Learning Style - Questions

1. What is your learning style? What sorts of learning experiences would suit you best with your learning style?
As discussed in my last blog entry, my learning style is strong in the areas of Active, Intuitive and Visual and I am middle of the road with Sequential/Global.

The learning experiences that would suit me best would be visual learning. Where there was a lot of discussion around the topic, but also around the relationships that the topic has with others, so I can gain a whole picture and not just bits and pieces.

2. In a traditional classroom of 25 students, how would you support the range of learning styles each lesson?
I Would conduct my lessons so that all learning styles were catered for. The IWB (Interactive Whiteboards) are a great resource that I would use to achieve this. The IWB (if used innovatively) can be used for all learning styles. I would also group students according to their learning styles and create both individual and group activities that would enhance these students learning.

3. With your current knowledge of ICT, how could your design and digital pedagogy support your learners better?

I would be using a range of ICT resources including IWBs, podcasts, youtube clips, itunes, digital cameras, robotics, Internet, computers (just to name a few). As I have a vast knowledge of ICTs, and have been in schools for many years, I am well aware of the resources that are available to enhance students learning.

 I believe that in today's society our students need to be stimulated with a wide range of resources. including digital, as these students were born into the digital age. Trying to teach students today from static blackboards is not an option, as students quickly become bored and disengaged.

4.What sorts of profiling questions would you be asking about your learners to ensure you cater for everyone's preferences?

• Do they like to work in groups or on their own?
• Do they find reading books a good way to learn?
• Do they like discussing topics and theories in groups?
• Do they like visual aids eg. charts, maps mindmaps etc?
• Do they enjoy interacting with their learning?
• Do they prefer to listen or watch information? Or both?
• Do they like to do things themselves or do they prefer to sit and watch others?

5.How does ICT support differences in learning styles?

ICTs has opened up a whole new way of learning. No longer do students who struggled to read and write have to just sit in the class and get left behind.

Students of today are able to interact with their learning and become more engaged. Students with learning diffiulties or special needs can now learn on the same level as other students through the vast ICT resources that are made available. For example, a visually impaired child can read an audiobook that has been loaded onto an individual ipod. This allows the student to engage in discussions around the book in the same way that other students who have read the book can.

Students in an ICT inteactive classroom are more engaged in their learning and are often  able to take some control of their learning. Listening stations with vodcasts or podcasts loaded onto ipods and virtual classrooms are a great way for students to interact and take control of their learning.

Questions
1.In todays society why are students still sitting in front of blackboards?
2.The students we are teaching today are classed as the 'click and go' kids so why are some teachers still trying to teach in a static environment?
3. Should text messaging become part of students learning?
4. Will text messaging language become our next formal language?