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Amy M

Mozilla Open Badges: another take on the shape of the ecosystem - 0 views

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    badge system
Gary Bedenharn

Hillman_TLI_report.pdf (application/pdf Object) - 0 views

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    Positive impact on students taking online quizzes. They were using Angel network to be assessed.
Lisa Martin

Catherine's Reflections » Blog Archive » Week 7: Teaching Presence and Establ... - 0 views

  • It is through design that teachers set the stage for a community of inquiry, but it is through the facilitation and experience with that design that the community is actually established.
    • Lisa Martin
       
      Great point!
  • imagine the design as being the outline of a painting.  As the community is established and evolves its members fill the outline with color.  Together they create a picture of learning.  The more active and engaged the participants, the more the picture will evolve.  Ultimately, my goal is for the community to paint a picture with detail, depth, subtlety, and nuance.  I want my students to take the picture with them after the course and bring it into a new community and continue to share and develop it.   In turn, I will take the picture I am left with at the end of the course and look for pieces where my design succeeded in encouraging color with detail, depth, subtlety and nuance as well as pieces that maybe weren’t colored in as much or as well.  I will adapt my design based on the influence of the community in an attempt to maximize its potential to create a high quality picture of learning.
    • Lisa Martin
       
      Wow! What a GREAT way to look at it!
b malczyk

Consortium of Colleges Takes Online Education to New Level - NYTimes.com - 0 views

  • registered 680,000 students in 43 courses
  • massive open online courses, or MOOCs, that are expected to draw millions of students and adult learners globally.
  • free online artificial intelligence course attracted 160,000 students from 190 countries.
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  • 40,000 students downloaded his videos
  • I had about 200 years’ worth of students in my class.” Professors say their in-class students bene
  • not want to give credit until somebody figures out how to solve the cheating problem
  • Grading presents some questions, too. Coursera’s humanities courses use peer-to-peer grading, with students first having to show that they can match a professor’s grading of an assignment, and then grade the work of five classmates, in return for which their work is graded by five fellow students. But, Ms. Koller said, what would happen to a student who cannot match the professor’s grading has not been determined.
alexandra m. pickett

http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/ivlos/2006-1216-204736/pol - the affordance of anch... - 0 views

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    Describes anchored discussion. Compares regular discussion with anchored discussion.
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    Anchored discussion is a form of collaborative literature processing. It "starts from the notion of collaborative discussion that is contextualized or anchored within a specific content" (van der Pol, Admiraal & Simons, 2006). In this course, the discussions we participate in are based on prompts that address ideas included in each of the required resources for each module. However, an anchored discussion is a discussion that is focused on one piece of literature. As students read and digest the material, discussions about the meaning of that material occur within a window where the material is present. It is like having an asynchronous chat window open next to a research article. (van der Pol et al., 2006) As I started learning about anchored discussions, I saw many connections to shared annotation such as what we use Diigo for. Van der Pol et al. (2006) state that "shared annotation might leave more room for individual processes, but is shown to have some limitations in supporting interactivity". Anchored discussions take shared annotation a step further in that it requires conversation (as opposed to individual notes) regarding a resource. The collaborative piece of anchored discussions really got my attention in that it provides greater opportunity for the development of teaching presence by both students and the instructor. The opportunity to facilitate a discussion within the context of a required reading is an exciting idea for me. The use of anchored discussion allows for all three facets of teaching presence: instructional design and organization, facilitating discourse, and direct instruction (Shea, Pickett, & Pelz, 2003). I am wondering if there is a way to use Diigo in creating anchored discussions.
Luke Fellows

MOVING FROM PEDAGOGY TO ANDRAGOGY - 0 views

  • Knowles (1975) offered some reasons for his evolving scholarship in the area of self-directed learning. One immediate reason was the emerging evidence that people who take initiative in educational activities seem to learn more and learn things better then what resulted from more passive individuals
  • noted a second reason that self-directed learning appears "more in tune with our natural process of psychological development" (1975, p. 14). Knowles observed that an essential aspect of the maturation process is the development of an ability to take increasing responsibility for life.
  • A third reason was the observation that the many evolving educational innovations (nontraditional programs, Open University, weekend colleges, etc.) throughout the world require that learners assume a heavy responsibility and initiative in their own learning.
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    Discussion of Knowles theories about andragogy
alexandra m. pickett

