Question 1 - What is
Your Learning Style?
After completing the Felder and Solomon online questionnaire
I discovered that my learning style is:
·
Moderately
Active. This means learning from “doing”
rather than simply theorising.
·
Fairly
Sensing. This means learning facts and an
understanding of information is easier if it is shown how that information is
related to the topic.
·
Fairly
Verbal. This means learning from oral or
written formats as opposed to visual aids.
·
Moderately
Global. This means looking at the bigger picture of why I am learning what is
being taught.
I believe this is a fairly accurate reflection of my style of learning.
Question 2 - In A Traditional Classroom of 25 Students, How
Would You Support the Range of Learning Styles Each Lesson?
In a classroom of 25 students I would expect that there would
be many different learning styles including:-
·
Active
Learners;
·
Reflective
Learners;
·
Sensing
Learners;
·
Intuitive
Learners;
·
Visual
Learners;
·
Verbal
Learners;
·
Sequential
Learners; and
·
Global
Learners.
When planning an activity I would attempt to ensure that a
range of processes are used to assist these different learning styles,
including the following:
1.
To
assist active learners there should be an opportunity for engagement including
class discussions on the topic activity.
This may occur at the end of the activity to give the reflective
learners time to “take in” the material first.
2.
To
assist reflective learners work that can be conducted autonomously could be provided,
such as work sheets etc.
3.
To
assist Sensing Learners reading activities and then questions related to the
reading activities could be provided. This
would enable the Sensing Learner to learn the facts before having to process it
into the activity.
4.
To
assist Intuitive Learners some problem solving questions could be provided
which would enable their discovering nature to be enhanced. Further, writing short stories etc may be
favourable to intuitive learners.
5.
To
assist Visual Learners a lot of charts, diagrams and pictures could be shown.
6.
To
assist Verbal Learners a lot of discussion and written text should be provided
on a topic.
7.
To
assist Sequential Learners a step by step approach to a topic should be
provided. For instance, providing
details of what topics will be covered in each term throughout the school year.
8.
To
assist Global Learners discuss with the students what will be taught on a whole
and why it is being taught. Including,
how the information will be useful to the learner.
Question 3 – With Your Current Knowledge of ICT, how could your design and digital pedagogy support your learners better?
Students need to be engaged in the classroom. To engage students a whole range of ICT
processes could be used including charts, diagrams, computer links, use of the
computer by students, bringing IPODS, IPhones, Laptops, IPads into the
classroom and letting students explore using technology.
Each of these ICT processes can be used to assist the student
to learn the topics covered in the current curriculum or syllabus topic. They simply make it more fun for the
students.
By using colour alone the student may become excited about
what is being taught.
It should be easy to
spot an active or reflective learner simply by engaging in classroom
conversation. It is likely that the
Reflective Learning will be less likely to jump in and answer questions,
whereas the Active Learner will.
In terms of the Sensing and Intuitive Learning By Asking
Questions that are unrelated to current topics or information that has
previously been presented the Sensing Learner may become restless whereas the
Intuitive Learner may engage.
To determine whether Learners are Visual or Verbal a task
involving graphs etc. Could be presented and then a task involving word games
may be presented. Those who engage more
readily with the graphing topic will be more visual whereas the others may be
more verbal.
Question 5 – How Does
ICT Support Differences in Learning Styles?
ICT can assist all of the different learning styles. ICT can assist in allowing the active
learners to become involved in their learning by allowing the active learners
to use the processes such as computers, internet etc. It can also assist the reflective learners by
allowing them to research at their own pace and work independently.
ICT can give the Sensing Learners the information that they
need to feel comfortable and the Intuitive Learners the flexibility to pursue
their own course.
ICT is extremely effective for visual learners as graphs,
spreadsheets etc can all be made using ICT.
But also verbal learners will benefit from ICT as written material such
as powerpoints can be displayed at the same time as verbal communication is
given by the teacher.
ICT can assist the Global Learners to find out what they are
learning and also give a step by step approach to assist the Sequential
Learners.
ICT can definitely be used in all classrooms to assist all
learners.
