As I reflect upon my time in this course, the thing that surprises me the most is that it seems more people than not take into consideration the fact that people learn in different ways. I am very disheartened to know that there are children out there in the world struggling with their education, not because they are not capable of learning, but because their teachers will not take time to alter their teaching methods so that these kids have a higher chance of furthering their knowledge. I would feel like a failure if I was a teacher whose students were struggling in my class simply because I relied on one teaching method only instead of multiple ways for them to be able to absorb the information.
I have been aware for quite some time that I learn best by kinesthetic or hands-on teaching. This course has helped me understand some other methods that might be beneficial for me in the future to help retain information for future use, such as mnemonics, comprehensive monitoring, and elaboration. It has also made me more aware of the different ways that people learn and how important it is to use as many different methods as possible when dealing with someone who just isn’t getting it.
What I have learned regarding the connection between learning theories, learning styles, educational technology, and motivation is that all of these varying ideals need to be taken into consideration and applied as much as possible in every learning environment. Learning theories refer to the psychological ways in which people learn while learning styles refers to the way that someone learns and what is most effective for each person, so it is important to incorporate these different things into any classroom environment. Giving the proper motivation for these students is also highly important and could be the difference in whether a student makes it in a class or not, so in order to be an effective teacher or designer, it is imperative to give your classroom as much of these different methods as possible.
This course has opened my eyes up about several things that I feel will be incredibly beneficial for me in my career as an instructional designer. While I was already aware that adjustments need to be made in the ways in which teaching occurs, I have obtained some very valuable information on ways in which to help motivate students as well. I have also learned much more insightful information about learning theories and how people process information psychological, which will be quite beneficial as well.
Most people “can’t always make sense out of everything we learn” (Ormrod), which is why we employ teachers to help students who are struggling with these problems. This is what teachers are paid to do, to teach. Overall, I strongly believe that with a passion for conveying information to a classroom, there must also be a passion to give that classroom all the tools and resources they need to learn, apply, and retain the information given to them and that is what I intend to do!
References:
Ormrod, J. (2010). Learning Styles and Strategies. (Video Program) Laureate Education, Inc.
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