Not all of us learn the same way
All of us learn differently: some of us need to physically manipulate objects,
others require auditory stimulus to reinforce key concepts, and still others
require graphs, charts, diagrams, and photos to create understanding.
Few of us are either one way or the other. Rather, most of us learn best
when a combination of learning styles are engaged to deliver concepts.
This lesson explores four options for reaching your learners with different
learning styles, while ensuring they are engaged in more ways that just
sitting and reading text from a computer screen.
Kinesthetic learners
Kinesthetic learners appreciate the opportunity to physically manipulate objects to derive meaning. While this is more easily accomplished outside of a computer environment, the opportunity still exists through flipbooks, rollovers, click-ons, drag and drops, simulations, and form entry.
Click any of the preceding links to learn more about each of these interactions
and the software used to build them.
Auditory learners would rather hear someone read a lesson than read the lesson themselves. Given the bandwidth that audio consumes and the corresponding difficulty associated with delivering large files over the Internet, it is not feasible nor desirable to have audio provided for an entire lesson. Rather, the main points can be captured in a short audio passage that can be manually triggered at the beginning of a lesson through a link.
Creatively formed audio passages will embed the key concepts in the auditory
learner's mind prior to engaging the content in textual form. While text
is not their preferred learning modality, these learners will be "on
the lookout" for the key concepts as they scan the text. Click here
for more tips concerning the use of auditory elements in your lessons
and the software used to build them.
Visual learners prefer graphs, charts, diagrams, and photos to assist their understanding. However, just as with audio, e-Learning developers must be aware of the bandwidth considerations that accompany visual elements.
Given that good quality images can be large and require additional wait
time for the user as they download, their effectiveness must be carefully
weighed against this reality. Click here
for more tips concerning the use of visual elements in your lessons and
the software used to build them.
For further reading on this topic you can access the following
on-line resources:
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2001/jan2001/elearn.html