Learning styles are important to understand. However, I believe that implementing the understanding when we are trying to use technology is more important. I have so far been conducting many predictive analysis on the possibility of recognizing the styles while developing internet and communication technologies based on my belief. I hope there are some friends of this Blog who can share to this Blog their actual experiences in accommodating the various learning styles into our teaching by using internet and other communication technologies.My questions are "Are we clear enough with the "learning" that is happening to the Learners? Can we gain robust and obvious results of the measure to their "Learning"? Are we insured by the validity of the results?"
Dear Udan,
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right that understanding is the key to using technology and to using learning styles appropriately. Technology provides access to different media - visual and aural in particular. The effectiveness will depend on finding the right match between curriculum, learner needs, and teaching. When technology improves the match, then it's a good use of technology.
It's clear from work in cognitive science that learners do have different strengths. What's not as clear is exactly how to build on those strengths in the classroom, while encouraging learners to improve in their areas of relative weakness.
It's always hard to come up with valid measures of learning that are not based on trivial areas. You can certainly measure how many vocabulary words someone has learned between time 1 and time 2. You don't know for sure if the person can actually use them in writing or in reading, once the experiment is over. That's why there is probably no "insurance" in teaching - you try different approaches, you see what works with different individuals and different classes. People use "action research" a great deal when they want to know what goes on in teaching.
Yours,
Deborah
Hello Udan.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read your reflection on how to know about our learners understanding, I decided to write this comment to tell you that the best way to know it is "to ask them". Deborah's last sentence in the previous comment of this blog helps me support my view.
Best wishes,
Nora
Dear Udan
ReplyDeleteYour questions manifest your teaching interest in the learning of our students. I think all of us are anxious about it, to such a point we become doubtful about our work.
Deborah provides you the answer. We have alot of methods and materials available. Which one meets the need of our students? Do they really learn? they feel learning and oly they, themselves can tell you how much they get from your teaching. Let's keep searching and asking questions. Search and questions begin the betterment of teaching and learning.
Yours
Roland