Wednesday, 6 July 2011

My Learning Style

  1. What is my preferred learning style – sensing, sequential, visual, and active/reflective.
What sorts of learning experiences would suit you best with your learning style?                   As a sensing learner I like to: learn facts, solving problems by well-established methods and.  I dislike:  complications and surprises, resent being tested on material that has not been explicitly covered in class, and courses that have no apparent connection to the real world.  I am good at: memorizing facts, doing hands-on (laboratory) work.  I am: patient with details, practical and careful.   As a visual learner I remember best when I see pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations.  As a sequential learner I gain understanding in linear steps, with each step following logically from a previous on, and I tend to follow logical stepwise paths in finding solutions.
  1. In a traditional classroom of 25 students,  I would support the range of learning styles each lesson by: giving a global overview picture of the topic and how it relates to the real world, before sequencing the learning steps; using as many different ways of presenting the material as possible, such as diagrams, tables, graphs, verbally going over and/or summarising the material; limiting rote learning of facts to a minimum; including where/when possible hands-on and/or problem solving activities; leaving enough time for students to reflect on their learning and the topic.
  2. With my current knowledge of ICT, I could design digital pedagogy to support my learners better by: learning what is available, how to use it, and how to integrate it with the syllabus requirements and with the resources available in the school/classroom.  Currently, my skills run to word documents, excel spread sheets and PowerPoint.
  3. The sorts of profiling questions I could be asking about my learners to ensure that I cater for everyone's preferences could be do they prefer: pictures and diagrams or listening to information, seeing the whole picture and how this relates to other areas or do they build on their knowledge by building up a big picture by putting all the pieces together, to learn facts and figures or to see how this information relates to the real world. 
  4. How does ICT support differences in learning styles? Learners can learn at their own pace, at a level that is extending their learning but not that advanced that the learner disengages, take a risk in a non-threatening environment, have multiple attempts, and gives immediate feedback.
  5. I found the test to describe how I learn very accurately.  As a result of my preferred learning style I find mathematics and science subjects easier to master than more creative subjects.  I really enjoy the problem solving aspects of Engineering.   I find the sequential ordering of most online courses suit my learning style.   Most software programs are set out in a very orderly logical manner, which I find easy to work with (once I have determined how and why to use it).  I need a need to find an activity worthwhile.  I really need develop my collaborative learning; as this is something I have not used outside my family life for many years, and something I feel is very important in any working environment.

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