This week was my first look into different types of learning, I found that doing the different tests and learning about the theories was interesting and had opened up my mind to different way that people can learn as well as teach. The first test that I did was by fielder and Solomon called the index of learning styles questionnaire. I scored highly towards active and sensing learning (vs. reflective and intuitive learning) and remained balanced between visual vs. verbal and sequential vs. global learning. Once I had read and understood the differences in all the learning types I began to reflect on my past learning and how I would have benefited if I had been equipped with this knowledge earlier.  I have displayed my results below in the results table that was provided after I had completed the questionnaire.

(Table from Fielder and Solomon questionnaire results, found at http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html )

Active learning is very beneficial to me, I love working in groups and bouncing ideas off other people. When I repeat what I have learnt to someone (often my poor mother) I almost immediately start connecting what I have learnt to my life and start remembering what I have just learnt. This also ties in nicely with being a sensing learner I think.

I love learning facts and being able to link what I have just learnt to my life or another part of the real world and share that information with other people. When I am sharing this information I like to know that it is reliable and not just a thought or dodgy theory. I think that active and sensing learning ties in nicely to each other and now hopefully I will be able to use this knowledge and improve my studying and learning methods!

The course information stated that ‘everyone learns more when information is presented visually and verbally, and I agree. I scored fairly balanced between visual and verbal learning and after reading ‘Learning styles and strategies’ by Richard Felder I am keen to try new ways of studying in hopes that I can use both my visual and verbal side more effectively.

Although I scored equally with sequential and global learning I feel that I am more of a sequential learner. I prefer learning in linear steps and often can complete work or understand aspects of my work without having a full understanding of the subject. As most people I have had the ‘light bulb goes on’ moment, however from reading the text I think I am weighted towards sequential learning.

I found the tests to be very accurate and they also made me realise a few ways of learning that I was not previously aware of that can benefit myself. The multiple intelligence wheel test that I completed through the Birmingham grid of learning website (accessed through week 1 learning activities) showed similar results to the previous learning tests that I had done. With Kinaesthetic (body), Interpersonal (people), Visual/Spatial (picture) and Logical (number) intelligences scoring the highest (see results below).

(Birmingham multiple intelligence test was accessed through http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm )

In my classroom I would try and include most of the learning styles, offer the learners to either discuss what they have just learnt quietly in a group or individually if they feel more comfortable. When teaching I would be visual and verbal and possible try to do a group mind map on the board that everyone would have input in. I wouldn’t pressure the learners to contribute, however I would encourage them to voice their ideas or opinions.

Using information communication technologies (ICT) in the classroom is a great way to reach the majority of students in the class. ICT supports differences in learning styles because it can be used in such a wide variety of ways. Instead of the learners filling out a sheet of questions on paper they have the opportunity to possibly click link to YouTube clips that may explain or give examples of the subject (as one example).

I agree with Prensky that technology is now something that is required in the classroom and that by using technology the younger generations will be able to benefit dramatically rather than teaching them in the more traditional way (answering questions on a sheet of paper and doing a report).  After reading Prensky’s article ‘Digital Native, Digital Immigrant’ I realised that I am half and half, I was brought up around computers, mobiles, internet, etc. However I still learnt the more traditional way at school because technology was something that was still new (and unexplored by teachers). As a teacher I will be trying new ways to bring teaching and technology together because I do believe that Prensky is right in saying that ‘Todays students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors (Prensky, 2001)

I think as long as you include technology in different ways to teaching (regardless if you are a tech wiz or foreign to the idea) the elarners will benefit. Technology can help educate in different ways and should be used in every aspect that is possible to develop students in multiple ways.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. MC University Press. Vol 9. No 5.