Reflections Blog - Just another Edublogs.org site - 1 views

    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Hey Bill: i completely get the "technologically connected" fatigue. i am very plugged in... but, i remind myself that i am in control. I have boundaries. Also fyi - i don't have a cell phone. I know i know... hard to believe, right?! I just don't want to be that connected. me : )
    • William Meredith
       
      I envy you for not having a cell phone!  I took mine to France but told people not to call me.  One of the best parts of being away!
  • it helps remove the filter.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      interesting. really? say more about that. : )
  • Alex mentioned her desire not to allow students to unsubscribe from the posts.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Bill: i am actually really torn about this. I myself don't use the email subscription AT ALL. I find it confusing and disconnecting from the context and flow of the discussion. I have mine set to subjects only as a daily digest and i mostly just delete them... before even opeining them. I use the cousre interface to interact and view the interactions. I wish i could give students the option. But i can't. I have tried it both ways and talked about it with students from past courses. I even tried it once where i initially forced but then gave students the option to opt out... And i have come to the very reluctant decision that i have to force. I force the subscription, becuase frankly students don't login to the cousre. They disappear for days, and then claim they didn't know or couldn't find...and then claim they are overwhelmed. You also just can't "catch up" once a discussion has ended. The flow has moved on. There are also students that for some reason just prefer to get the posts via email. I've had several students tell me that they liked to view posts from their cell phones... So, i force subscription to all/only the essential forums in the course. The reality is that I can't force students to login to the course and click on the discussion and other areas of the cousre to see all that is happening. And i need a way to make sure that they are aware of the level of activity in the course and what is happening. me
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  • I feel as though students must be subscribed to forums, but be forewarned that they need to develop a system for themselves to allow for tracking of the dialogue and how they want to participate in that dialogue.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      i don't remember this being a problem in past semesters and i wonder if a default was changed at the system level. I thought everyone got a daily digest of subject lines and that highlighted new forum post tracking was automatically enabled by default... based you your feedback here, i have added "forewarning" : ) to 2 of the course information documents (contact and evaluation). : ) me
  • my presence could be demonstrated in other ways than just logging in daily or talking to students.
  • I came to realize that
  • in this course I feel as though everything I learn is huge.
  • it feels as though I am letting the students go without my assistance.
  • This is were the “earth-shattering” part comes in.  I am learning that I am not letting the students go.  I am going to be there.
  • I can fully see the difference between f2f and online teaching and WHY those differences exist.
  • In the beginning of this course my intention was to translate my f2f assignments and activities to an online format.  This made me feel comfortable as I knew that these activities worked for me and for most of my students.  Yet, as I began to learn about presence and community it became apparent that these f2f activities did not embody presence or community building.  They represented ease for me, and that cannot be the focus in online learning.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      this is a brilliant observation bill!
  • Yet, I know I will always want to be tweaking my activities!
  • My two issues with online education before the start of this class dealt with the actual education being offered as well as the connections being formed.
  • But the theory in this course has allowed me to see that in practice, online education can allow for a sound education and a classroom community that can match that of most f2f classrooms.
  • Online learning allows an instructor the opportunity to put everything into place before the course starts so that students come in being able to see all that they need to be successful.  This may not always be the case with f2f courses.  Additionally, to make sure that such theories as presence and community are present in online courses online instructors often have to do more to ensure success in their classes.  For these reasons I am starting to believe that online education, when combined with effective theories can eventually surpass f2f learning.
  • I am not decisive as I would like to be.
  • While it probably should not be surprising that I feel prepared to teach online at the end of a course in online teaching, for me, I feel as though it is quite a surprising development and one I hope to pursue.
  • The article  written by Mark Edmundson, a professor at UVA, questions the validity of online learning. 
  • I have discovered that my thoughts are completely different on online education as a result of this class.  While this is probably not a huge development it has been interesting to watch my opinions change so much.  So, for the moment that is where I am.
  • I discovered that just inserting technology does not suddenly make things better. 
  • I leave this course knowing that presence is more than just responding to students. 
  • Being truly present requires that the students feel your presence as they are completing assignments and learning – knowing what is expected of them and what they expect of the instructor.
  • if a student knows what to do and how to do it (presence) he/she might feel more comfortable branching out in discussions and discussing points with a majority of students instead of just discussing with the same people at the same time.  But community depends heavily on presence and the two really work in tandem.
  • Yet, the blame lies solely with me for just assuming that my students know how to do something.
  • Instead, instructors, both f2f and online, need to assume that their students do not know how to do something.  Taking the time to explain something may seem tedious but it will provide for greater clarification, greater learning, and more meaningful assessments.  Taking the time to just let students know what to do and how to do it has the potential of increasing the enjoyment of learning for all involved!
  •   I truly struggled with this course and I walk away feeling fantastic about it.
  • Coming into this course I figured we would read a few articles about online education and create a course shell for an online course.  Additionally, I came into this course assuming online education failed to meet the standards of f2f education. Now, my thoughts are completely changed. 
  • Leaving this course I feel as though I could write an effective rebuttal of that argument and I believe that illustrates a great amount of growth for a person who entered this class questioning the merits of online education.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      what would you say? i would like to read that rebuttal.  : ) 
  • Yet, I feel as this is one of the first courses that will let me leave with having a profound change in thinking. 
  • Online education is the way of the future and more important, it needs to be done correctly.
  • o in my new “educated” role, I would like to try and be an advocate for online education.  I will try to discuss the field more often and when I hear someone mention online education I will ask them what they know about it and what they think about it.  Striking up conversations allow for the spread of ideas and maybe eventually online education will gain the same prominence that many f2f courses currently possess. (4)
alexandra m. pickett

