May update
A CHALLENGE TO YOU AUSTRALIAN TEACHERS WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF REPORT WRITING:
HOW ARE LEARNING STYLES REFLECTED IN REPORTING TO PARENTS?
- How do we respond to different learning styles in the way we assess and the way we report to families?
- Do all the learners who match the teachers’ learning styles get the Excellent for Behaviour and Effort?
- Are there gender biases in your markings for effort and/or behaviour?
- Are Bodily Kinesthetic learners reflected less favourably by classroom teachers or as ‘less compliant’, ‘need to focus more’ etc.?
Our next level of learning for the Action Research Project focuses on
: looking at personalised learning - understanding how our students learn, embedding that in 21st century learning.
: reflection of the teacher researcher results - using it as an affirmation or tool for planning together.
Your feedback is most welcome and always appreciated.
www.learningspacesandlearningstyles
"How can teachers use flexible learning spaces to cater for 21st Century learning styles?"
Welcome to the May update of the www.learningspacesandlearningstyles.com website.
You have received this newsletter as you are either part of the Action Research Project or have subscribed to the website. Previous updates can be found on the website.
The project is embedded in 21st century teaching and learning and has a focus on personalised learning.
In this update:
Attachments: short and quick attachments for this month for your interest:
ü check out Kenn Fisher – have a look at the comments and see what you think.
ü The Third teacher – some good ideas.
ü BER – a bit longer, but worth the read. http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/govrel/ber/2011/berflexiblespace.pdf
ü Modalities activities – ideas for those learners in your class
ü Learning styles – a bit longer, and if you have time and interested in a bit more detail. J
Do learning styles vary in predictable ways? There are four factors that significantly differ between groups and among individuals: global versus analytic processing styles, age, gender, and high- versus low-academic achievement (Dunn & Griggs, 1998). The educational implications of these four variables are important to fully comprehend and employ because they provide direction and structure for effective teaching strategies, especially for low-achieving students.
1.
Name: Jane Woodman
Permission for my email to be shared: woodman.jane.e@edumail.vic.gov.au
Any other contact details: [optional]
School you teach at: Boroondara Park
Country of residence: Australia
Year level teaching: AP
Interests: Developing whole child, visionary education. What should classrooms be like in 5 years time? (Strategic Plan)
HOW ARE LEARNING STYLES REFLECTED IN REPORTING TO PARENTS?
- How do we respond to different learning styles in the way we assess and the way we report to families?
- Do all the learners who match the teachers’ learning styles get the Excellent for Behaviour and Effort?
- Are there gender biases in your markings for effort and/or behaviour?
- Are Bodily Kinesthetic learners reflected less favourably by classroom teachers or as ‘less compliant’, ‘need to focus more’ etc.?
Our next level of learning for the Action Research Project focuses on
: looking at personalised learning - understanding how our students learn, embedding that in 21st century learning.
: reflection of the teacher researcher results - using it as an affirmation or tool for planning together.
Your feedback is most welcome and always appreciated.
www.learningspacesandlearningstyles
"How can teachers use flexible learning spaces to cater for 21st Century learning styles?"
Welcome to the May update of the www.learningspacesandlearningstyles.com website.
You have received this newsletter as you are either part of the Action Research Project or have subscribed to the website. Previous updates can be found on the website.
The project is embedded in 21st century teaching and learning and has a focus on personalised learning.
In this update:
- Welcome: to our new members
- Planning School Visits: Thanks to Michael D'Ath, Barb Crowe, Marg Armstrong, Nune Jordaan, and Gill Prentice who have all suggested schools for the teacher researchers to visit. We are still adding to the list - schools that plan their learning spaces well and/or schools that use learning styles in their team planning.
- Learning Spaces: Ken Fisher is one of my favourite researchers. He says the things I want to say... check the attached article for a brief, yet spot on discussion of learning spaces for improving learning outcomes. I have highlighted points of interest pertaining to our inquiry project.
- Some useful resources:
Attachments: short and quick attachments for this month for your interest:
ü check out Kenn Fisher – have a look at the comments and see what you think.
ü The Third teacher – some good ideas.
ü BER – a bit longer, but worth the read. http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/govrel/ber/2011/berflexiblespace.pdf
ü Modalities activities – ideas for those learners in your class
ü Learning styles – a bit longer, and if you have time and interested in a bit more detail. J
- Learning Styles: More from Dunn and Dunn:
Do learning styles vary in predictable ways? There are four factors that significantly differ between groups and among individuals: global versus analytic processing styles, age, gender, and high- versus low-academic achievement (Dunn & Griggs, 1998). The educational implications of these four variables are important to fully comprehend and employ because they provide direction and structure for effective teaching strategies, especially for low-achieving students.
- Global and analytic. When learning new and challenging topics, people tend to have one of two processing styles-global or analytic. Certain learning-style elements cluster to form these two processing styles in the following ways. Global learners prefer to work in an environment with soft lighting and informal seating. People with this processing style need breaks, snacking, mobility, and sound. Analytic learners prefer to work in an environment with bright light and formal seating. They work best with few or no interruptions, in a quiet environment, and little or no snacking. The majority of young children are global processors.
- Age. Learning styles change with age. Some learning styles are developmental and many people's styles alter as they grow older. These style elements are: sociological, motivation, responsibility, and internal vs. external structure. Children tend to prefer to work with peers instead of alone and prefer an authoritative versus a collegial teacher. For many people auditory and visual perceptual elements strengthen with age.
- Gender. Boys and girls, and men and women, tend to learn differently from each other. The perceptual strengths of males are often visual, tactile, and kinesthetic. They tend to need more mobility than females, and function better in an informal environment. Frequently, males are peer-motivated and nonconforming. On the other hand, females tend to be more auditory, need quiet while studying, work best in a formal setting, and need less mobility. Often they are more conforming, authority-oriented, and parent- and self-motivated than males.
- High- versus low-academic achievement. High and low achieving students learn in statistically different ways from one another. In other words, the teaching strategies that are successful for one group will not produce similar outcomes in the other group.
1.
Name: Jane Woodman
Permission for my email to be shared: woodman.jane.e@edumail.vic.gov.au
Any other contact details: [optional]
School you teach at: Boroondara Park
Country of residence: Australia
Year level teaching: AP
Interests: Developing whole child, visionary education. What should classrooms be like in 5 years time? (Strategic Plan)
