What Types of Learning StylesAre Best for Business?
What are "learning styles"? The topic of learning styles has been discussed throughout the academic world for several years, but do we really understand how it affects the way students learn? From public school to higher education, different learning styles can be found everywhere. The three main types of learning styles are visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic (hands on) . Each style reflects the main ability of how the individual learns best. Visual learners need to see the speaker and watch facial expressions in order to comprehend the material. They learn best from visual displays and often prefer to take detailed notes during lectures. According to researchers , visual
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We arranged to take a sample of students from particular classes and give them either a video or a handout with instructions on making a column graph in a spreadsheet. As with most instruction, we wanted to stick to the method the particular tool was geared at for study purposes. When it was a handout, the students were given the handout and only told to follow the instructions as they were given. If the students had any questions, they could ask but otherwise they were left to work at their own pace and timing. During the time, the instructor could walk around the classroom or sit up at the front while the students worked on the assignment.
For the video, the students were told to go to a certain link, and follow the instructions given on the video. They were able to stop the video when they desired and continue on at their own pace. The instructions were not written, but instead were read to the students while the students were given a demonstration to the different steps. This procedure was used for students on Blackboard in online classes.
One of the problems we had with this experiment was the lack of participation by some of the students. This was a volunteer assignment, and some of the students chose not to participate. Due to the lack of participation of online students, we have fewer video samples than handout. The
“Just as students have different personalities, they also have different ways of learing (Slavin, 107).” Learning styles are another important factor to incorporate when implementing the best learning environment. Learning styles are defined as an individual's mode of gaining knowledge. The most common learning styles addressed are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory leaners understand information through hearing. Visual learners need more visual aids in the learning process, such as diagrams, webs, or pictures. Kinesthetic learners learn better by using manipulatives or by being physically involved in the learning process. Learning styles is a piece of the “backbone” of differentiated learning. Both are used to individualize instruction to help students achieve the most success.
Learning styles and barriers to learning can be by the VARK to give a profile of learning preferences of how a person takes in and gives out information or Tidwell and Rodgers Practical learning styles Questionnaire. The VARK learning styles determines if the person learns by being a theorist, reflector, activist and/or pragmatist. The practical learning styles questionnaire looks at how people learn by their orientation, whether they are a realistic or creative, by their interaction, are they a doer or a thinker, by how they represent things, either by words or pictures, and how they process information, whether they are a surface or deep processor. There are many other
Clifford Stoll argues, “If kids watch too much TV, why bring multimedia video systems into schools.” Stoll implies that the schools are allowing students to expect some sort of multimedia in their classes. Showing videos during class may help some of the visual learners, but most students consider this as a free-time and not focus. Furthermore, Stoll states that teachers show videos during class due to their lack of information. In this case, the teachers should prepare beforehand and keep the students interested.
Analysis. The context is an 8-hour workshop in the use of video to teach desired business-related behaviors to student groups. The instructional format for the workshop is cooperative learning (Johnson & Johnson, 1991). Students will produce a video that features effective and ineffective meetings through role-play. The workshop is divided into five primary components: Video camera operation, elements of filming, scriptwriting, acting & filming, and critique. Checklists will be used as a guide to the students to ensure that adequate skill-building is taking place as the groups move through the components. Using a workbook to track their learning objectives and individual performance in the unit, students will work through a series of steps that are tied to individual objectives.
“Today we’re going to be doing something a little different, and watching a video. How many of you have watched a video in class before, and know the rules for doing so?” Hands go up across the classroom, and there are excited murmurs. I call on one student. “Abby, can you explain how we should behave during a video?”
