Good morning fellow adult education students!
What I appreciate about a blog is that it allows me to input my information while chaos surrounds me in the form of three crazy kids, and no one has to see the mess. I would be able to use this to share information with colleagues or friends and family. It's definitely the type of learning aid you can utilize as an information tool or fun.
When it comes to online classes, I like the idea of each student having a blog where they can freely write their thoughts on what they are learning and how they feel about the classes. I think it would be neat for the students to have an outlet they can express the excitement of new information and frustrations. It would be known that it would not affect their grade. It would just be a way students could connect to each other and the instructor could use the information to enhance their online classes.
The only downfall is that, as far as I can tell, there is no way to completely delete your page if you no longer want it. You can erase posts but not the entire page. That does bother me a little bit.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
My Personal Development...
I definitely appreciate learning about the different learning styles and the insight given about needing to be flexible to those styles as an instructor. It's so easy to create curriculum directed to one style of learning based off of your style of learning, but that does not necessarily create a successful class, if fact, quite the contrary, it could create chaos. It's important to pay attention to your students, because their lack of learning may not be because they are not trying, first check your teaching style because it may not be conducive to their learning style.
I definitely need to learn how to be patient with the learning process as a whole. Each part is in important and even though it may not be my favorite section, force myself to dig in and take out as much as I can as opposed to just trying to get through so I can get on to a section I like. It's interesting because we are "learning about learning" and it really opens your eyes to your own faults and strengths as an adult learner.
I am thankful I had the opportunity to learn about learning styles in depth, especially mine. When we had to find articles about learning styles, I found an article discussing that knowing your learning style is important in your everyday life and it gave examples. I now know the questions I need to ask when I'm at the doctor. It also gives me the tools to help my children become strong learners. Learning starts now with them. It's important that I know their preference so I can not only use that to their advantage but also help them shape the other styles into usable styles in situations their preference may not work.
I definitely need to learn how to be patient with the learning process as a whole. Each part is in important and even though it may not be my favorite section, force myself to dig in and take out as much as I can as opposed to just trying to get through so I can get on to a section I like. It's interesting because we are "learning about learning" and it really opens your eyes to your own faults and strengths as an adult learner.
I am thankful I had the opportunity to learn about learning styles in depth, especially mine. When we had to find articles about learning styles, I found an article discussing that knowing your learning style is important in your everyday life and it gave examples. I now know the questions I need to ask when I'm at the doctor. It also gives me the tools to help my children become strong learners. Learning starts now with them. It's important that I know their preference so I can not only use that to their advantage but also help them shape the other styles into usable styles in situations their preference may not work.
Complicated learning...
Never in a million years did I think I would be debating and hashing out the ideas and processes of learning, learning styles, learning cycles, etc. It almost makes me feel like we are over thinking the process of learning. I feel like we are complicating it by talking it to death.
Steven A. Stahl believes that people mistake learning preference with learning style. He thinks that there is a big difference. My question is how? And does it really matter? If you prefer a specific way of learning, than one would presume that that is your learning style. Or another way to say it is your preferred learning style and that right there combines the learning preference with learning style. I almost feel as if Stahl is talking just to talk.
Learning needs two way communication between the student and the teacher. It's the teacher's responsibility to communicate to the class the expectations and requirements and to make it clear that there needs to be open communication. If a student is not understanding than they need to vocalize that. The teacher can only do so much before it's the student's responsibility.
I am excited to get into the next chapter of my learning prospectives book because it seems we will finally get into the "how's" of teaching. I am not trying to be difficult, but I am definitely the type of person that just wants to know how I can do it and be successful. It's not a secret that the "theory" part of learning is not my favorite. I like seeing examples in action, like the movie assignment. I enjoyed that. But then again...I am a visual learner, it is my preferred learning style. ;)
Next Please!
Steven A. Stahl believes that people mistake learning preference with learning style. He thinks that there is a big difference. My question is how? And does it really matter? If you prefer a specific way of learning, than one would presume that that is your learning style. Or another way to say it is your preferred learning style and that right there combines the learning preference with learning style. I almost feel as if Stahl is talking just to talk.
Learning needs two way communication between the student and the teacher. It's the teacher's responsibility to communicate to the class the expectations and requirements and to make it clear that there needs to be open communication. If a student is not understanding than they need to vocalize that. The teacher can only do so much before it's the student's responsibility.