I am a high school librarian continuing my education to keep my library updated with tr... - 2 views

  • introduction post counted (which apparently it didn’t) that now I am behind.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      Most initial posts are personal opinion/social and so don't generally get high ratings according to the rubric. I like to give you the first couple of posts as low pressure intros so that you can get the hang of the rubric and my feedback.
  • I did that wrong too
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      my hope is that you will push through your feelings and look to see what insight you can gather that will help you succeed as a student and as an educator.
    • Danielle Melia
       
      I'm trying but just when I feel like I have a grip I realize I did something else wrong!
  • I enjoyed being able to observe the exemplary courses also.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      what did you learn from your observations?
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  • The cool thing is that I was able to show him some things that Alex showed me that he didn’t know, I looked like a rock star:)
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      that is awesome!
  • I know it hasn’t been utilized much or for a long period
  • research
  • Research is a difficult topic to entice high school student with.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      question that assumption
  • I think the digital age is reducing the amount of human interaction and students are losing out on the social aspects of school.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      question that assumption
  • online learning in k-12 students
  • part.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      self assess!
  • am having a hard time picturing my unenthusiastic, too cool for that, high school students being responsible enough to take an online course.
  • community.
    • alexandra m. pickett
       
      There are guiding questions for these reflections that i don't see in your posts for this module and you need to self assess.
  • August 4, 2012
  • Right now I am very frustrated. I have tried very very hard to listen to all of Alex’s comments throughout the semester and make changes based on her criticisms. My course when reviewed needed a lot of work but she expressed being frustrated that I didn’t take her advice when I am always careful to do that. I am not sure if I misunderstood or maybe it was the way things were worded. She had mentioned changing the names of my module’s during one of the previous assignments but in my course review she said she was frustrated because I didn’t listen about changing names of discussions and forums, when in fact, I changed the names of the modules like we had discussed. We never discussed discussion or forum names. I think these issues are issues that need to be addressed when learning about teaching online. Without having a face to face discussion misconceptions are not always cleared up right away and could cause problems later.
Danielle Melia

http://www.osuokcprofdev.net/facultyfocusreports/strategiesforincreasingonlinestudentre... - 0 views

