Learning Styles and Surfing the Internet

Does Your Learning Style Make You A Computer Slave?

 

In today’s world, it’s good to be good with technology. It’s good to see computers as fun. It’s good to feel at home on the Internet.

 

But can too much computer time be harmful?

 

Socialising

 

When you're a teenager, your popularity is determined by the number of friends you have on Bebo, MySpace and Facebook. So far, so good.

 

Recent research suggests, however, that our brains evolve to know no more than 150 people, including those in your house, family circle and neighbourhood. 150! Most city schools today are twice the size, and we're not counting childhood friends, the kids in the street who go to a different school, your mates from swimming lessons, and so on.

 

Add to that people you befriend online, and you can almost smell your brain short-circuiting as you try to sort out the Jenny from ballet and the Jenny from school and Aunt Jenny and Jenny online who goes by the handle born2bwild....

 

Some people like socialising on the Net more than others. Do you?

Discover Your Style.

 

Homework

 

Today’s teachers expect Internet research and projects generated in word processors. Is learning with the computer your strength? Do your Learning Style Assessment (LSA) to see whether you would be better off with a field trip or a DVD.

 

 

What’s your Fun Style?

 

What do you do for fun? Play computer games or climb trees?

(Just something to think about.)

 

Do you spend too much time in front of the computer? Find out.

 

 

 

E-learning and Learning Styles

To E-Learn or not to E-Learn - It’s a Matter of Style

 

E-Learning has many advocates and many obvious advantages. Nevertheless, a recent article attempted to argue that nothing could beat face-to-face learning with a real teacher. So, let us examine the issue more closely.

 

Teacher Contact

 

• The article claims that: “the more contact we have with our teachers the better we learn”. True... for many people, particularly those who accept teacher authority. But what about those who don’t?
• Research of Learning Styles has shown that students who have no respect for teacher figures would benefit from the non-challenging non-authoritative environment of E-Learning.

 

 

Verbal and Visual Clues

 

·        What about the fact that “humans are designed to learn from one another using both verbal and visual clues”? Also true. Except that many people’s Learning Style Analysis (LSA) profiles indicate a non-preference for verbal and visual input.

·        Students whose strength lies in tactile learning (particularly that combined with learning through words) will benefit from E-Learning more than they would by only attending class.

 

 

Social Groups

 

·        “Learning in groups is not just socially more enjoyable, it is a proven source of motivation.” Again, yes for some, no for others.

·        If you look at the Learning Style Pyramid, you will observe that some people prefer learning alone, others with just one friend, others yet in a group or a team. Those who like learning by themselves will flourish under the E-Learning Model.

·        Oh, and speaking of motivation... check out the Motivation Element, too. Not everybody is motivated by the same source.

 

 

What’s your Style?

 

• Are you a good candidate for E-Learning? Find out.
  

Learning Styles and the Magic of Classroom Management

How Teachers Make Magic

 

This is a true story of a New Zealand teacher called Tony. Read how he uses his knowledge of Learning Styles to make magic come alive in his classroom....

 

The Magical Classroom

 

·        The magical look is balanced: plenty of colour, but not too cluttered and not too bare.

·        The displays are functional and aid the learning process for visual students.

·        Children’s artwork is displayed in the corridor outside the classroom for the whole school to see: this makes the children feel proud and it keeps the classroom’s walls free for study aids.

·        Tony uses the findings of the class Learning Style Analysis (LSA) profiles to control the temperature and light in his classroom according to his students’ needs.

 

 

The Magic of Music

 

·        Tony knows that soft background music helps some of his students learn better - and he knows how many because of the free Learning Style Group Profile report.

·        He also plays his guitar in class and encourages students to make up songs that help them memorise difficult material.

 

 

The Magic of Motivation

 

·        Motivated students learn better. Motivated students behave better. That’s what Tony got when he scrutinised the summary of his students’ attitudes (found in the free Learning Style Group Profile report) and learnt how they responded to external motivation.

·        He also told his students that this was their classroom and negotiated with them what kind of class they want to be. Together they defined the behaviours and rewards they were acceptable to all.

 

Tony is well aware of the 10 Most Common False Beliefs About Learning  - are you?

 

 

 

Learning Styles and the Magic of Group Profiles

Learning Styles and the Magic of Group Profiles

 

Why Learning Style Group Profiles Are Better Than Lesson Planning

 

What are Learning Style Group Profiles?

Learning Style Group Profiles are a free tool available from Creative Learning. When your class has completed their Learning Style Analysis (LSA) profiles and you’re faced with reading 16 pages of results for every student, you can create a group profile for your class instead.

