Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Understanding Learning Styles

What do you know about learning styles?
How can you use knowledge about learning styles in your teaching?

Visual: learning by seeing visual images.
Visual learners need to see pictures, so if you are instructor who writes on the board or uses PowerPoint or any visual media, then these are the learners who will benefit from a visual presentation style.
Auditory: learning by listening or by speaking.
Auditory learners are those who absorb information by listening. These are the learners who will learn best from an instructor who is a dynamic lecturer.
Bodily-Kinesthetic: learning by using bodily movements such as doodling, outlining, or actively taking notes.
Bodily-kinesthetic learners are those who have to be actively involved by doing something that requires physical engagement. These learners need to be actively involved. During lectures these are the ones who are busy writing and taking notes. Instructors should plan some time during the class period for students to work in groups, go to the library to accomplish a specific, time-oriented task, be given class time to work on an individual project, etc.

Good instructors find a way to incorporate all of these into a given class period, so that each learning style can benefit.

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