Each learner is unique in his or her own experiences, perspectives, as well as psychological and physiological make up. The viewpoint expressed in this video (and by some educators) implies a "one size fits all" approach to learning. Since "one size" rarely fits all in life's circumstances, at least not from my perspective, I find this approach to be rather narrow - as a learner.
I know exactly how I learn. Let's suppose that I attend a class that is totally lecture-based, or from my viewpoint, better titled as "death by powerpoint" in which I will learn little. If learning styles don't matter and "good teaching is good teaching," then I should learn just as well in this lecture-based session as in an active learning environment. I have proven time and again, that such is not the case, at least not for me.
From a lecture perspective - telling isn't teaching. Telling (lectures) alone doesn't move the learner to application or even to higher levels of learning, such as analysis, synthesis or evaluation. I can memorize my notes. I can regurgitate those notes on a test. But I've likely not "learned" much of anything. There may, however, be others in the same class that learn a great deal. (Of course, at the heart of this may be how one defines "learning.")
Perhaps these same "teachers" who like to lecture may be uncomfortable with teaching differently. Perhaps their own individual learning styles haven't been stimulated to the point of being able to learn differently...and therefore, teach differently, for a broader appeal and better impact.
If a teacher doesn't need to change his or her teaching style...then one could surmise, it's all about the teacher. There's little here about the learner. It seems like a checklist mentality of "I taught the class", rather than teaching students how to think about the content of the class and apply that to other situations.
In order for the learner to learn, the teacher has to reach him or her on some level. There must be a connection. The learner has to find a way to make meaning and make sense. And each learner does that in his or her own unique way.
All that being said, educators and educational researchers are responsible for some of the confusion surrounding learning styles. We all seem to have a need to "make it better" or "create our own footprint."
There are as many supposed learning styles as there are learners. If you think through all of the styles, there are many commonalities. We should be inclusive and holistic enough to be able to come to agreement on common language and terms....for learning's sake.
I have spent many hours wasted in a classroom, not learning much of anything. Well maybe how to daydream about what I could be doing instead of being bored. I felt like a failure, not for lack of my trying, but becuase the teacher did not engage me as a learner.
I understand that a teacher is there to give you knowledge and we as the learner are there to assimilate the knowledge and use it. But there has to be some kind of give and take... dont you think?
I have found that I prefer a teacher who chooses not to teach AT me but teaches WITH me. Education is supposed to be a two way street and many times students and teachers are stuck on that one way road with no hopes of ever getting off.
If teachers would step outside their ego, they might see that it is more important to reach as many students than it is to reach a few.
I totally agree with you...about teachers getting out of their own ego and teaching with, rather than AT....I know about daydreaming, making lists, writing poetry..let's see what else...during a class not designed at all for me...like lecture, charts and graphs...no activity....boring.
That was a very insightful video you posted here. It confirmed many of the thoughts I was having as I contemplated these learning "styles". I have always thought that the content many times drives the way you teach. As he said, you can't try to present visual information auditorily, EVERYONE needs to see visual information visually. That is a very, very good point. Thank you for enlightening me.
"Death by Powerpoint"!! Too funny and, sadly, too true! I agree with the previous three posters, especially Analisa who stated she felt like a failure when she couldn't grasp the information being taught. I understand that so well! It was most of my high school career, actually. I was smart, but because I didn't learn in the conventional way, my grades weren't good. Grades=the student back then (still to some degree). I'm glad to see the change in the way learning is viewed, and wonder how I might have benefited had I been a high school student with those teaching concepts in place.
Thank you all for the comments.....don't you love those PowerPoints where every single thought that was in the presenter's head was also on the screen .....I always thought, I am an adult. I can read for myself. Plus I read faster than you are talking and I am way ahead of you....and after that I was lost in space somewhere.
I agree with your comments made. I always construed myself as an adult, but sometimes I wonder when I read other sites it makes me think a little bit more on my methods of teaching and also makes me think on my subject and also who is my audience.
