Learning Styles

1. Learning Styles Richard Felder Adapting our training for student learning styles Linda Silverman

2. How do we turn information into learning? • What types of information do we perceive? • How do we take it in? • How do we like our information organised? • How do we process it? • How do we gain understanding?

3. Preferred Learning Styles

4. Preferred Learning Styles

5. Perception of Information

6. Sensors & Intuitors • Same as in Myer-Briggs Type Indicators • See www.humanmetrics.com

7. Daydreaming?

8. Daydreaming?

9. Daydreaming?

10. Daydreaming?

11. Teaching sensors & intuitors • Blend concrete information • facts, data, observable phenomena • and abstract information • principles, theories, mathematical models

12. Visual and Verbal Input

13. Visual and Verbal Input • The written word (notes or PowerPoint) is not visualbut verbal • Our brain translates the writing into words

14. Visual learner

15. Teaching visual and verbal • Visual – not just text • Pictures, diagrams, colour, demonstrations, animation, tables, graphs, graphic design • Verbal - Be expressive • Strong words, intonation, varied loudness and rhythm, stories • Use multisensory • Use all senses including kinesthetic

16. Preferred Learning Styles

17. Infer principles Natural learning style Deduce consequences “Natural” teaching style Inductive Deductive Inductive & Deductive Organisation particulars generalities

19. Inductive So what? Generalise Deductive Now what? Apply Inductive-Deductive Facts, observations, events Interpret

20. Inductive-Deductive Known (facts, real) Unknown (principles) Constructivism

21. Teaching inductive & deductive learners • Start with observations or problem • Infer governing rules, principles, equations • Deduce other implications or consequences • Exercises • Give phenomenon/observations  Ask for underlying principles • Apply theory

22. Active Experimentation Do something with it Discuss it, explain it Test it - experiment Reflective Observation Introspective Postulate explanations Draw analogies Formulate models Active and Reflective Learners Perceived information is converted to knowledge by:

23. Teaching active and reflective learners • Active • “What will the students be doing?” • Reflective • Include pauses • Do both • eg small discussion groups with report back • Reflective is notpassive!

24. Active and passive teaching • Active and reflective learners both need to do something – external or internal • Passive teaching (eg lectures – watch and listen) suits neither!

25. Preferred Learning Styles

26. Sequential Trees Learn progressively Linear reasoning Convergent thinking Analysis Global Forest “fits and starts” Intuitive leaps Divergent thinking Synthesis Sequential & Global Understanding

29. Sequential Trees Learn progressively Linear reasoning Convergent thinking Analysis Global Forest “fits and starts” Intuitive leaps Divergent thinking Synthesis Sequential & Global Understanding

31. Homework

32. Sequential and Global Learning

33. Sequential and Global Learning

34. Sequential and Global Learning Learning Passmark Exam Time

35. Teaching sequential and global learners • Sequential • Already well catered for • Global • Start with context and “big picture” • Introduce advanced concepts early • Encourage creative solutions • Make them aware of their different learning style

36. Preferred Learning Styles

37. Models of Learning & Teaching Styles

38. MostTeachers * * * * * Most Students

39. MostTeachers * * * * * Most Students Most Teaching

41. Online Questionnaire www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

42. So is all lost?

43. No!

44. Teaching for all Learning Styles Motivate learning, provide context • Relate to previous material, what is to come, other subjects, student’s experience Inductive/global

45. Teaching for all Learning Styles Balance concrete & abstract • Facts, data, experiments Sensing • Principles, theories, mathematical models Intuitive

46. Teaching for all Learning Styles Balance practical & understanding • Practical problem solving Sensing/active • Fundamental understandings Intuitive

47. Teaching for all Learning Styles Encourage reflection • Do not fill every minute of class time Reflective

48. Teaching for all Learning Styles Engage students • Provide opportunities for activities, other than note taking Active

49. Teaching for all Learning Styles Balance detail and open-ended • Provide practice in the basics Sensing/active/sequential • Provide open-ended problems that need analysis and synthesis Intuitive/reflective/global

50. Teaching for all Learning Styles Encourage cooperation • Give the option for students to work together on assignments Active