Active Learning

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Active Learning Learning Styles

• Mike Walker
• UNIV1011 University Success
• September 21, 2004

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Todays Agenda

• briefly review last weeks objectives
• define active learning
• explore your personal learning style
• sensory learning style
• cognitive preference
• Multiple Pathways to Learning
• Personality Spectrum
• Discovery Wheel
• begin personal Learning Profile

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Todays Major Concepts

• learning can be enhanced though
• active participation
• engaging multiple senses/modalities
• you have personal preferences as a learner
• you have varying skills abilities as a learner
• creating your personal learning profile may help
  you
• choose appropriate learning strategies
• identify areas of strength and weakness 
• focus your learning energies more effectively

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Basic Precept

• Your mind is like a parachute -- it only works
  when its open.
• Anonymous

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The Potential of Your Brain

• Three basic learning modalities
• 7 8 intelligences

• Trillions trillions of brain cells
• 100 billion neurons in thinking brain
• 20,000 possible connections between neurons
• Three brains in one
• Two sides to the brain

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Learning and Memory
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What is Memory?

• chemical connections between neurons caused by
  strong associations
• created by action, sensory or emotional event
• sustained by repetition

• Memory neural traces in your brain

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Back to todays lesson

• Active Learning Learning Styles

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About being here

• Eighty percent of success is showing up.
• Woody Allen

image source www.mugsandmagic.com/angie/lineart.h
tml
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College Vocational
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General Arts Science
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Post Secondary
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About active learning. . .

• Learning is not something that is done to you
  unlike Lockes theory of tabula rasa, learning is
  an active process.

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We Learn... William Glasser

• 10 of what we read
• 20 of what we hear
• 30 of what we see
• 50 of what we both see and hear
• 70 of what is discussed with others
• 80 of what we experience personally
• 95 of what we teach someone else

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Or simply . . .

• Tell me and I will forget
• Show me and I may remember
• Involve me and I will understand
• Ancient Chinese proverb

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Or more simply . . .

• Learning is experience.
• Everything else is just information.
• - Albert Einstein

Frasconi woodcut of Albert Einstein Source
http//pulproxy.princeton.edu/rbsc2/portfolio/ae/f
i/00000001.htm
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Therefore, active, involved,multi-sensory
learning is most effective!

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About education . . .

• Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting
  a fire.
• William Butler Yeats, Irish Poet

image source www.dreamloverinc.com/ yeats.jpg
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How Do YOU Learn?

• Learning Style Inventories
• Your Learning Profile

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Our textbook defines learning style as

• A particular way in which the mind receives and
  processes information.
• We will explore these ways today!

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Three Basic Learning Modalities

• Sensory Preferences Learning Style

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Sensory Learning Style

• We take in and begin to process information
  through our senses.
• Our preferences in the way we take in information
  influences our ability to learn in different
  environments.

• Sensory Modalities
• Auditory
• Visual
• Kinesthetic/Tactile
• Activity 1

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Auditory Learner

• enjoys oral discussion
• studies by talking aloud
• requires oral explanations
• has trouble with written direction
• reinforces a task by talking him/herself through
  it

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Visual Learner

• remembers visual details
• follows along when others read
• prefers to see whats to be learned
• needs written instruction
• has trouble following lectures

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Kinesthetic Learner

• has to do it to know it
• prefers activity-based learning
• studies by writing over and over
• may be restless in class

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Two Sides to the Brain

• Brain Orientation - Thinking Preference
  Learning Style
• Activity 2

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Analytic Learner Global Learner Left Brain
Characteristics Right Brain Characteristics

• looking at details
• focussing on one thing
• giving direct answers
• organization
• individual competition
• establishing routines
• working through ideas
• following schedules

• seeing the big picture
• cooperating in groups
• giving and receiving praise
• reading body language
• going with the flow
• doing several things at once
• focusing on ideas/themes
• listening sincerely to others
• reading between the lines

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Left-brain (Analytic)Cognitive Processing

• Linear - Processing information from part to
  whole in a straight forward logical progression.
• Sequential - Processing information in order from
  first to last.
• Symbolic - Processes symbols as pictures likes
  to use letters, words and mathematical symbols.
• Logical - Processes information piece by piece
  using logic to solve a problem.
• Verbal - Processes thoughts and ideas with words.
• Reality-Based - Processes information based on
  reality focuses on rules and regulations

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Right-brain (Global) Cognitive Processing

