UNDERSTANDING HOW STUDENTS LEARN

1. UNDERSTANDING HOW STUDENTS LEARN Dr Nosisana Mkonto

2. Have you ever tried to learn something fairly simple, yet failed to grasp the key ideas? Have you tried to teach someone something very basic and found out they are overwhelmed or confused? Have you ever wondered why you have difficulty learning from a particular lecturer, whereas another one explains things in just the right way? Did you ever question why the course that your friend said was so easy turned into a struggle to you? Do you notice that you and you friend have different opinions on whether or not to have the radio while you are studying?

3. WHAT IS LEARNING? An act, process, or skill of gaining knowledge or skill… • Students differ: • Physically • Psychologically • Culturally • learn differently and have different learning styles • Knowledge of learning styles useful for both students and lecturers • Students bring experience and skills

4. LEARNING STYLES It is the way you tend to learn best… Definitions • those elements which students bring to a learning environment which have an impact on how they learn (Shaw, 1996) • … • consistency in the behaviour of a person or group of people that tends to be habitual (Hilliard, 1989) • Dunn and Dunn (1993)…the manner in which students try to make sense of new and difficult information

5. LEARNING STYLES 4 CATEGORIES… • Cerebral Dominance • Information processing • Personality Types • Perceptual patterns

6. CEREBRAL DOMINANCE Gregorc Style Delineator (GSD) It is concerned with functioning of the brain. • Right-brain dominant • learning style • Process information from the whole to the parts • Prefer concrete to the abstract • See things in relation to other things • Show emotions like anger, sorrow, moodiness and bad temper • Left-brain dominant learning style • Process information from parts to whole, linking ideas together • Interested in linguistics and mathematics • Draw conclusions based on reasons and facts • Show emotions of happiness, joy and pleasure

7. Divergers • Acquire knowledge through intuition • Prefer concrete experience and reflective observation Convergers • Acquires knowledge by thinking analyzing, and applying new concepts to real life situations • Ability to find the best answer to a problem INFORMATION PROCESSING Kolb (LSI) Refers to the way in which one senses, thinks, solves problems and remembers information Assimilators • Prefer abstract conceptualization and reflective observation • Analyze, plan, and reflect on issues • Prefer information given in an organized manner Accommodators • Prefer concrete experience and active experimentation • Learn best in situations that encourages independent discovery

8. PERSONALITY TYPES Myers –Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Divides people according to emotions, values & personal interactions Extrovert Introvert Concerns our attitude with the world around us • Outgoing • Stimulated from outside • Talkative • Prefer oral tests • Shy • Self-reliant • Prefer written test

9. PERSONALITY TYPES Sensing Intuition Concerns with how we take information from our environment and where we focus our attention • Prefer concrete, practical and procedural information • Gather information through the senses • Look for facts • Prefer conceptual • Innovative and theoretical information • Problem-solving • Creativity. • Look for meaning

10. PERSONALITY TYPES Thinking Feeling Focuses on how we make decisions • Objective • Logical • Principled • Decide with their heads not hearts • Subjective • Make decisions based on personal values

11. PERSONALITY TYPES Judging Perceiving Refer to the way we evaluate information • Set deadlines for self • Closure oriented • Systematic • Rigid • Do not make hasty decisions • Flexible • Impulsive • Adaptable to change

12. PERSONALITY TYPES Visual Verbal • Prefer to hear or read information • Look for explanation with words • Prefer graphs, pictures • Visual representation of information

13. PERSONALITY TYPES Active Reflective • Prefer to think through • Learn by analyzing • Independent • Prefer to make objects • Prefer to do physical experiments • Learn by doing • Enjoy working in groups

14. PERSONALITY TYPES Sequential Global • Prefer holistic and systematic approach • See big picture first and then fill in the pieces • Prefer information to be presented linearly and orderly • Prefer to put together pieces in order to understand the whole

15. PERCEPTUAL PATTERNSC.I.T.E.It refers to how people take in information at different physiological levels Three perceptual categories of learning styles • Auditory (learning by hearing) Prefer information presented orally through lectures, discussions, etc. • Kinaesthetic (learning by doing) Actively explore the world around them • Visual (learning by seeing) Learn by using their eyes, seeing words and numbers in their printed form Prefer to learn with visual diagrams, real-life objects, images and colours videos, handouts etc.

16. Benefits of understanding learning styles For lecturers: • Lecturers understand how students learn • Use as a basis for instruction • Adapt teaching to suit students’ learning styles • Explore a variety of teaching styles Plan teaching and learning activities • Help lecturers understand and appreciate individual differences among students

17. Benefits continued… For students: • Create awareness • Students learn faster and with great ease (Goduka, 2000) • Lead to better academic achievement (Goduka, 2000; Rovai, Gallien & Wighting, 2005) • Aware of different ways to approach teaching and learning • Knowledge of strengths and weaknesses (Robotham, 1995) • Reflect on how they learn • Students understand their role in the learning process • Could identify teaching styles that responds to their learning styles best

18. PART 3 Learning Style Profile Name -------------------------------- Date ------------------------------ Minor (12- 18) Major (21-27)369121518212427Visual LanguageVisual NumericalAuditory LanguageAPPLICATION OF LS IN HIGHER EDUCATIONSocial IndividualExpressiveness OralExpressivenessWritten • Awareness of students’ LS • Acknowledge learning styles in class • Learner-centred education • Shift of role from instructor to facilitator & guide • Balance – address needs of all the students • Deliberate mismatch – adjust to different learning environment

19. Teaching Styles • How information is transmitted to students (Van Rensburg, 2002) • Awareness of own teaching styles • Relationship between teaching and learning styles (Provitera & Esendal, 2008). • Vary teaching styles – students’ needs –purpose of activity • Matching teaching styles with learning styles • Mismatch –dropout – creativity (Evans & Waring, 2006)

20. Different teaching styles • Expert – lecturer possess the expertise – students learn and use the information • Formal authority – lecturer provides and controls the teaching material- students participate • Facilitator– lecturer coaches, helps and guides students in developing skills and knowledge – more responsibility for learning placed on students • Delegator – lecturer act as a consultant (Grasha, 1996)

21. Conclusion • More effective teaching and learning • Empower students to take ownership of their learning • Increase self-awareness about strengths and weaknesses • Encourage innovative ways of teaching and learning

22. Learning Styles ActivityHoney and Mumford • Activist • Pragmatist • Theorist • Reflector • Proactive • Takes initiative • Apply theory to real life situations • Test out information • Express own understanding • Self study • Observation and analysis of events from diff. angles