1. What is your learning style? What sorts of learning experiences would suit you best with your learning style?
According to Felder and Solomon's learning style inventory, my learning style preference favours:
- reflective learning over active learning,
- intuitive learning over sensory learning,
- I show a very strong preference to visual learning over verbal learning,
- and an equal preference between sequential learning and global learning.
The results from Felder and Solomon's questionnaire would infer that I understand information better when I see it in a visual format. Examples of this could be seeing information in diagrams, on a video, illustrated, highlighted using different colours etc (http://www.jcu.edu.au/tldinfo/learningskills/learningst/visual.html). My preference for Reflective learning implies that I spend a lot of time thinking about information rather than jumping in and trying new things with that information (http://www.jcu.edu.au/tldinfo/learningskills/learningst/active.html). I have to say I agree very strongly with the results of this questionnaire.
The interesting thing was, I completed the questionnaire at the start of my study session using answers I thought to be true. I then ended the study session by re-doing the questionnaire, this time using answers that were actually true of the way I had been studying. I found most things were the same however there were some surprising changes in my answers and my preferences for Reflective and Intuitive learning were both stronger.
To answer the question what sorts of learning experiences would suit me best within my learning style, have a look at 'diagram A' below in relation to the Visual Learning style. The funny thing is drawing up this diagram to understand the different learning styles is a classic visual learning style.
The interesting thing was, I completed the questionnaire at the start of my study session using answers I thought to be true. I then ended the study session by re-doing the questionnaire, this time using answers that were actually true of the way I had been studying. I found most things were the same however there were some surprising changes in my answers and my preferences for Reflective and Intuitive learning were both stronger.
To answer the question what sorts of learning experiences would suit me best within my learning style, have a look at 'diagram A' below in relation to the Visual Learning style. The funny thing is drawing up this diagram to understand the different learning styles is a classic visual learning style.
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| Diagram A |
2. In a traditional classroom of 25 students, how would you support the range of learning styles each lesson?
After exploring this topic, I think it is unrealistic to cater for every individuals learning style preference in every lesson. Having said this, it is realistic to cater for those students who suit a visual or auditory style in each lesson and perhaps one lesson a week could be a more hands on approach to favor those kinesthetic learners.
In the diagram B it can be seen that there is a clear crossover of similar teaching tools and techniques within all learning styles. For example group activities and group discussions play at least a small part in nearly all of the learning styles. It is up to the teacher to support and guide those learners who don't fit the main teaching and learning style of the lesson to show them how they can adapt their skills to still get the most out of the information.
For example showing a sequential learner how to enhance their global learning skills by relating new information to prior knowledge is only going to enhance their overall learning experience. It can be argued that to be an effective learner, learners must push themselves to learn with different styles to which they are comfortable. Part of learning is learning how to learn.
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| Diagram B |
3. With your current knowledge of ICT, how could your design and digital pedagogy support your learners better?
ICT is an amazing thing. Gone are the days of 'talk and chalk' thank goodness. It never worked for me. In an ideal world where resources were unlimited these are my ideas for supporting learners through digital pedagogies:
-Have an activity on a number of laptops and break the students up into small groups and let them guide their own way through the activity online. The students could guide each other through the activity and the students who might need help can gain guidance from their peers. The students could then present their solutions to the class by projecting this onto a larger screen. This would stimulate conversation and debate and I could assess their success.
ICT is an amazing thing. Gone are the days of 'talk and chalk' thank goodness. It never worked for me. In an ideal world where resources were unlimited these are my ideas for supporting learners through digital pedagogies:
-Have an activity on a number of laptops and break the students up into small groups and let them guide their own way through the activity online. The students could guide each other through the activity and the students who might need help can gain guidance from their peers. The students could then present their solutions to the class by projecting this onto a larger screen. This would stimulate conversation and debate and I could assess their success.
- I would give the kids the option to do a reading the traditional way, or through a podcast.
- Set the class up in a safe online environment where they could ask questions at any time of the day. Responses could come from the students or the teacher online. Each time a new response or question is posted all the students receive an email.
- I would use the internet and virtual tours online to take my art class to experience galleries on the other side of the world.
- Homework tasks would all be done online, whether it be a quiz or a discussion.
- Rather than learners only being able to refer to advertising campaigns they see in magazines or on local television, they could use the internet to find campaigns to analyse and discuss from Times Square, New York using google maps. When I was at school there was no internet to research, now learners have exposure to so much more to enrich their learning experience.
The possibilities are endless and it really is a very exciting and bright future for learning and discovering.
4. What sorts of profiling questions would you be asking about your learners to ensure you cater for everyone's preferences?
I found these questions on the internet and they are a little different and I find them interesting. In the context of an art class my profiling questions could possibly be:
- What is the easiest part of school?
- What is the hardest part of school?
- What do you love about art?
- When is art easy or fun for you?
- When is art difficult for you?
- What are 3 things that I can do as your teacher to make you become more successful in this class?
- What are 3 things you can do as a student to help yourself be more successful in this class?
- What's your favourite art style? It could be as simple as just painting or drawing, or graffiti, or cartoon drawing
- Then I could ask all the easy questions:
- Do you prefer me talking about a topic or researching it yourself?
- Do you prefer doing group assignments or working on your own with the support of your peers?
ICT is great for giving students variety. The same outcome could be achieved in so many different ways in today's world. You could ask the student to find some information and there are 50 different ways they could go about this, each student utilising their learning style and digital pedagogy preference to find it.
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