How to make online learning work with more learning styles and intelligences?
As was brought up by the moderator and participants (in another discussion in this forum), too often online learning ignores some of the learning styles and multiple intelligences of its students. One could argue that even this course in which we are all participating could apply to even more of them than it does(although the thinking breaks, quizzes, and good ol' Max Knowlton do mix it up from time to time).
So how could we get online learning to work for the kinesthetic learner? For the auditory learner? For the emotionally intelligent? For the existentially intelligent? And so on...
In short, how can we revolutionize online learning to apply to all learning styles and intelligences?
I have been working in online learning for many years, and incorporate learning styles into my courses. For example, I provide reading materials for the visual learners, PowerPoint and lecture presentations for the auditory learners,and create notes pages for the kinesthetic learners who need to "do" something like taking notes during the presentation.
Most online courses also address multiple intelligences by including a mix group projects, individual assignments, and class discussion. Taking a student-focused approach to learning is a vital to incorporating learning styles and multiple intellenges into online learning.
Hi Jillian!
I have never enjoyed on-line learning but if I had, had you, I believe I would have connected much better. You definitely take the time to address students learning styles - BRAVO!
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I think the hardest learner to reach is the kinesthetic learner when teaching on-line. What I like to do is provide supplemental activities for the student to do at home on their own.
All the learning styles can be catered to in the online environment. One might end up appealing more to one type of learners, depending on the type of course being taught. So for instance the kinesthetic learner stands to benefit more from a cookery class where the steps for preparing a recipe are given for students to try out in their individual kitchens.
The auditory learner benefits from PowerPoint presentations with embedded audio files. The challenge is for the instructor to be able to accommodate all learning styles by varying teaching modes. In semester long courses this is achievable as the course content could be extensive to allow for multiple styles of teaching to be adopted. In the case of half semester or less courses, this may be challenging as the course content may not be that extensive to allow for a variety of teaching methods and styles to be incorporated. All in all more than one learning style can be catered to depending on the extensiveness of the learning material, the course at hand and variety of teaching styles included.