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    Featuring a collection of top articles from Distance Education Report, this new Faculty Focus special report provides practical strategies for improving online student retention, engagement and satisfaction. Articles include: * 11 Tips for Improving Retention of Distance Learning Students * Understanding the Impact of Attrition on Your School * Taking a Holistic View of Student Retention * Eight Suggestions to Help You Get Your Retention Act Together Now * Online Mentoring Builds Retention * Nine Truths about Recruitment and Retention * Finding Helpful Patterns in Student Engagement
b malczyk

Liberal-Arts Colleges Venture Into Unlikely Territory: Online Courses - 0 views

  • “It’s going to raise some eyebrows,
  • blending liberal-arts teaching with online learning.
  • explore how online courseware could fit into the close-knit liberal-arts experience
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  • to improve course-completion rates.
  • “You have created a way to teach students without faculty,” a professor in a workshop session sa
  • “No,”
  • “We are creating a way for you to spend time in class teaching different things, freed from the burden of teaching basic skills.” The software gives individualized instruction in 12 subjects, using sophisticated tracking of skill development and offering instant feedback and help based on the student’s mastery of concepts. The idea is to use this to teach basic statistics, say, instead of using a professor’s lectures—and time—on the fundamentals.
  • “We want professors in these courses, which are first- and second-year classes, talking about more sophisticated ideas with the students,”
  • Research published on the Carnegie Mellon course modules indicates that they are effective. At a large public university, 99 percent of students taking the program’s formal-logic course online completed it, compared with 41 percent of students in the traditional course. At Carnegie Mellon, students who took an accelerated-statistics course in hybrid form completed it in eight weeks, and learned as much material, and performed as well on tests, as did students taking a traditional 15-week course
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    Liberal arts colleges testing new waters
Amy M

Peter Thiel: We're in a Bubble and It's Not the Internet. It's Higher Education. | Tech... - 0 views

  • He talked about a college he advises that argued they couldn’
  • possible cut their fees for the simple reason that people would deem them to be less-prestigious
  • “It’s something about the scarcity and the status. In education your value depends on other people failing. Whenever Darwinism is invoked it’s usually a justification for doing something mean. It’s a way to ignore that people are falling through the cracks,
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  • because you pretend that if they could just go to Harvard, they’d be fine. Maybe that’s not true.
  • You have to get rid of the future
  • you wanted to pay off all the debt from the fancy school that was supposed to give you that future.”
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    An investor's take on education
Amy M

Harvard Library tells faculty to take open access seriously | Bibliographic Wilderness - 1 views

  • It’s interesting to see the pendulum swinging the other way, and libraries wanting to go back to use-based/per-use charges. Harvard is recommending it for scholarly journal content.
  • It’s my understanding that the shift from per-use charges to flat charges was actually pushed by libraries (can anyone around then confirm this?).
  • Meanwhile, David Walker pointed out to me that the Copyright Clearance Center’s “Get It Now” service , which charges per-download for particulating publisher content, could be considered not just as an alternative to ILL, but as an alternative for libraries to flat rate “platform” licensing for scholarly content.
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    a librarian's view on Harvard's memo
Catherine Strattner

Illinois Online Network: Instructional Resources : Pointers and Clickers : Facilitating... - 1 views

