Understanding
of how learning occurs and its application in my lecturing
Learning
is a way of preparing students with adequate knowledge, skills and attitudes
for the long and complex life lying ahead of them especially in the 21st
century that is quite dynamic. This
calls for classroom competence with the ability to understand what is involved
in learning something and then to be able to act intelligently on that understanding.
Both teaching and learning consist of favored
strategies that become embedded in our most deeply rooted internal structures,
for there is no time to rethink every single move in a busy classroom.
Ridding
and Cheema (1991), comments that learning style can be conceived as a
structure, process and a combination of the two. Under structure he espouses
that there is a presumed structure that remains long after schooling is over.
The onus is with the teacher to determine which learning style is suitable in a
given environment. During lectures the attention span of students is basically
twenty minutes hence need to incorporate active learning activities like
discussion. For process there is
recognition that learning is a constant change which is upon the teacher to
decipher this change so as to adopt teaching method. Learning encompasses the following components:
·
Environmental learning style; some
students prefer morning lecturers others mid morning while others late
afternoon.
·
Emotional learning style; this learning
refers to responsibility, structures, persistence and motivation.
·
Sociological learning style; some
students learn best under a group especially when grouped with their friends.
·
Physiological learning style; students
have physiological needs which if not attended to can affect learning and
teaching during my lectures. I strive to give a break during a two hour lecture
and allow some minutes for lateness. This enables students to be at ease.
Students
do develop learning styles of which they are unaware of unless asked to reflect
upon. What about teachers? When we go to class what is our teaching style? Is
it in tandem with the students learning style? Does it take into consideration
the various individual learning styles in class? All these are pertinent
questions which a teacher can reflect on practice alone or with colleagues,
which allows teachers to think about what approach they have towards teaching
and learning. The curriculum that
students are exposed to can either is narrow or broad of which the latter
applies to my situations. I teach students across faculties and the toughest
task is for them to find relevance in humanities within their degree programme.
A
skillful teacher capitalizes on curiosity, as it’s a powerful driver of
students learning. In my case I always start off my semester by a series of
videos and cases in the current affairs so as they can relate. Once I have
pricked their curiosity there is always eagerness to learn since they now find
relevance of a unit like Anthropology within an IT degree course. My main
concern is to avoid switching off their learning switch. I always have to
devise various ways of delivering various topics and relate it to their level.
I love cracking jokes with everyday experiences that they can relate with.
Sustaining their curiosity is a task throughout the semester is tasking that am
more willing to take.
Giving
them a flying start and laying a firm foundation for what will be many years of
solving personal and societal problems is my mission every time me I step into
a lecture room. My students should be
able to contribute to the increment of knowledge and development of human race.
They should become independent and able to study on their own as well as be
humble to learn from others. Teachers are role models and students learn a lot
from us. If I am sincere, honest and fair in my dealings with the student then
they will be at ease. There is nothing bad as being in a class of full of
worried faces. I have to constantly reassure them that they will make it . I have to live what I teach and if I don’t
know something I should not fumble with an answer or issue threats since its
going to end up closing their minds.
When
teaching and learning work in harmony the results are far more impressive than
when conflict exists. Students are sensitive to the kind of language a teacher
uses hence the teacher has a way of explaining successfully rather than be
simplistic and baffle students with unnecessary abstract concepts. There is a consolation in that even the highly
proficient teacher can improve what they do, because nobody will ever reach a
state of perfection that would render further improvement impossible.
It’s
a great assumption that learners are aware of their learning styles. There are
those who will just come to class to write notes, others to listen while others
just wait for exams to read the materials.
Also there are teachers who follow a syllabus and tick off completed
while some free wheel. Its good to know
what is the effect of such on students learning. Students like order and
predictable classes. I strive to be organized and posted weekly materials so
that student can make follow up after class. Students need to be convinced that its
worthwhile to reflect on how they learn, so as to find out what works best for
them. Students have to be proactive and extend their learning beyond the allocated
three hours per week.
Bennet (1990)defines a learning style as a consistent pattern of behavior and performance by which
an individual approaches educational experiences. It is the composite of the
characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological behaviors’ that serve as
relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with and
responds to the learning environment. (Bennet, 1990, p.40).
We
can conclude that improving learning effectiveness calls for strategies that
try to match learning styles with instructional approaches. It will be
imperative to teach students how to learn using skills such as active notes
taking , active participation etc.
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