• Holistic - Processing information from whole to
  part sees the big picture first, not the
  details.
• Random - Processing information with out
  priority, jumps form one task to another.
• Concrete - Processes things that can be seen, or
  touched - real objects.
• Intuitive - Processes information based on
  whether or not it feels right know answer but not
  sure how it was derived.
• Nonverbal - Processes thought as illustrations.
• Fantasy-Oriented - Processes information with
  creativity less focuses on rules and regulations

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You Are Good at

• Left Brain (Analytic)Traits
• looking at details
• focussing on one thing
• giving direct answers
• organization
• individual competition
• establishing routines
• working through ideas
• following schedules

• Right Brain (Global)Traits
• seeing the big picture
• cooperating in groups
• giving and receiving praise
• reading body language
• going with the flow
• doing several things at once
• focusing on ideas/themes
• listening sincerely to others
• reading between the lines

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You Almost Always

• Left Brain (Analytic)Traits
• do things the same way
• like a neat environment
• are self-motivated
• value facts over feelings
• ask how do I do it?

• Right Brain (Global)Traits
• visualize the future
• think fast on your feet
• have good rapport with others
• see many solutions
• accept many types of people
• try to avoid conflict

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These Frustrate You Left Brain Traits Right
Brain Traits

• not knowing the purpose
• not understanding how a teacher grades
• dealing with generalities
• having an opinion expressed as fact
• having to find personal meaning in what you learn
• working in groups
• questions with no right answer

• having to explain things step by step
• not getting a chance to explain
• accept criticism without taking it personally
• people who are insensitive
• not knowing the meaning for doing something
• keeping detailed records
• re-doing anything once it is done
• having to chose one answer

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Questions You Ask Left Brain Traits Right
Brain Traits

• What facts do I need to know?
• What should it look like?
• When is it due?

• What does this have to do with me?
• How can I make a difference?
• How much of this is really necessary?

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Seven Eight Intelligences

• Multiple Pathways to Learning Multiple
  Intelligences Learning Style

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Gardners Intelligence

• . . . an ability to solve problems or fashion
  products that are useful in a particular cultural
  setting or community.
• image source http//www.essentialschools.org/
  images/ff_pics/ff2000/speakers/howard.jpg

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Multiple Intelligence Theory -The Seven Eight
Intelligences

• Howard Gardner
• Verbal/Linguistic
• Logical/Mathematical
• Visual/Spatial
• Bodily/Kinesthetic
• Musical/Rhythmic
• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
• Naturalist
• Existential

• Interest may Aptitude, Strength Preference
• vs
• Disinterest may Ineptitude, Weakness
  Prejudice

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Verbal Linguistic

• Word/Book Smart
• Strength
• reading, writing, telling stories, memorizing
  dates, thinking in words
• Best Learning Style
• reading, hearing and seeing words speaking,
  writing, discussing, and debating

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Logical Mathematical

• Number/Logic Smart
• Strength
• math, reasoning, logic, problem solving, patterns
• Best Learning Style
• working with patterns and relationships,
  classifying, categorizing, working with the
  abstract

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Visual Spatial

• Art/Picture Smart
• Strength
• reading, maps, charts, drawing, mazes, puzzles,
  imaging things, visualization
• Best Learning Style
• working with pictures and colors, visualizing,
  using the "minds eye", drawing

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Bodily Kinesthetic

• Body/Movement Smart
• Strength
• athletics, dancing, acting, crafts, using tools
• Best Learning Style
• touching, moving, processing knowledge though
  body sensations

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Musical Rhythmic

• Music/Sound Smart
• Strength
• singing, picking up sounds, remembering melodies,
  rhythms
• Best Learning Style
• rhythm, melody, singing, listening to music and
  melodies

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Interpersonal

• People/Group Smart
• Strength
• understanding people, leading, organizing,
  communicating, resolving conflicts, selling
• Best Learning Style
• sharing, comparing, relating, interviewing,
  cooperating

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Intrapersonal

• Self/Introspection Smart
• Strength
• understanding self, recognizing strengths and
  weaknesses, setting goals
• Best Learning Style
• working alone, doing self-paced projects, having
  space, reflecting

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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Naturalist

• Nature/Environment Smart
• Strength
• categorizing, organizing a living area, planning
  a trip, preservation, and conservation
• Best Learning Style
• sharing, comparing, relating, cooperating and
  interviewing

image source www.multi-intell.com/MI_chart.html
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. . . Over Four Dimensions

• The Personality Spectrum
• Dr. Joyce Bishop
• based on Keirsey, MBTI Jung

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Personality Spectrum
Giver
Thinker
Organizer
Adventurer
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Personality Spectrum Profiles

• Source online
• http//staff.gc.maricopa.edu/mvillarb/CHM130hybri
  d/PersonalitySpectrumProfiles.pdf

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Thinker

• Personal strengths - You enjoy solving problems
  and love to develop models and systems. You have
  an abstract and analytical way of thinking. You
  love to explore ideas. You dislike unfairness and
  wastefulness. You are global by nature, always
  seeking universal truth.

