Understanding Students
As instructors we should know that there are different learning preferences, so as we prepare our classes we should make sure to try and incorporate all of these different preferences into our lesson so as to reach all of our students.
Yes I agree. With my students when they are having a hard time studding for a test during the first week of school, as a class we discuss different ways to study. Not always are they studding in the way that they best learn in. So they try different methods until they find what works for them.
An instructor should start observation of the student's learning style from the first day of class therefore she may be able to conduct the class in a way that everyone is beinng reached. Some days there maybe group discussions some days the whiteboard maybe utilized and lastly pass out flyers pretaining to the subject being discussed and in doing this everyone should benefit with their learning style.
I agree! The hard thing is, is some students like powerpoints & some don't. Some like to hear lecture for an hour & others don't. I find it easy to switch back and forth to please both groups! :)
I'm considering adding additional resources for students to access during study. I've just got to figure out how to best direct them toward the most helpful tools for their learning style.
I do a short learning styles assesment with my students to get an idea of what the learning styles are of the students.
My culinary school students come to school to learn the techniques needed to succeed in the industry. The need to repeat vital skills is constant. We use practical examination and "speed drills" often to assess their development. This seems one dimensional after learning from this last model, but it's imperative to their career development. How can I more effectively reach those other types of learners and still focus so strongly on the core necessities?
David,
I would suggest that you look at your current delivery model and see if there are different ways you can deliver the content. For example if you currently lecture over a topic is there a way to have students do a case study or have group presentations? Adjustments like this will small but they appeal to the different learning preferences of the students so you are expanding the engagement opportunities for your students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I definitely agree, instructors should be prepared to lecture, show powerpoint presentations, and have reading/writing assignments planned.
I find observing students interacting with each other... discussing materials that were presented in class, is most helpful in understanding what kind of Learners I have.
The first action I take when enhancing student learning through instructional resources is to identify all the resource available for a course and then identify the learning style that corresponds most closely to the resource. I have an anatomy publisher that has a text with pictures, and audio description of the text and pictures, a DVD on actual practical palpation demonstrations and flash cards. I can put the auditor learners with the aduio files, the visual learner with the picture in the text and as the student to partner with another student and actually perform the palpation along with the DVD. Once I know which resource goes with which learning style I have students find study groups that enhance their dominant intelligence. Logical and mathematical students are asked to organize and categorize the anatomy elements in the textbook that are similar in structure and function. I ask the verbal linguistic students to take the audio files and discuss with the group the important anatomical concepts and content. Lastly I have students participate in an active hands on practical laboratory exploration of anatomy identification and palpation on the body, (visual spatial intelligence)
Robert,
I really like your instructional plan for meeting the learning preferences of your students. You are giving them a number of different ways to acquire the content and skills needed for the course. In addition, I am sure the instructional process is more enjoyable because you have engaged students as a result of your efforts.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Yes I agree!!. By observing our students we can discuber thier lerning preferences.
I like your organized approach. I follow the same format but in the class setting, since our students are part of accelerated program. I encourage them to make their study groups and review their information whatever they have studied individually. I highly recommend to my students, whatever they study in a topic, close the book and reproduce it in your own words. That helps them in pruning, comprehension and preparing their own notes. They also learn which information is more important and which needs to be filtered out.I conduct whole lecture in small small portions of using all methods to cater different needs. For example, I use power points, DVD, internet visuals, lecture, discussion and clicker questions (for pruning.)
Sameena,
Good ideas for all instructors to consider as they do their instructional planning. There needs to be variety in the instructional offerings so they students can use their different intelligences and preferences to acquire the content and skills.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Thank you for your response. I have noticed using different methods during lecture creates a balance in the classroom and at the same time we have something different going on in the classroom all the time. My lecture is always exciting for myself and students also.
Sameena,
I wish you much continued success in your teaching and impacting the lives of your students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Trying to understand a student is very difficult, especially if they don't share with us what their learning process is or what they are having difficulty in. Many time we may notice that they are having problems learning and at this point we should speak with them and try to figure out how we can help them learn. Communication is very important between the one teaching and the one learning.
Margarita,
You used a key word - communication. The more we talk with students the more we learn about what support we can provide and how we can help them be successful.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
At my campus we have a very structured curriculum. A certain amount minutes on one topic then on to the next. That being said, it is a blended curriculum that accommodates the various learning styles. There is lecturing, discussion, audio and visual presentations and hands on group lab participation. Each of those methods though has to be modified for each group of students. The quicker you get a feel for a group through constant observation of students’ reactions to the information being presented the better you can customize the lesson.