  • Make the chunks or pieces of information small enough to appeal to and be processed by those who have only 15 to 30 minutes a day to log in. These small pieces of information can quickly be processed by the student who can then return later to finish other assignments. There can be more than one chunk of information per unit or module, but the unit itself should be broke into manageable chunks.
  • An online syllabus should also contain information relating to the length of time a given assignment is anticipated to take for the average student.
  • With an engaging course in which many students are active participants, the number of messages posted within any course discussion forum can quickly grow. When such a case presents itself, it is a good idea to give specific minimum (and maximum if necessary) requirements concerning the number of posts each student is required to submit. For example, in an ice-breaking activity, you could require each student to post responses to 2 other student posts chosen by selecting the student above and below that student in a listing of students sorted by some criteria such as alphabetically by login. When minimum requirements and other guidelines are given, students know how much work is expected of them for the assignment, ensuring that they will allocate enough time to do an adequate job and enabling them able to prioritize their time. Even an active student can have a busy week in which he/she must schedule time to properly meet this minimum requirement.
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  • Also, many would argue that students (and people in general) have a naturally inquisitive nature. To bring out this potential in one's students, try building "discovery" activities into the course. Ask students to find a new site or pose a question of their own on a weekly basis. Any activity that involves the students will aid in their motivation.
  • If a student is beginning to lag behind the rest of the course, or the student is not making the required posts, direct items specifically to that student. When prompting higher order thinking, provide a list of students that you would like to respond to the question. Always be sure that such lists include active students as well to take the pressure off the lagging student as having to be the first one to post a response.
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    I highlighted time management strategies in the text but when it posted here, it was messed up...It looked fine in my library, but not here. Sorry, it should still be highlighted when you get there.
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    Excellent tips on facilitating online learning skills.
Irene Watts-Politza

Teachers' Invisible Presence in Net-based Distance Education | Hult | The International... - 0 views

