Learning Styles and Concepts of Learning: How the way we learn may affect how we teach Part I

Three-part Presentation  Part I - why recognizing how we learn is important  Part II - what are learning styles and concepts of learning and how to determine styles and concepts  Part III - strategies to integrate the knowledge to improve teaching methods

Part I Why recognizing how we learn is important

 “We already have a substantial body of knowledge that could be used to improve post secondary instruction, but very little of this information is ever used in college classrooms, even by the researchers who study human cognition, motivation, and social systems. The problem is the mismatch between how we teach and how we learn.”  From the article titled: Theory to Practice: Applying the Science of Learning to the University and Beyond, edited by Diane F. Halpern and Milton D. Hakel Mismatch?

 It has been suggested that how we learn is how we most likely teach.  It has been suggested that how we learn is how we most likely teach. The general educational world does so as well - the majority of the day is sequential “…the textbooks are sequential; the workbooks are sequential; the teaching methods are sequential; and most of the teachers are sequential learners and generally the way we teach is the way we learn best. Time is important in school - being on time, turning in work on time, finishing activities in a timely fashion, and moving on to new activities in a set schedule” In other words we accommodate mainly the sequential learner in education.  Learning Styles - Universal Design for Learning About.com Continuing Education,  In 1933, John Dewey in “How We Think. A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process,” regards experience and models of thinking as relative to how individuals learn  Boston: D. C. Heath. (Revised edn.), How We Learn is How We Teach

 “If we want to improve the quality of college teaching, a million workshops on methodology will not be enough. Good teaching does not come from technique. It comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” Parker J. Palmer, “Teaching in the Face of Fear”  To be a successful instructor, a teacher should know how he/she learns best and that knowledge will transfer to the classroom, ensuring that all student needs are met. Good Teaching…

 Adults, like children and adolescents, have different personalities, and different intelligences, and therefore learn differently.  Some learners are auditory, some kinesthetic or hands-on, and some are visual-spatial learners - some are a combination of two or more.  Learning Styles and Differences, education.com, Learning Differently

 Malcolm Knowles, a pioneer in the study of adult learning, observed that adults learn best when:  They understand why something is important to know or do.  They have the freedom to learn in their own way.  Learning is experiential experiential. experiential  The time is right for them to learn.  The process is positive and encouraging.  From: 5 Principles for the Teacher of Adults Teaching Adult Learners By Deb Peterson, Deb Peterson Peterson What Adults Need to Learn

  Since multiple learners are usually in the same class at the same time, how can you as a teacher use a variety of strategies to teach the same content?  Part II will guide you through a series of quizzes and surveys to help you determine your learning style and concept of learning. What Does All This Mean?

Bibliography  Theory to Practice: Applying the Science of Learning to the University and Beyond, edited by Diane F. Halpern and Milton D. Hakel  Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008) 'Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences', the encyclopedia of informal education,  Learning Styles - Universal Design for Learning About.com Continuing Education, 2009http://adulted.about.com/od/learningstyles/Learning_Styles_Universal_Design_for_Learning. htm htmhttp://adulted.about.com/od/learningstyles/Learning_Styles_Universal_Design_for_Learning. htm  Boston: D. C. Heath. (Revised edn.),  Parker J. Palmer, “Teaching in the Face of Fear”  Learning Styles and Differences, education.com, 2009http:// learning-styles/ learning-styles/ learning-styles/  From: 5 Principles for the Teacher of Adults Teaching Adult Learners By Deb Peterson, :  Illustrations by Golon, Alexandra Shires, and B. Jones 