I got a variety of answers, and some were more useful than others (one student claimed to be a "laid back learner," which is a learning style I'm not too familiar with...). But I did get some insightful feedback.
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| The "laid-back" learning style at play |
Many of my students like to be "hands on" when learning concepts. They prefer to get an overview and explanation of a concept, an example of that concept in action, and then they like to take action themselves by using that concept on their own. For my writing classes, this means getting the overview and examples of a particular concept (e.g. using appeals [logos, ethos, pathos] in argumentative and persuasive writing) before applying it themselves during an in-class activity or homework essay. In other disciplines this might mean lab work, discussion, or some other way of the students beginning to take ownership over the course concepts.
My students also seem to consider themselves to be visual learners, and this is a learning style that may be cultivated more and more by the on-screen way young people are receiving information. They want PowerPoint or Prezi presentations (though one student warned that "no matter what, if you don't have good 'stage presence', slides won't make up for it." yikes.) and video clips, and pictures and stories or narratives that reinforce concepts. And although they all noted their heavy use of technology and social media, not one student mentioned an interest in using an e-textbook.
For more about what makes a modern student and how we can reach our students more effectively, register for the workshop, which will take place from 1 - 2 p.m. on Friday, November 16 (use the Professional Development auto-registration system).
Hope to see you then!
