It is important for instructor to adapt the teaching to the learning styles of students. It is important to keep the students engaged on the learning process.
Having a variety of assessment methods pays honor to the fact that students have different learning styles while some students may have learning disabilities.
One holistic assessment/evaluation tool is a rubric, which can reveal qualitative aspects of student learning.
My favorite part of instructional design is creating multiple engaging ways to meet the learning goals of the lesson. What I need to work on is expanding my toolbox and being brave to use other tools besides my favorite ones. Students may become bored of using the same cooperative learning structures, or introspective learners may get overstimulated in my classroom.
Could giving a learning styles assessment the first day of class be beneficial to instructors allowing them to tailor their teaching style?
It is important to create different ways to assess what the learner has learned.
Learning preferences vs. challenges
As an instructor you need to learn what learning style your students are using.
It’s important to be reflective. Also knowing the differences between learning preferences and learning challenges. Providing content in a variety of learning styles will reach more students.
It is important to use a variety of learning methods to allow students of different learning styles the opportunity to engage, understand and participate to their full potential. Using a holistic approach to assess learning offers a better assessment of learning.
The instructor may want to use the technology that will benefit the particular student's learning style, even in a class with several different preferred learning styles.
Comment on Dennis Secara's post:
Dennis, this is an unusual use of portfolios. In grad school, I began a portfolio and continued to add to it as I grew and learned. I am grateful for the process but would hate to see it as an evaluation method.
Language and learning are interdependent
learned difference between learning differences and challenges
Comment on Marvin Smith's post: Yes. its important to have a student mix in projects, groups to bring out the best out of the topic.
This information is repeated from previous modules. But the basic takeaway is always to differentiate your activities, ways of presenting content, and assessment to better serve students with different learning styles/preferences.
I learned more about learning preferences/styles and that although we typically have a dominant preference it can depend on what class/subject we are learning.
While not every student will succeed or take their own learning seriously, the goal should remain the same for every instructor.
NEVER assume and ALWAYS expect each student to succeed.
I taught health sciences students in the public school system last year. One of our first activities was to explore learning styles and to take a learning style assessment. It helped me as a teacher to present content in a variety of ways and helped my students learn how to study based on their prominent learning styles.
Being sensitive to student learning preferences when providing instruction and being flexible with instruction techniques where permissible can assist with students' learning, retention and success.
