How can I make learning more comfortable for you?
Going far beyond Gardner’s Learning Styles, Dunn and Dunn categorised a range of preferences, and others have suggested redesigning everything from architecture to homework, to cater for them.
Online teachers need to think differently about preferences. Some of these things are completely out of the teacher’s control, while others can be regulated much more tightly through technology.
Consider Dunn’s list:
Environmental Stimuli Preferences | Sound Preference Light Preference Temperature Preference Design Preference |
Emotional Stimuli Preferences | Motivation Preference Persistence Preference Responsibility Preference Structure Preference |
Sociological Stimuli Preferences | Self Preference Pair Preference Peers/Team Preference Adult Preference Varied Preference |
Physiological Stimuli Preferences | Perceptual Preference Intake Preference Time Preference Mobility Preference |
Psychological Stimuli Preferences | Global/Analytic Style Hemisphericity Preferences Impulsive/Reflective Preferences |
Environmental aspects are entirely up to the learner.
The emotional, social, physiological and psychological range of activities is limited by online delivery. However, course designers have far-reaching power to shape these aspects. “Learning Technology” can provide statistical reports on time on task, speed and error rates, interactivity, and linguistic complexity. With data like that available, we (teachers) face the important pragmatic and ethical question:
When should we let a learner skip personally inefficient learning tasks?
References
- Ethica 2003, The Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model of Instruction. Online at http://www.ethica.dk/doc_uflash/The%20Dunn%20and%20Dunn%20Learning%20Style%20Model%20of%20Instruction.htm
- Shepherd, C 1999, Ways of looking at style. Fastrak Consulting. Online at http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/lngstyle/style03.htm
- Hinson, B Utilizing the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model in the Development of Instruction. University of West Florida http://brendawelch.org/gedunk/cnetdoc/gedunk/content/01lr/learnstyle-mh.rtf
Photo credits
- Penywise 2008, Sick. http://mrg.bz/QpFHYz (M)