 

A group profile is a summary of all the learning strengths and flexibilities in your class. It will empower you as the teacher to get to know what makes your pupils tick when it comes to:

a.       Behavioural problems

b.      Learning challenges

c.       Attention span

d.      Motivation

e.       Conforming

f.        Reliability

g.       Finishing tasks

h.       Making deadlines

i.         Dealing with tests.

 

Common Lesson Planning Mistakes

As a teacher, you will be expected to create lesson plans. However, it’s all too easy to get so caught up in the admin process that you lose the sight of the true purpose of lesson planning. Here are the most common ways of lesson planning going wrong:

·        The objective does not describe what the student will actually do or achieve.

·        The materials specified in the lesson plan are not right for the objective and not right for the student’s way of learning.

·        The teacher’s instruction method is not efficient for the level of intended student learning give the student’s unique Learning Style and needs.

·        The student activities listed in the lesson plan keep the students busy but do not contribute to the lesson’s objective, particularly if they don’t take into account the students’ varying visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic strengths.

 

Lesson Planning In Style

Creative Learning instruments for assessing Learning Styles identify 48 elements to consider when doing lesson planning for your group, while the Group Profile allows you to align your lesson plan with the students’ learning strong points.

 

Do you know what the 10 Most Common False Beliefs About Learning are?

 

 

 

The Second Secret of Learning Styles - Why Your Desk Matters

The Second Secret of Learning Styles - Why Your Desk Matters

 

The Second Secret

As we’ve already learnt, the secret of Learning Styles extends beyond the visual / auditory / kinaesthetic manner in which you like to learn. While the LSA tool offered by us on this website does explore sensory modalities at length, we also look at many other elements that determine learning and working success. 

 

My Desk and I

·        Do you like working at a desk or would you prefer sitting somewhere less informal and more comfortable if given the choice?

·        Do you like putting your papers in folders and filing cabinets or have them stacked all over your room?

·        Do you want your desk (or equivalent) to be right by the window?

·        Are you happy in an office with no window?

·        Would you prefer to learn a new skill in a room that’s too cold or too hot?

·        How about the room itself: how quiet is too quiet for you?

           

“But wait, there’s more...”

Q: So is Creative Learning’s LSA tool VAK plus the desk?

A: No way! We consider 49 elements to determine your or your child’s unique Learning Style.

 

How can you be better at your job? How can your child do better at school? Find out.

The Secret of Learning Styles - More than VAK

Many websites have a very limited definition of Learning Styles. They narrowly define a Learning Style according to whether you are a Visual Learner, an Auditory Learner, or a Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner.

 

Visual Learners

A Visual Learner learns information best by seeing it. The eyes of a visual learner are the most important sense for learning new information.

 

Auditory Learners

An Auditory Learner learns information best by hearing it. An auditory learner relies on the ears for learning new or difficult concepts.

 

Tactile Learners

A Tactile Learner learns information best by touching it. Such learners rely on their hands to help internalise a new idea.

 

Kinesthetic Learners

A kinesthetic learner learns information best by experiencing it. Such learners love to do things and they use their bodies in the learning process.

 

While in itself a powerful beginning, the sensory modalities are only the very tip of the iceberg. A Learning Style comprises things like physical needs of the learner, their optimal learning environment, their attitude towards education, and much more.

 

Can your child do better at school? Find out.

The Secret of Stress-Free Homework with Learning Styles

You can't do it? We're here to help!

 

Would You Buy Your Homework Online?

It’s not a joke! The French are doing it already: for just a few EURO their kids can download answers to their maths homework problems. "It is shocking. It defeats the purpose of education,” said a secondary school teacher in Paris. 

 

Of Course You Wouldn’t

The point of maths homework (and indeed, of most homework) is that you learn by repetition. The human brain evolved to notice patterns, and we are biologically programmed to derive enormous intellectual satisfaction from recognising the rules that govern a certain type of problem. For example:

·        210+30=240

·        310+30=340

·        410+30=440

·        510+30=540

·        ... oh, you mean when you add 30, you just change the middle column? COOL!!!

 

Homework In Style

Creative Learning instruments for assessing Learning Styles identify 48 elements that you need to consider when doing homework:

• light
• temperature
• time of day
• need for variety
• need for a formal setup
• need for parental supervision
• etc.

 

What is a parent to do?

 

The Secret

The secret is our unique Learning Style Analysis. Let your child fill in our easy online questionnaire to access the full report of their learning needs and things that make learning harder for them.