Every students learns differently. It is imporant to recognize that within one discussion section you will most likely have students with varrying learning styles. Thus, you can lead a more effective section if you can assess your students' learning styles and incorporate different styles of teaching to better address their various needs.
- What are learning styles?
Generally, learning styles are perferences for a certain learning mode.
One of the most common assessments and categorizations of learning styles is VARK.
Visual (learning by seeing),
Auditory (learning by listening),
Reading/writing (learning by processing text), (R is often omitted)
Kinesthetic (learning by doing)
Other common typologies of learning styles include:
Myers'-Briggs Type Indicator
- Extraversion-Introversion
- Sensing-Intuition
- Thinking-Feeling
- Judging-Perceiving
Helpful Link: http://www2.gsu.edu/~dschjb/wwwmbti.html
Kolb's Learning Style Inventory
- Concrete Experience
- Reflective Observation
- Abstract Conceptualization
- Active Experimentation
Helpful Link: http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm
References
DCV
Learning Style Survey for College http://www.metamath.com/lsweb/fourls.htm
Learning Styles Online http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/
Erickson, Bette LaSere, Calvin B. Peters and Diane Weltner Strommer. Teaching First-Year College Students. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2006.
