Agenda: Learning Styles and WebSite Tutorial
Today we will share our findings from our learning styles quiz. Did you agree with the results? In the first five minutes work with a fellow class mate to discuss your findings. What technology have you seen used to meet the needs of different learners? What tools do you use for studying? How do you think learning the different learning styles will help you become a better teacher?
Students preferentially take in and process information in different ways: by seeing and hearing, reflecting and acting, reasoning logically and intuitively, analyzing and visualizing, or in steadily and in fits and starts. Teaching methods also vary. Some instructors lecture, others demonstrate or lead students to self-discovery; some focus on principles and others on applications; some emphasize memory and others understanding.
When mismatches exist between learning styles of most students in a class and the teaching style of the professor, the students may become bored and inattentive in class, do poorly on tests, get discouraged about the courses, the curriculum, and themselves, and in some cases change to other curricula or drop out of school. Professors, confronted by low test grades, unresponsive or hostile classes, poor attendance and dropouts, know something is not working. They may become overly critical of their students (making things even worse) or begin to wonder if they are in the right profession. Most seriously, society loses potentially excellent professionals.
To overcome these problems, professors should strive for a balance of instructional methods (as opposed to trying to teach each student exclusively according to his or her preferences.) If the balance is achieved, all students will be taught partly in a manner they prefer, which leads to an increased comfort level and willingness to learn, and partly in a less preferred manner, which provides practice and feedback in ways of thinking and solving problems which they may not initially be comfortable with but which they will have to use to be fully effective professionals.
On Wednesday we will begin our introduction to some of the teaching styles that can help us meet the needs of students with different learning styles.
Don't forget to turn in your learning styles quiz results!
Have a great Labor Day Weekend!!!
