We need to forge honest, open and trustworthy relationships with students, as a teaching tool that can impact upon the efficacy of response to their learning needs within the classroom.
In communicating with students, getting to know their traits, their weaknesses and their strengths, we can begin to understand how best to engage them in the learning. In the previous blog, the key learning styles were identified; so too were colour-coded diagrams illustrating these, along with suggestion on how to accommodate them. I provide them again here for ease of reference:
As an idea of how to ensure students’ learning preferences are addressed by their teachers and importantly remembered by the students themselves, is to give the students print-outs of the above posters (or like) and have them cut out that which corresponds to them and stick these to their exercise books (Bradley, 2013). Students are then reminded of ways in which they can independently drive their own learning successes, and teachers too are given quick alerts as these reference points indicate quickly learning preferences, and thus triggers a response in the teacher of the best way to then engage each student. Of course as relationships are developed with individual students, such triggers will become progressively unnecessary. However in the beginnings of relationship development, and also as reference for those students where work more independently, or are less often in need of assistance, these triggers provide a quick reference, and useful guides for throughout the year.
It is important always to provide extremely enriching learning experiences for learners. In any attempts to meet the learning needs of our learners, one must also consider the preferred modici of communication of learning, as well as student interest and the engagement tools we choose to use in order that students really do engage with the learning activities and types of assessment offered. Ken Kay (2010) discusses the danger faced in schools teaching with traditional methods to 21st century learners; whereby students have the potential to become disengaged and demotivated as curricula are delivered “out of step” with their lives and therefore seem irrelevant to their futures. Employing the use of Information and Computer Technologies in presenting new material, as modes of student interactivity in learning activities, as well as offered in assessment options, can be extremely beneficial for the contextual understanding and engagement in learning of 21st century students.
Explore the links below to useful sites and teaching tools.
Please leave comments on how you have used them in your teaching practice; teaching is about sharing ideas, and I would love to do so!
http://animoto.com/
Make amazing, professional videos to introduce topics and concepts to your students. Or perhaps utilize the technology for assessment purposes.
http://goanimate.com/
Create fun and engaging cartoons with GoAnimate. Follow these links (http://goanimate.com/videos/0yE2d-iycakE / http://goanimate.com/videos/0JDW1nFxQxTE) for suggestions on its use. (Nb. These videos were made for English literacy based subjects. It would be useful to create banks of videos like these that could be pulled out to assist students with essay writing in Classical Studies; as well as short clips to refresh student’s memories on Roman and Greek history and society topics for example).
Of course one must utilise new technology to its potential as we attempt to address learning styles, but not to the point where it becomes a detriment or hinderance to the learning (as can be the case when relying on internet connections and computer facilities), or even merely looses its effect. For example utilizing video creation programs (such as Animoto or GoAnimate) in order to engage students is extremely beneficial; however I believe doing this too often risks loosing appeal and effect. Likewise we must always bear in mind that we learn to use technology to its best – not just for the sake of it. This is too often the case with PowerPoint for example; as Isseks (2011) remarks in his article “How PowerPoint is killing education,” (http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb11/vol68/num05/How-PowerPoint-Is-Killing-Education.aspx), utilizing the technology alone is not necessarily sufficient, “the root problem of [teachers using] PowerPoint presentations is not the power or the point, it’s the presentation” (Isseks, 2011). This along with the temptation to either over pack a slide, or reduce information to near meaningless words arranged on the screen, becomes ineffectual. Trialing new technology and modici of engagement with students is important; gauging interest, ease in usability and effect like any teaching tool, before pursuing it as the sole or preferred method is important. If used to their potential, they can be invaluable; PowerPoint can be used to engage, to instruct, to inspire and to inform – I have found in my teaching experiences already, if nothing else it is a flexible lesson organizer, that rather than becoming something to glue yourself to, can be something to bounce ideas of, out of, and incite discussion and learning from. Prensky (2001) discusses the terminology surrounding our 21st century learners – where at the time of this article’s publication,they were coined as digital natives; asked to participate in an established educational system no longer designed to teach the radically different current generation and way of thinking. How this implicates and impacts upon our teaching is that we must be mindful of the fact that our learners are in life generally fully immersed and at home (most comfortable) in the digital world; to separate learning from digital technology, the way of the future, makes little sense to them, and little sense to me as a teacher who wants to engage my students in the learning and fully benefit from every encounter. ICT opens up a multitude of doors, when attempting to address the learning styles of students, from the potential for visual learning enhancement, interactive and communicative learning preferences being met, to independent written contexts and verbal video diary blogs. The list is unending as new technology is developed in the educational context daily.
… And finally as a learning preferences side note and tip to beginning teachers on effectively responding to students’ learning needs – no matter how much students’ ipod earphones in ears may appear rude to you, just let it go, and go with it – because listening to music whilst they work is actually just another learning preference that can enhance 21st century students’ learning .. honest!).
Isseks, M. (2011). How powerpoint is killing education. Teaching Screenagers, 68(5), 74-76.
Kay, K. (2010). 21st Century skills: why they matter, what they are, and how we get there. In J. Bellanca & J. Brandt (Eds.), 21st Century skills: rethinking how students learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. In, On the Horizon MCB University Press, 9(5), 1-6.
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