Reaching Them All: Using Learning Styles to Teach More Effectively

1
Reaching Them All Using Learning Styles to Teach
More Effectively

• Effective Teaching and Learning
• instructionaltech_at_baker.edu

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What Do You Know?

• Using the paper provided by the facilitator,
  identify what you already know about learning
  styles by creating one of the following
• Essay
• Outline
• Concept map
• An example of a mind map is in your manual in
  Appendix A on page 26.

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Discussion

• What are some key areas you identified about
  Learning Styles?
• What did you think of this technique?
• Do you think you would find it more difficult to
  assess an outline or a concept map compared to an
  essay?

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Objectives

• Identify three main learning styles in the
  Sarasin model
• Determine your personal learning style
• Define characteristics of each style
• Develop strategies for reaching each style
• Select appropriate teaching methods to meet the
  course outcomes of a given course

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What is a Learning Style?

• A certain pattern of behavior and/or performance
  according to which the individual approaches a
  learning experience, a way in which the
  individual takes in new information and develops
  new skills, and the process by which the
  individual retains new information or new
  skills.
• -Sarasin, 1999

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Influences on Learning Styles

• Environment
• Personality
• Biology/genetics
• 3/5 is genetically determined (Dunn, 1990)
• Developmental
• May change learning styles as student matures
  (Kolb, 1984)

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Do Labels Matter?

• Each author has his/her own theory and label for
  how students learn
• Research is ongoing, particularly with adult
  learners
• Focus is on what faculty can do to improve
  student learning

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Sarasin-1999

• Auditory
• Learns best by hearing information
• Visual
• Learns best by seeing information in some kind of
  visual form
• Tactile/Kinesthetic
• Learns best by being physically and actively
  involved in learning

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What Does it Mean?

• Baker encourages students to learn their style
  according to the Sarasin model
• Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic
• Each student learns differently
• Instructors need to try and reach as many
  students as possible
• Certain methods can reach more than one type of
  students

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Whats My Style?

• Complete the learning style quiz provided to you
  by the facilitator
• Select the best answer to the question, realizing
  that occasionally no answer will match completely

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Activity

• Break into groups by your learning style
• Answer the questions on the sheet provided by the
  facilitator

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Auditory Learner Descriptors

• Abstract sequential
• Reflective
• Independent
• Achievement-oriented
• Memory-oriented
• Competitive
• Skill-oriented

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Auditory Learners in the Classroom

• Learn best by hearing
• Lectures and/or audiotapes
• Distract easily
• Noise or music
• Talk to self aloud
• Participate in class discussions
• Need time to consider ideas before speaking
• Tape and then listens to lectures later
• Use mnemonic devices

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Visual Learner Descriptors

• Abstract random
• Global
• Concrete
• Active
• Affective
• Field-sensitive
• Concept-oriented

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Visual Learners in the Classroom

• Like graphics, pictures, diagrams
• Find verbal instructions difficult as mind
  sometimes wanders
• Likes to read, generally a good speller
• Doodles frequently, usually organized
• Has good handwriting
• Notices details

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Kinesthetic Learner Descriptors

• Dependent and independent
• Creative
• Behavioral
• Needs interaction
• Physical by nature
• Sensory
• Active

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Kinesthetic Learners in the Classroom

• Likes motion and physical application of
  information
• May prefer other activities other than reading
  could be poor speller
• Uses hands while speaking
• Works through problems physically translates
  brain to body quickly

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Activity

• Review the student descriptions on the sheet the
  facilitator provided
• Identify each students learning style
• Form a group of 3 with the people on either side
  of you and share your results
• Identify any areas of disagreement and come to a
  group conclusion

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What Difference Does My Style Make?

• Your learning style affects the way you
  structure
• Quizzes/tests
• Presentations
• Lectures
• Demonstrations
• Lab time

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Current Research Shows

• A relationship between learning styles and
  teaching styles is a factor in the success of
  postsecondary students. (Sarasin, 1999)
• James Anderson (1985) says that the interaction
  among teaching styles and learning styles and the
  classroom environment is primary to the structure
  and process of learning.

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How Can I Use This in Class?

• Design activities that meet all types of learning
  styles
• Change activities often
• Every 15-20 minutes of class time
• Use activation to gain attention
• Be aware of your learning method when planning
  your class

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Auditory Activation Activities

• Verbal questioning
• Focusing using directive questions
• Verbal sharing or interaction
• Has this ever happened to you? What do you think
  about this?
• Reword directions, expectations and important
  points

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Auditory Instructional Activities

• Lecture
• Discussion
• Activities that involve memory
• Verbal sorting
• Individual work
• Students will keep a running commentary in their
  heads while working. Also appeals to their
  competitive nature

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Auditory Assessment Techniques

• Allow students to give oral presentation
• Question and answer session
• Include questions on tests that appeal to their
  concrete, ordered nature
• Multiple choice
• Ranking
• Allow them to conduct and present an original
  research project
• Concentrates on independent nature

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Visual Activation Activities

• Add visual aids to instructions
• Focusing using writing as a response
• Include visual stimuli in explanation
• Use graphics, charts, diagrams to gain attention
• Provide a big-picture view
• Appeals to their holistic method of learning

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Visual Instructional Activities

• Visual formats
• PowerPoint appeals to both visual and auditory
• Models and demonstrations
• Videos
• Mind (concept) maps
• Field trips
• Appeals to their holistic view of the concept
• Group work
• Appeals to their social nature

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Visual Assessment Techniques

• Problem-based learning
• Case study
• Projects
• Tests that include essay or short-answer
  questions
• Mind maps

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Kinesthetic Activation Activities

• Questioning based on physical interactions with
  objects
• Focus techniques that involve object interaction
  or manipulation
• Discuss materials to be used in the upcoming
  lesson, allow students to get hands-on view

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Kinesthetic Instructional Activities

• Internships/Co-op
• Field trips
• Experiential learning/labs
• Group work that involves movement
• Simulations and demonstrations
• Active learning

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Kinesthetic Assessment Techniques

• Role-play
• Demonstration of concept to others
• Build a replica
• Design/conduct a simulation
• Create a lab environment and experiments

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Activity Design

• Review the course outcomes provided by the
  facilitator
• Select one outcome and design an activity for
  each type of learner that includes
• Activation
• Instruction
• Assessment

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Closing

• Answer the following questions
• What still confuses you about learning styles?
• What are you going to do differently as a result
  of this session?

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Questions?