Jamie Vilos

I have administered VAK tests in early courses for students to give them a better understanding of their personal learning style. One of the caveats to this, however, which I also try to demonstrate is that no one student, or person, should be strictly picking one type V, A, or K for every question/situation. Our minds process all forms of learning stimulation, and so I believe a varied approach to teaching is ever more important.

We now work in long blocks of class periods (4 hours), and while I have found the need to take frequent breaks (at least 1 per hour), I often see students who remain in their seats, pull out their phones, etc., while the rest attend to bathroom or smoke breaks. With all the recent studies on exercise vs. sitting too long and the mental benefits of physical exertion, I'm tempted to institute a policy to at least stand up or walk around during breaks. Thoughts?