Whether you believe learning styles are a myth or fact they still can help you learn the material for class. Just because you take this test online and it says that you are one hundred percent auditory learner doesn’t mean you can’t learn other ways. Learning styles can help you discover more creative ways for you to remember a topic or specific details. How Amy made a poster it helped her present her topic but also helped her learn and remember her topic. By writing it down and being creative you will remember the topic a lot better. I’m not a firm believer in learning styles but I do think that they can help. I am an auditory learner so listening helps me learn although it isn’t the only way I can learn. One of the ken talks we had watched
All learners have different learning styles. Using materials at the initial stage of the learning process can highlight preferred styles. Honey and Mumford show four learning styles – activists, theorists, reflectors and pragmatists, while VAK highlights visual, auditory and kinaesthetic preferences.
Milman (2012) notes, the flipped or inverted classroom, used in K-12 and higher education, has been receiving attention. According to Milman (2012), advocates of the strategy make numerous benefits known, for example - increasing classroom engagement. Milman (2012) notes there are both advantages (it seems to be a good fit to teach procedural knowledge) and disadvantages (students may not watch the videos and or it may not be the best way to learn the concept). Additionally Milman (2012) notes, “no empirical research exists to substantiate its use” (p. 2); however, many instructors support its use as a teaching strategy. According to Hamdan, McKnight, McKnight, and Arfstrom, (2013) both quantitative and qualitative research is limited; however, there is research that supports the model and the instruction of strategies that engage students in learning. Hamdan et al (2013) state Flipped Learning “has been mainly a grassroots movement” (p. 9), although more administrators and parents are researching this teaching method. Speak Up’s annual online survey (Fall of 2012) contained questions specific to the Flipped Learning method, 6% of respondents indicated they were using some form of video enhancement and 18% of teachers indicated interest in trying the method (Hamdan, McKnight, McKnight, & Arfstrom, 2013). In Addition, 60% of grade 6-12 students agreed this method would be a good way for them to learn (Hamdan et al., 2013).
In school everyone learns differently; however, according to the article The Myth of Learning Styles, “The idea of learning styles is based on a theory… developed in the early 1980’s.” (pg 1.) A lot has certainly changed from the 1980’s as we learn new more material in every class we take. With this being said, someone the scientists referred to in the article “assumed” that learning styles challenged the way of the educational system when in reality, it is simply a myth. Students, like myself, only prefer to process information that they find useful or interesting to him or her. Thus giving us the problems of that teachers may take too long to cover one idea, and students may miss out out on information because he or she did not prefer that learning style.
From an early age I found learning hard and in my early educational years I
While following the instructional videos, students perform what would be considered homework in class, and school work is completed at home. With all videos online, there is no need for textbooks. Students are allowed to work at their own pace and at their own level. Students who were interviewed by 60 Minutes reported improvements to their learning. Students who advance quicker have an opportunity
By the teacher, Mr. Bergmann says, “students can’t just watch the video and be done with it. He checks their notes and requires each student comes to class with a question (Tucker, 2013)”. For sure this was my “ahh”, factor, students
This paper will identify which of the Kolb learning styles best suits me and why I think so. It will also give some examples from my past and present to support these findings. After determining, the learning styles that best fit me and completing an inventory exercise, I have concluded that I learn best using audio and visual techniques in the learning process. I agree with everything this exercise has brought to light. I never knew that these styles were the meaning by which I learned. I have also included examples as to how I see the use and benefits of these learning styles in my career.
Personal learning styles are highly complex and unique to specific individuals. It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact learning style. Though there are different categories, we often fine tune them to our own abilities. By examining our traits and tendencies we create a clearer understanding of how we process and learn information. With careful review, I have developed a specific analysis of my learning characteristics, including an evaluation of skill levels. Based on what I have recently learned and know from experience, I have also devised a structured plan for improvement of time management and study skills.
The purpose of this research study was to conduct more research on the use and outcomes of using the features found on YouTube. This study was needed because personal learning styles differ from learner to learner. Instructors must find the best method to deliver content to learners in order to produce successful learning outcomes. The research study hopes to draw conclusions on student attitudes towards using YouTube as a supplement to instruction in online, hybrid, and web-assisted courses.