I am excited to get into the next chapter of my learning prospectives book because it seems we will finally get into the "how's" of teaching. I am not trying to be difficult, but I am definitely the type of person that just wants to know how I can do it and be successful. It's not a secret that the "theory" part of learning is not my favorite. I like seeing examples in action, like the movie assignment. I enjoyed that. But then again...I am a visual learner, it is my preferred learning style. ;)
Next Please!
Monday, November 30, 2009
To learn or not to learn...
I recently took a few quizzes that would calculate what type of a learner I am. I was not surprised to find that my strongest learning style is visual but was surprised to see that I pretty much ran neutral on all other learning categories. Initially I thought it was neat to be so balanced, but, after reading my classmates results I didn't feel so special. The majority of the results seemed to be mid line. A classmate posted an assignment discussing how important it is to challenge ourselves to learn and excel at learning styles we aren't comfortable with. I don't like going out of my comfort zone when it comes to learning, so the thought of trying to be an auditory leaner made me cranky. Then, I was laying in bed thinking about class and it dawned on me. The majority of the class seemed to be neutral learners. It seemed that there may be one really dominant style of learning but everything else streamlined. Is it because we are all adult learners so we have been through classes that are focused toward every type of learner, so subconsciously we have learned how to learn from other styles? I tend to lean toward yes. I've always known that I am a visual learner, but I didn't always know there were other clinically proven styles of learning. I think that had I known what style/s I was in high school and how to work with my strengths and weaknesses, I could have performed better. I also think that had I known these styles going into my first attempts at college, I may have completed my degree sooner.
I've been at this school thing for a long time now and think I have encountered every type of teacher there is. I remember complaining to my parents about specific teachers and how I "just can't learn in their class". As an adult, I look back now and think that there is some truth in that statement. There are so many teachers out there who think they present the information and it's the students responsibility to walk away with the knowledge. I whole heartily believe that the teacher has to take a portion of responsibility for what a student learns. Yes, there will be those students who don't try, therefore, will not learn. However, if a teacher makes no effort to get to know the students or make the material interesting, it cannot be placed fully on the student.
Knowing your learning style seems to be a huge educational advantage not only for yourself but your instructor. Every class spends the first day or two getting to know each other. It seems that it only makes sense to have each student take at least one of these quizzes at the beginning of the term. Not only would it benefit the student, but also the instructor. It would give the instructor insight into their students. Perhaps the instructor's course leans towards auditory learners but once the quizzes are completed the instructor finds he/she has a class full of mostly visual learners. The instructor could then rework lesson plans to facilitate the majority of the class. Yes, I said majority. One thing I've learned, you will never make everybody happy. This isn't just in the classroom, this is in every aspect of life. So, in the classroom if you lean toward the majority and throw in snippets of the other styles, the end result is going to be that the majority of your class walks away successful. I haven't instructed adults, so it could be way off base but it's my theory and hope to put it to the test one day.
If I end up with a job where I am teaching adults for more than a week, I am leaning toward the idea of passing out a learning style quiz at the beginning of that session. I think it's important to take a proactive step in my students learning capabilities and who be it to me to ignore the possibilities if only presented to them!
I've been at this school thing for a long time now and think I have encountered every type of teacher there is. I remember complaining to my parents about specific teachers and how I "just can't learn in their class". As an adult, I look back now and think that there is some truth in that statement. There are so many teachers out there who think they present the information and it's the students responsibility to walk away with the knowledge. I whole heartily believe that the teacher has to take a portion of responsibility for what a student learns. Yes, there will be those students who don't try, therefore, will not learn. However, if a teacher makes no effort to get to know the students or make the material interesting, it cannot be placed fully on the student.
Knowing your learning style seems to be a huge educational advantage not only for yourself but your instructor. Every class spends the first day or two getting to know each other. It seems that it only makes sense to have each student take at least one of these quizzes at the beginning of the term. Not only would it benefit the student, but also the instructor. It would give the instructor insight into their students. Perhaps the instructor's course leans towards auditory learners but once the quizzes are completed the instructor finds he/she has a class full of mostly visual learners. The instructor could then rework lesson plans to facilitate the majority of the class. Yes, I said majority. One thing I've learned, you will never make everybody happy. This isn't just in the classroom, this is in every aspect of life. So, in the classroom if you lean toward the majority and throw in snippets of the other styles, the end result is going to be that the majority of your class walks away successful. I haven't instructed adults, so it could be way off base but it's my theory and hope to put it to the test one day.
If I end up with a job where I am teaching adults for more than a week, I am leaning toward the idea of passing out a learning style quiz at the beginning of that session. I think it's important to take a proactive step in my students learning capabilities and who be it to me to ignore the possibilities if only presented to them!
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