All Things Computed
The Absurd Ramblings of a Computer Trainer
This book is dedicated to all the students who have endured my strange humor over the years. Perhaps some of them learned something. But mostly, I hope they enjoyed the classes.
Note: This text is excerpted from Luther Maddy’s All Things Coputed - the absurd ramblings of a computer trainer.
An Instructor's Guide to the Four Learning Styles
Video: Understanding and Using Software
If you are an instructor or hope to become one, I’m sorry. If there’s time, I would urge you to seriously consider a different career. Trust me, I speak from years of experience.
However, if the die is already cast and you’re stuck, then you will want to become the most effective teacher possible. To do this, you’ll need to understand learning styles.
Not every student learns the same way. Each student in your class has one preferred learning style and they will learn best if you adapt your instructional methods to match that style. Experienced and effective teachers can quickly ascertain the learning style of every student in their class. This allows them to teach according to the predominant learning style in the class.
In case you are not familiar with the learning styles you will encounter in your classroom, here’s a list. Students in your class will be a) audios, b) visuals, c) reflectors or d) feelers. Now, let’s go over each of these styles in detail.
a) The Audio Learner:
Audio learners absorb information through their ears. They are very easy to spot in class since they always sit near the front of the classroom, trying to get as close to the instructor as possible.
In fact, audio learners will sit so close to you, they may occasionally receive a shower during the most enthusiastic portion of your lecture. They won’t even notice the spots of spittle on their glasses or notebooks because they are so intently attuned to what you are saying. There is no need to apologize for this shower because that would only detract from the important information you are conveying in your lecture.
Audio learners will, for the most part, have larger ears than the rest of the students in your classroom. They will also be holding a digital voice recorder or their smart phones to record your lecture so they can review it time and time again. This helps them absorb as much information as possible through their ears.
When teaching audio learners, there is no need to speak loudly because they are acutely tuned in to your voice frequency and level. In fact, since the audios are the only ones listening to your lecture anyway, you may speak very quietly and only to them. The rest of the class, with other learning styles won't even notice they can no longer hear you.
Fortunately, audio learners are the easiest all students to reach and teach. Since they are rarely capable of reading, there is no need to use presentations or ever write anything on the white-board. If you’re teaching a computer topic, for example, there is no need to even turn on the computer. Exercises done on the computer will be a waste of time because audios will not read any of the menus or messages that appear on the computer screen. Worksheets are worthless and so are textbooks for audio learners.
To effectively teach audios the best thing you can do is pull up a chair and talk. Talk about anything you like. You'll find this an excellent time to inform the class about your favorite subject - yourself. Tell them what an excellent instructor you are. Share your educational background, your abilities, your accomplishments, your likes and dislikes. Tell them about your family, what you had for dinner, and above all, tell them what you expect them to write on their course evaluation forms. The more you talk the more they will learn. They may never again have the opportunity to learn what a terrific instructor you are, don't fail to tell them, or they may miss out.
b) The Visual Learner:
Visual learners see everything. It’s important to know that visual learners are the only students in the room who can actually read, though they seldom do so. Visual learners are usually too busy noticing the important things going on around them to pay attention to the instructor.
Visuals will always sit in the back of the room. They will occasionally fight each other for the seats in the back corners. These confrontations are seldom fatal so it’s usually best to say nothing and let nature take its course. You know, survival of the fittest. These corner seats are important to visual learners because they provide the best view of everything and everybody in the classroom.
If you are teaching a computer related topic, visual learners must be given a working computer while in class. They won’t read anything on the screen. They won't even do the exercises. They will however, succeed in permanently changing the desktop colors to a palette pleasing only to an aging color-blind hippie on an LSD high. Colors are very important to the visual learner. Neon and plaid seem to be especially pleasing. As an instructor you should realize this and dress accordingly.
Teaching a class of visual learners is difficult. You have their attention only as long as you hold their eyes. Forget to dot an i or cross a t while writing something on the board and you've lost every single visual learner in the class. You may never get them back.
To keep and hold their fickle stare, you have to be the most visually fascinating thing around. This may mean competing with the student in a mini-skirt or with a traffic accident they can see out the window. (Just a side note. If you have windows in your classroom, it's always best to close the blinds).
You can succeed however in teaching visual learners, if you pay careful attention to what you wear. Try using their favorite bright colors. Perhaps try a clown suit. Be willing to try whatever it takes to keep the visual learner’s attention and you will succeed with this learning style.
c) The Reflective Learner:
When you see a reflective learner in class, you may think they are dead. They will exhibit no signs of life whatsoever. Reflective learners never betray anything with their facial expressions. If reflective learners were capable of making quick decisions, which they are not, they would be excellent poker players because their faces cannot be read. Looking for signs of understanding or confusion in your reflective learners is entirely useless. All you will ever get is a blank stare.
You may be tempted to check the reflective learner’s vital signs to verify they are still alive but don't bother, the reflective learner may get hauled away unnecessarily to the morgue.
Despite appearances, reflective learners are actually taking in much information. Unfortunately, they cannot incorporate or use any of the information you present in class until they have had ample time to mentally process that information. Usually this takes place while sleeping, but it can occasionally happen after a few drinks at the local bar. After considerable processing, digesting, mulling, and meditating, there is little usable information remaining when the reflector wakes up. The next day in class the whole process starts again.
The mental processes of the reflector are very active. They are constantly adding to their list of deep philosophical questions to ponder. They are continually mulling over questions like, "Why is the sky blue? Why do fools fall in love? Who let the dogs out? Why did they send me to this class? And, how can I get out of here?"
Teaching reflective learners is relatively easy. The best thing you can do is give them deep concepts to contemplate. If you are teaching a computer related class, for instance, ask them questions like: "Why are these called computers? Why do we boot our computers? What is truth? Why are we here? Where do old computers go? Is there intelligent life after AI?"
Ask, but do not answer the questions you pose. Let them reflect. Let them lose sleep tonight over them. Let them pay you good money for the answers in the morning.
d) The Feeling Learner:
Feeling learners though can be very dangerous. A moment’s loss of patience on your part or an unintentional frown can cause them to turn against you in a heartbeat.
Phrases like, "I don't feel like the instructor likes me, I feel like he ignored me, or I feel like this instructor does not grade fairly", will appear on your course evaluation forms if you’re not careful.
To successfully teach feelers you must play to their emotions. Attempt to convince them that you actually like them. Call them by name as you hold the seating chart in your hand.
Say things like: "You look nice today. You are doing great in this class. This textbook is really confusing. The computer must be broken because you've done everything right. Don’t worry about one little failed exam. You are the best students I’ve ever had. "
Play to the feelers emotions and you'll see the following statements on your evaluation forms: "I feel the instructor did a good job", "I feel the instructor cared about the students actually learning", "I feel like taking another class from this excellent instructor".
Working with a class of feelers is not a pleasant experience, but the extra efforts can surely pay off and can result in full classes. The best thing about instructing a class of feelers is that you never have to teach anything. Just make them feel good, tell a few jokes, learn their names, be sure to compliment them, and they'll be back for more.
Conclusion:
Now that you have been introduced to the four learning styles, all you have to do is determine which one style your class has and then teach accordingly. It is impossible to teach a class comprised of a mixture of learning types. Fortunately this rarely occurs because persons with like learning styles tend to gravitate towards each other. If one or two students have a different style than the rest of the class, make them leave. Should the class be a mixture of all learning styles, you should feel a severe headache coming on and go home sick.