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Thinker

• Learning - You like quiet time to reflect on new
  information. Learning through problems-solving
  and designing new ways of approaching issues is
  most interesting to you. You may find it
  effective to convert material you need to learn
  into logical charts and graphs.

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Giver

• Personal strengths - You value honesty and
  authenticity above all else. You enjoy close
  relationships with those you love and there is a
  strong spirituality in your nature. Making a
  difference in the world is important to you, and
  you enjoy cultivating potential in yourself and
  others. You are naturally romantic and a
  peacemaker. You dislike hypocrisy and deception.

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Giver

• Learning - You enjoy studying with others and
  also helping them learn. Study groups are very
  effective for you to remember difficult
  information.

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Organizer

• Personal strengths - You value the traditional
  family and support social structures. You never
  take responsibility lightly. You have a strong
  sense of history, culture, and dignity. You value
  order and predictability. You dislike
  disobedience or nonconformity. You value loyalty
  and obligation.

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Organizer

• Learning - You must have organization to the
  material and know the overall plan and what will
  be required of you. Depending on your most
  developed Multiple Intelligences, organizing the
  material could include any of the following
  highlighting key terms in text, rewriting and
  organizing notes from class or the text, making
  flash cards.

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Adventurer

• Personal strengths - Adventure is your middle
  name. A hands-on approach to problems solving is
  important to you, and you take pride in being
  highly skilled in a variety of fields. You need
  variety and hate waiting. You live in the here
  and now. It is your impulsiveness that drives
  everything you do. You dislike rigid structure
  and would prefer to be the person in authority.

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Adventurer

• Learning - You learn exciting and stimulating
  information easiest so pick classes and
  instructors carefully. Study with fun people in a
  variety of ways and places. Keep on the move.
  Develop games and puzzles to help memorize
  terminology.

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The Discovery Wheel as self-evaluation

• What kind of student are you?
• What kind of student do you want to be?
• The Discovery Wheel
• What does your Discovery Wheelsay about you?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Get a sense of your Discovery Wheel its weight,
  shape, and balance. How would you feel if you ran
  your hands around it? Is it balanced?

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A new learning environment may require . . .

• new skills

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Your Learning Profile

• Self-Knowledge
• is
• Learning Power

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How to Use the Profile

• Identify your strengths
• learn to capitalize on your abilities
• Identify your weaknesses
• learn strategies to compensate
• Understand how your learning styles/preferences
  may affect university learning - course/program

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More Learning Style Inventories On-Line

• Hemispheric Dominance Inventory (L/R)
• http//www.mtsu.edu/7Estudskl/hd/learn.html
• http//brain.web-us.com/brain/braindominance.htm
• Learning Style (Auditory, Visual,
  Tactile/Kinesthetic)
• http//www.clat.psu.edu/gems/Other/LSI/LSI.htm
• Multiple Intelligences (8 Intelligences)
• http//www.ldrc.ca/projects/miinventory/miinventor
  y.php
• Index of Learning Styles
• http//www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.htm
  l
• Sternberg-Wagner Thinking Styles Inventory
• http//www.ldrc.ca/projects/tscale/index.php

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Learning Style Resource Sites

• University of Guelph
• http//www.tss.uoguelph.ca/resources/teachres/pac
  kagels.html
• University of Toronto
• http//snow.utoronto.ca/Learn2/mod3/index.html
• enter as a guest to browse the site

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Todays Concepts

• learning can be enhanced though
• active participation
• engaging multiple senses/modalities
• you have personal preferences as a learner
• you have varying skills abilities as a learner
• creating your personal learning profile may help
  you
• choose appropriate learning strategies
• identify areas of strength and weakness 
• focus your learning energies more effectively

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Want more?Try the Index of Learning Styles

• On-Line, Interactive
• Learning Style Exercise
• From James Cook U. in Australia
• http//www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/
  studyskills/learningst/index.html

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For Next Tuesday . . .

• Complete your Learning Profile and hand it in to
  me.
• Read Chapter 6 Listening, note taking, and
  memory
• Group Presentation Topic Selection Form

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