  • The stance taken in this paper, then, is constructivist – that conversation is learning in the making.
  • Any conversation, that is, draws on heteroglossia (Bakhtin’s neologism) – pools of different ideas whose elements, when exchanged, foster learning. According to Bakhtin, every utterance has a double significance. It is an expression of a 'unitary [common] language' used to conduct the conversation and, at the same time, it builds on the 'social and historical' differences embedded in the heteroglossia (1981, p. 272).
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      This is what happens in a discussion thread.
  • Yuri Lotman,
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • described conversations as multi-authored texts rather than as multi-voiced heteroglossia (see Bakhtin, 1994,
  • texts “fulfill at least two basic functions:
  • fulfilled best when the codes of the speaker and the listener most completely coincide and, consequently, when the text has the maximum degree of univocality” (1988, p. 34). The generation of new meanings occurs when there are differences between the speaker and the listener. Texts used in educational exchanges cease:
  • online adult education is not the delivery of texts but, rather, the creation and insertion of ‘thinking devices’ into conversation.
  • For this article we have concentrated on teacher and student views of teachers’ role orientations in online courses.
  • our intention has been to identify and clarify teaching ‘saliences’ that have emerged in online adult education in Sweden. In a wider sense, however, our analysis is also a response to the question: ‘Whatever happened to teaching in the learning society?’
  • the posting data support the claim that the teachers adopted an initiating role.
  • Greater activity:
  • Greater influence on topic:
  • Faster response times:
  • When asked about their views, all students felt that teachers played a central role in supporting Net-based learning. Indeed, some of them suggested that moderation in online settings of adult education is more important than in face-to-face settings.
  • Orientations to Teaching
  • Activity Orientation
  • In this perspective, teachers gave students tasks that activated them and, thereby, fostered their understanding of subject matter.
  • offered students tips about articles, books and Internet sites
  • Some students spoke about being activated by stimulating tasks that led them to engage with the Web and libraries, with one of them adding ‘seeking by your self is a pre-condition for learning.’ Active searching also meant that students came into contact with information which extended their learning beyond the task itself.
  • None of the teachers, however, was entirely satisfied with their dialogic or conference practice. Levels of engagement, dialogue, and initiative-taking were not as high as they had hoped. In response, they tried to promote conversation by encouraging students to react to each other’s postings, by organising tasks where cooperation and interaction was needed, or by introducing new aspects and questions when discussion faltered.
  • Further, teachers reported that they also tried to act as models of good behaviour by giving swift replies to student postings and by making their own postings appropriate yet concise.
  • In contrast to the teachers most of the student group were satisfied with the course conversations.
  • A few
  • felt that sharing different aspects of the subject matter with the teacher and fellow students raised fresh questions. It made them reach beyond the book, evoking learning and thinking along new pathways. Even if they thought that well-chosen tasks were the most effective way of fostering dialogue, they also expected the course leader to participate fully, developing new themes if student postings declined, and remaining alert to student proposals that might enhance the interchange of ideas and knowledge.
  • Many students emphasised the importance of teaching that corroborated or validated their learning.
  • None of the teachers, however, spontaneously offered this view as their primary role or orientation. Nevertheless, when asked whether they had any correspondence with students through private mailboxes rather than ‘conferences’ and ‘cafes,’ some of them said that they occasionally responded privately to correct misinterpretations.
  • This task raises many questions about teaching, highlighting the difference, for example, between instructionist and constructionist paradigms for learning (Wilensky, 1991). Would a too well-planned course be instructionist, thus constraining student influence and the pursuit of democracy? In their postings, teachers in this study felt that there was no necessary contradiction – that well-planned courses could, indeed, strengthen student influence. Nevertheless, busy distance education students, according to the teachers, often appreciate instructionist courses with clearly stated activities and tasks, even if the students are left with limited opportunities to ‘construct their own relationships with the objects of knowledge’ (Wilensky, 1991, p. 202).
  • Teacher’s invisible presence is exemplified in taking a stand-by role and/ or being reluctant to intervene. ‘The [teachers’] silence should be deafening,’ one teacher recommended. Although most of the teachers agreed that well-planned courses do not inhibit course dialogue, the fact that in their own online course deliberations they set aside time to discuss this issue may reflect ambivalence in their stance. The question of when and how teachers should intervene remains impossible to resolve, except in practice.
  • three different aspects of teaching,
  • a second conclusion – that the promotion of learning in an open environment requires an animating or steering presence. Such teaching, however, is not a process of instruction. And for this reason the word teacher may no longer be appropriate. In English, the word tutor is commonly used in adult education, because it has connotations of ‘supervision’ and ‘guardianship’ as well as ‘instruction’ (see Oxford English Dictionary). More recently, Salmon has suggested ‘e-moderating,’ but even moderation carries instructionist connotations – to exercise a controlling influence over; to regulate, restrain, control, rule (OED) – that may not be appropriate to all forms of liberal education. In the context of mainland Europe, the word pedagogue may be appropriate since, etymologically, pedagogue denotes someone engaged in 'drawing out.'
  • Intellectual development, however, can be an intra- as well as an inter-personal phenomenon. That is, learning may not come directly from teachers but rather from their absent or invisible presence. Online pedagogues, therefore, can be present in different ways. They may be present in person, participating in learning conversations. They may constitute an absent presence that, nonetheless, is embodied in the learning resources directed towards students (e.g., the selected readings or activities). Or pedagogues may exist merely as inner voices, inherited from the language of others, that (invisibly) steer the desires, self-regulation, and self-direction of learners. Indeed, this last pedagogic position ‘auto-didacticism,’ has always been central to the post-Enlightenment ideals of liberal adult education.
    • Irene Watts-Politza
       
      Here's the money.
  •  
    Swedish study of university student and professor attitudes toward satisfaction with and definition of teacher presence in online adult learning. Implications for course design with respect to knowing one's audience.
diane hamilton

ECRP. Vol 5 No 2. The Role of Child Development and Social Interaction in the Selection... - 0 views

