Technology and Different Learning Styles
Technology can help students of different learning styles in and out of the classroom.
Howard Garderner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Gardner theory was so helpful as it drew my attention on the importance of understanding that all students are intelligent but in a different way. As teachers we should try to address multiple intelligences and we also encourage students to distribute the workload according to their inclinations and natural abilities.
The teacher must be varied in his teaching, using as varied activities as he can. It is important that teachers understand a student's strong and weak points in each multiple intelligence. It is also important for the teachers to address student's multiple intelligences and learning styles in the classroom in order to provide activities to facilitate the learning.
Helpful videos on multiple intelligences:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mutliple+integinces&go=Submit+Query&qs=ds&form=QBVR#view=detail&mid=3B8B0041F460B21370283B8B0041F460B2137028
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk6UehDmAaM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-KbjQ5FVqk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7gJcXtQqKM
Interview with Garderner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODPSRcZ2-Yg
Multiple Intelligence and e-learning
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Different+Learning+Styles&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=81E6FD751D89B8CC62FA81E6FD751D89B8CC62FA
Different kinds of intelligences
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Multiple+Intelligences+for+Students&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=F6BF4CAB0C798E79F90DF6BF4CAB0C798E79F90D
In essence, we should try to vary in our teaching strategies, mainly because as teachers our objective is make all the students learn. That is why we need to develop activities which may involve all kinds of learning strategies and technology is a helpful tool in our pursuit.
Richard M. Felder and Barbara A. Soloman’s article "Learning Styles and Strategies" draws our attention to several different learning styles and strategies. Learners can divided into different categories:
- Active and reflective learners
- Sensing and intuitive learners
- Visual and verbal learners
- Sequential and global learners
My colleagues drew my attention to several technologies that can be helpful are: Pictionary (creating dictionary with pictures)see: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SoLRD7cbAnbSC9GN6OLp-b-d18ey9YwXqHZB9Y9jO6w/edit?usp=sharing, Making a video-clip and online discussion board (helpful for auditory, visual, and active learners), using infographics, jigsaw web search, brainstorming and posting on the forums or blogs, setting time so that active learners are motivated and commenting on others' posts and engaging in group discussions, engaging in team research or group work on google docs, preparing and presenting interactive PPT.
They also triggered instructional videos on Ted-ed, Ted talks, helpful websites like easel.ly and piktochart.com, Padlet, Google Docs, or Nicenet should be prepared. using online tools which could be http://piktochart.com/ , http://www.easel.ly/ or https://www.canva.com/, blackboard, nicenet, Schology, Edmodo, WebCT (the five are for interaction and classroom management),they also mentioned the uses of
Audioboom podcasting,
Webquest, QuickTime Karaoke (students learn vocabulary more quickly
through songs),
www.storybird.com, www.inspiration.com or kidspiration, Infografic, youtube, teachertube, podcasts, infografic, http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/discover/activities/, all are helpful tools to engage all types of learners.
The week was highly productive and I learned a lot as usual. Now I am finalizing my project according to Elena review and advice.
A big thank you to all inspirational colleagues who teach me on daily basis.
Dear Osman,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing many useful and helpful sources about MI. More importantly, you have drew a good conclusion about technologies mentioned and suggested by other colleagues. It is very helpful. By the way, you mentioned about Edmodo. I've used Edmodo in my class since last term and it is a social networking site that really supports teaching and learning. If you haven't tried it yet, please do not hesitate to.
I'd love to learn more from what you have shared and are going to share. They have widened my views toward language teaching and inspired me to learn and make some changes for better in language education in my country, Thailand. Hope you don't mind my visit to your blog time after time.
Stay in touch:).
Ta, Thailand
Thank you Ta.
DeleteDear Rasha,
ReplyDeleteI have read the draft of your final project and I realized that you teach in huge classes; as you wrote “The number of the students in the class varies from 60 to 90” and “There are no computers in the classroom”. This is what I call a real challenge. You are not in an enviable situation. I do understand how difficult it is for you to content the needs of students belonging to different learning styles.
I visited the Nicenet site you created for your learners and the blog, too. I really like the idea of collecting links for learners by different categories in your blog. However, I’d suggest you adding some descriptions to the links. This would help students to choose from. At the moment – as I can see – all additional materials for your students are YouTube videos. I know that the site is being extended. If I were you, I’d add materials of different types to please students with different learning styles. You mentioned a lot of tools in your summary above. Keep them in mind when you direct your students to different materials on the web.
I hope you don’t mind my suggestions. I’d just like to help you.
Best regards,
Linda, Hungary
Thank you Linda.
DeleteHi, Rasha!
ReplyDeleteYay! I am so glad that you found my post helpful!
I agree with you that "the teacher must be varied in his teaching, using as varied activities as he can. It is important that teachers understand a student's strong and weak points in each multiple intelligence. It is also important for the teachers to address student's multiple intelligence and learning styles in the classroom in order to provide activities to facilitate the learning." Though it would be difficult, it would worth our time and effort, right? We could find out students' MI through MI tests available out there, but we can also learn what they like by having a chat. So, I feel that I should have more time to talk and communicate with students.
It's been a tough time for all of us finishing this course. I am so proud of you!
Best wishes,
Minjung from Korea
Thanks a million.
Delete