Each learner is unique in his or her own experiences, perspectives, as well as psychological and physiological make up. The viewpoint expressed in this video (and by some educators) implies a "one size fits all" approach to learning. Since "one size" rarely fits all in life's circumstances, at least not from my perspective, I find this approach to be rather narrow - as a learner.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how I learn. Let's suppose that I attend a class that is totally lecture-based, or from my viewpoint, better titled as "death by powerpoint" in which I will learn little. If learning styles don't matter and "good teaching is good teaching," then I should learn just as well in this lecture-based session as in an active learning environment. I have proven time and again, that such is not the case, at least not for me.
From a lecture perspective - telling isn't teaching. Telling (lectures) alone doesn't move the learner to application or even to higher levels of learning, such as analysis, synthesis or evaluation. I can memorize my notes. I can regurgitate those notes on a test. But I've likely not "learned" much of anything. There may, however, be others in the same class that learn a great deal. (Of course, at the heart of this may be how one defines "learning.")
Perhaps these same "teachers" who like to lecture may be uncomfortable with teaching differently. Perhaps their own individual learning styles haven't been stimulated to the point of being able to learn differently...and therefore, teach differently, for a broader appeal and better impact.
If a teacher doesn't need to change his or her teaching style...then one could surmise, it's all about the teacher. There's little here about the learner. It seems like a checklist mentality of "I taught the class", rather than teaching students how to think about the content of the class and apply that to other situations.
In order for the learner to learn, the teacher has to reach him or her on some level. There must be a connection. The learner has to find a way to make meaning and make sense. And each learner does that in his or her own unique way.
All that being said, educators and educational researchers are responsible for some of the confusion surrounding learning styles. We all seem to have a need to "make it better" or "create our own footprint."
There are as many supposed learning styles as there are learners. If you think through all of the styles, there are many commonalities. We should be inclusive and holistic enough to be able to come to agreement on common language and terms....for learning's sake.
I have spent many hours wasted in a classroom, not learning much of anything. Well maybe how to daydream about what I could be doing instead of being bored. I felt like a failure, not for lack of my trying, but becuase the teacher did not engage me as a learner.
ReplyDeleteI understand that a teacher is there to give you knowledge and we as the learner are there to assimilate the knowledge and use it. But there has to be some kind of give and take... dont you think?
I have found that I prefer a teacher who chooses not to teach AT me but teaches WITH me. Education is supposed to be a two way street and many times students and teachers are stuck on that one way road with no hopes of ever getting off.
If teachers would step outside their ego, they might see that it is more important to reach as many students than it is to reach a few.
I totally agree with you...about teachers getting out of their own ego and teaching with, rather than AT....I know about daydreaming, making lists, writing poetry..let's see what else...during a class not designed at all for me...like lecture, charts and graphs...no activity....boring.
ReplyDeleteThat was a very insightful video you posted here. It confirmed many of the thoughts I was having as I contemplated these learning "styles". I have always thought that the content many times drives the way you teach. As he said, you can't try to present visual information auditorily, EVERYONE needs to see visual information visually. That is a very, very good point. Thank you for enlightening me.
ReplyDelete"Death by Powerpoint"!! Too funny and, sadly, too true! I agree with the previous three posters, especially Analisa who stated she felt like a failure when she couldn't grasp the information being taught. I understand that so well! It was most of my high school career, actually. I was smart, but because I didn't learn in the conventional way, my grades weren't good. Grades=the student back then (still to some degree). I'm glad to see the change in the way learning is viewed, and wonder how I might have benefited had I been a high school student with those teaching concepts in place.
ReplyDeleteGood post, good comments!
Thank you all for the comments.....don't you love those PowerPoints where every single thought that was in the presenter's head was also on the screen .....I always thought, I am an adult. I can read for myself. Plus I read faster than you are talking and I am way ahead of you....and after that I was lost in space somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments made. I always construed myself as an adult, but sometimes I wonder when I read other sites it makes me think a little bit more on my methods of teaching and also makes me think on my subject and also who is my audience.
ReplyDelete