Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology1 Learning Styles

Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology 1

Learning StylesLearning Styles


Learning StylesLearning Styles

Students taught partly in a manner they prefer, leads to an increased comfort level and willingness to learn. Taught partly in a less preferred manner, 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.


Learning Styles – Learning Styles – so whyso why

Understanding learning styles will allow us to understand how the students setting in our classes learn the best.

Learners

Obje

ctives

Evaluation

Met

hods

As instructors we can tailor our teaching methods to match the learning styles that our students possess.

Teaching to their learning styles and forcing them to learn outside their preferred styles will develop more effective professional.

The primary goal of an undergraduate education is to produce a student capable of thinking for themselves.


Learning Styles - Learning Styles - CategoriesCategories

Visual

Verbal

Sensory

Intuitive

Active

Reflective

Sequential

Global

Input into mind

Perception of Information

Processing to Retain

Building Understanding

Learning Styles


Learning Styles Learning Styles Visual - VerbalVisual - Verbal

• Identify information

• People tend to prefer to take in information either visually or verbally

Input


Learning Styles Learning Styles Visual-VerbalVisual-Verbal

Index of Learning Styles

Questionnaire

http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html



Verbal 30%Prefer the spoken and written word

Visual 70%Prefer charts, diagrams, and pictures



Visual Learner Verbal Learner

Instruction Video Clips

Diagrams & Images

Maps

Lecture

Audio clips

Assignments Mind Mapping

PowerPoint With Images

Interviews

Seminars

Reports & Speeches

Assessment Id on Maps

Drawings and Sketches

Read & response

Sound Identification

Verbal tests

Reference Reference maps

Diagrams/Pictures

Articles

Video/Audio Clips

Communication Whiteboard

Chat

Phone

Audio Conferencing



Helping the Visual Learner

Try to find and use diagrams, sketches, flow charts…

Use concept maps when appropriate…

Color code notes if possible…

Try to locate video clips related to your topics…

Helping the Verbal Learner

Prepare summaries of material…

Allow for presentation of others explanations…

Discussions of topics by the class…


Learning Styles Learning Styles Sensing-IntuitiveSensing-Intuitive

• Perception of information

• Sensors like to work with real data and like details

• Intuitors like to work with theories and like concepts

• Making it fit in the real world or the world of ideas

• Concrete ConceptualFacts and Data Concepts

Concepts

Concepts




Questionnaire




Intuitive 42% - (innovators) Prefer theories and interpretations of factual informationWant a connection to other ideas

Sensing 58% - (Logical)Prefer data and factsWant a connection to real world


Learning Styles Learning Styles Sensing - IntuitiveSensing - Intuitive

Sensing Learner Intuitive Learner

Instruction Images

Sounds

Demos

Case Studies

Hypothesis Setting

Assignments Creation of Demos

Images

Case Studies

Problem Solving

Resolution Building

Assessment Detail Tests

Audio Tests

Outcome Projections

Reference Field Trips

Virtual Field Trips

Compare & Contrast

Communication Conferencing Tools Group Work


Learning Styles Learning Styles Sensing - IntuitiveSensing - Intuitive

Helping the Sensing Learner

Provide specific examples to material if possible…

Try to frame material in how they apply in practice…

Brainstorming on how the material presented works in practice…

Helping the Intuitive Learner

Connection exercises for theories being presented…

Question development time…

Provide time or exercises for building hypothesis…


Learning Styles Learning Styles Active-ReflectiveActive-Reflective

• Processing to Retain

• Active learners need to interact with the material directly and/or talking with others

• Reflective learners need to think about where the new information fits




Questionnaire




Reflective 32%Do the processing in their headLet’s think it through

Active 68%Learn best by doing something physical with the informationLet’s try it and see how it works out


Learning Styles Learning Styles Active - ReflectiveActive - Reflective

Active Learner Reflective Learner

Instruction Class Participation Critical Thinking

Reflection Time

Assignments Model Building Problem Sets

Journaling

Assessment Projects

Reports

Problem Solving

Essays

Reference Field Trips

Virtual Field trips

Observations

Readings

Communication Meetings Webcasts


Learning Styles Learning Styles Active - ReflectiveActive - Reflective

Helping the Active Learner

Allow time for problem-solving activities…

Hypothesis development exercises…

Group discussions on topics in the material…

Helping the Reflective Learner

Reflective time in a class…

Question development time…

Summaries of class materials…

Blogging…


Learning Styles Learning Styles Sequential-GlobalSequential-Global

• Building Understanding

• Sequentials want to follow a linear process

• Global learners want to work from the big picture




Questionnaire




Global 28%Must see the big pictureBefore the individual pieces fall into place

Sequential 72%Easily makes linear connections between individual steps


Learning Styles Learning Styles Sequential - GlobalSequential - Global

Sequential Learner Global Learner

Instruction Video Clips

Diagrams & Images

Maps

Lecture

Audio clips

Assignments Mind Mapping

PowerPoint With Images

Interviews

Seminars

Reports & Speeches

Assessment Id on Maps

Drawings and Sketches

Read & response

Sound Identification

Verbal tests

Reference Reference maps

Diagrams/Pictures

Articles

Vide/Audio Clips

Communication Whiteboard

Chat

Phone

Audio Conferencing


Learning Styles Learning Styles Sequential - GlobalSequential - Global

Helping the Sequential Learner

Provide material in order of completing a task…

Provide examples and material to fill in steps…

Helping the Global Learner

Organize material into more blocks than step by step approach…

Relate material to existing material and theories…


Learning Styles - Learning Styles - Helping LearnersHelping Learners

Visual

Verbal

Sensory

Intuitive

Active

Reflective

Sequential

Global

Input - Presentation

Perception - Content

Processing - Participation

Understanding - Perspective

Visual

Verbal

Linear

Sweeping

Active

Passive

Concrete

Abstract

Learning Style Teaching Style


• http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/learning_Styles.html

• http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

• http://www.uncw.edu/cte/soloman_felder.htm

ReferencesReferences

Documents

Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology1 Learning Styles