WEEK 6: Learning Styles + Technology = ?

Reading about the potential disastrous consequences of ignoring learning styles in our teaching practices was just appalling. How many students have lost faith in their educational systems just because we didn’t even consider that they might have individual ways of learning? I don’t even want to think about the likely multiple digit number.

When I read in Terry O’Connor’s article [1]: “as teachers attempt to modify their classrooms, they need to begin to explore their own styles,” I thought about us and this training. Indeed, this question of our students’ learning styles is important to consider if we want to move away from our traditional ways. But, have we thought of our own learning styles?

I know that I learn best when I visualize, verbalize, or do things by myself. What does this mean? What is or are my learning style/s? What about my students? What am I doing to address their individual learning styles?

I must admit that before this week I didn’t really think about it. I have always tried to come up with new activities in my different classes, but I didn’t pay attention to the learners’ styles they were addressing. If we are result-oriented teachers, I think this matter is worth pondering over.

Not all students are gifted with multiple intelligences, and in large classes it is difficult to observe students’ behavior and decide on each student’s individual way.
Quick surveys like the one proposed at http://www.chaminade.org/INSPIRE/learnstl.htm can be a good start to determine these individual ways. The charts can be used on or offline.

However, the best way to make sure we address different learning styles is by building our lesson plans with various opportunities for students to use their own styles and by so doing broadening the approach to our subject matter.

Because this week was still end -of -term -examination week in my institution I couldn’t start implementing my technology-related change .I tried to examine my personal project of a class blog in terms of learning styles, though.

Demonstrating and explaining the use of a class blog will definitely help my visual and auditory learners understand what they are expected to do with this blog. Making my kinesthetic & tactile learners perform the tasks themselves will circumvent to puzzled eyes or endless talks.
Intrapersonal learners will appreciate being given a chance to post their individual responses to a writing prompt. On the other hand, Interpersonal ones will enjoy online discussions or peer editing.

Along with learning styles, another key element of good teaching practices this week: rubrics. In our institution, all our assessment is based on students’ writing skills, but the number of assessment methods matches the number of teachers, each having his/her own views on how students should be assessed which in the end results in highly subjective ways of appraising students’ intellectual work. I will propose to my colleagues this method of assessing students, particularly in modules where writing skills are essential like literature and civilization, but in other modules, too. As a matter of fact, I’m expecting a lot of resistance. Yet, this debate can no longer be procrastinated, our credibility is at stakes.



[1] http://iod.unh.edu/EE/articles/learning-styles.html