  • A closer look might provide insight into how this experience will assist in Rachel's development: Positive emotions are created from the established lap reading routine that generates an intimate closeness and feeling of security. Interactive social dialogues between Rachel and her mother build on prior knowledge and provide immediate feedback as they discuss each animal as the story progresses. The language they use to label, compare, explain, and classify creates a supportive context for structuring the processes of thinking and concept formation. Each of the domains of development—linguistic, cognitive, social, and emotional—is affected during Rachel's experience, and all play an important role in her development
  • As Rachel began to internalize the actions and language of her mother, she began to use these tools to guide and monitor her own processing behavior until she is now able to take over much of the responsibility for reading the book (Dorn, French, & Jones, 1998)
  • A framework for understanding the interrelated nature of the cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic, and literacy development of children; social interaction; and literature selection in grades K-4 is provided in the appendix. The purpose of the framework is to provide a general guide for teachers, parents, and other caregivers in the appropriate selection of books that takes into consideration the importance of child development.
  •  
    this article contains a useful reference table for developing interest in literacy and applies to development of literacy dispositions and life-long learning
diane hamilton

So Each May Learn - 2 views

  •  
    this link takes you to ASCD's site where this book is available.
diane hamilton

From Storybooks to Games, Comics, Bands, and Chapter Books: A Young Boy's Appropriation... - 0 views

  •  
    article on "Max" a boy who takes on family literacy practices
Heather Kurto

The Myth of Learning Styles - 0 views

  • . While many of those scientists seek to discover general principles of learning, we all acknowledge that there are differences among students. Understanding these differences and applying that understanding in the classroom can improve everyone's education
  • First, whether we call it talent, ability, or intelligence, people vary in their capacity to learn different areas of content
  • Second, and often intertwined with ability, students differ in their interests. If a student loves the piano, or basketball, or chess, or the biology of frogs, that student will no doubt learn material related to that subject faster than another one who does not share that fascination.
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  • Third, students differ in their background knowledge, and that difference influences their learning
  • Many students will report preferring to study visually and others through an auditory channel. However, when these tendencies are put to the test under controlled conditions, they make no difference—learning is equivalent whether students learn in the preferred mode or not
  • The emphasis on learning styles, we think, often comes at the cost of attention to these other important dimension
  • Finally, some students have specific learning disabilities, and these affect their learning in specific ways.
  • just as our social selves have personalities, so do our memories.
  • The proof that the learning-styles theorist must find is that for some sort of content—whether it be math, poetry, or dodgeball—changing the mode of presentation to match the learning styles helps people learn. That evidence has simply not been found.
  • Third, learning-styles theory has succeeded in becoming “common knowledge.” Its widespread acceptance serves as an unfortunately compelling reason to believe it
  • Teachers should take into account the differences in learners' abilities. And adjusting a lesson not just to be appropriately pitched at the students' level of ability but to take into account their background knowledge and interests is surely an important first step in fostering learning.
  • if a student believes she is a visual learner and therefore disengages and daydreams when a lecturer turns off the PowerPoint and tells a story, this will prevent her from learning the concept through a compelling narrative. And while these beliefs may not have as direct an impact on performance reviews as they do in K-12 settings, a belief in learning styles occasionally shows up in student evaluations of teaching:
  • (can the auditory learner learn geography through hearing it? Can the visual learner become better at music by seeing it?)
  • While such evidence of learning styles would serve as a proof that they exist, the lack of evidence does not prove definitively that they do not exist
  • econd, learning-styles theory is sometimes offered as a reason to include digital media in the classroom.
  • . We shouldn't congratulate ourselves for showing a video to engage the visual learners or offering podcasts to the auditory learners. Rather, we should realize that the value of the video or audio will be determined by how it suits the content that we are asking students to learn and the background knowledge, interests, and abilities that they bring to i
  • Assessment of student interest can also be a useful tool for deciding how to approach the material in a given class
  • Students differ in their abilities, interests, and background knowledge, but not in their learning styles. Students may have preferences about how to learn, but no evidence suggests that catering to those preferences will lead to better learning. As college educators, we should apply this to the classroom by continuing to present information in the most appropriate manner for our content and for the level of prior knowledge, ability, and interests of that particular set of students.
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    Great article for all teachers. Thank you!
Celeste Sisson

The Online NewsHour: Generation Next | The Demographic | Students Face Mounting Pressur... - 0 views

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    The personal well-being of the students often takes a backseat to academic success, she found.
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