new material on the left, older material on the right. Finally, I hope to introduce the concept of music during the entrance and exit of my students.
all great suggestions but lets not forget that different students react different to various factors, incl.colors.
WOW Patrice! I would love to be in your classroom!
Good job!
Jane Davis
Ed107 Facilitator
Jane, as we have learned color is very important to getting the attention of students. Colors that are too strong may be distracting,but colors that work are gray, blue, and green. I have also found that using colors helps me do a better job of keeping handouts separated. For example, it could be a good idea to use green for collaborative learning experiences, blue for other outside assignments, etc. I really love the idea of using music; It did that in secondary school but have not tried it in college. I will. Seating changes are a challenge with large tables that we have. However, our chairs roll around and I have students move around for groups, etc. Last week I gave students in one class colorful folders to use for their final papers. I think it added an appreciated touch and encouraged them to be professional. I let them select their own colors.
I think using markers and 3 by 5 cards to generate ideas or to help students remember important points can also work well.
Those are a few!
Margaret Bennett
Our classrooms are a lovely shade of generic off-white. The desks are wood-tone particle-board. The carpet is industrial. I use the room one evening a week so redecorating is out of the question. My Powerpoint presentations could include colors with more visuals and maybe some animation with sounds. One problem I'm seeing here is that I'm color blind so some of my choices may not be what most people would choose. Music would be nice during quizes. I could rearrange the desks and chairs but the room has to be left in the same configuration I found it so rearranging and then dearranging at the end takes time so its probably not practical.
Thanks Margaret!
It sounds as though you and I are on the same wave length! I, too, like color, creating a collaborative learning experience and not letting tables be barriers to learning activities. I haven't got the music thing down yet - but am working on it. I like the idea!
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
