Teaching in Higher Education

Teaching in Higher Education

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Learning Styles for Adults

Generally, adults cannot learn the same way as small kids. There are various styles in which adults can learn depending on their preference. The five common learning styles for adult are visual, aural, print, interactive, and finally, kinesthetic (Sarabi-Asiabar et al., 2015). Every adult will have their preferred learning style as per their considerations. The various learning styles will involve the adults differently therefore they will also choose their learning styles as per its engagement with them.

Visual learning style is whereby adults are seeing what is being taught. This style will assist the adults in seeing what they are being taught. What they are being taught may be presented to them using pictures as well as graphics. This style is usually preferred by adults that do not like listening to an explanation during learning. Presentation of the pictures or graphics will assist adult learners to be in a position to create a mental image in their heads, hence, they understand better. Learners using this style should take advantage of visual aids such as diagrams, charts, as well as maps (Sarabi-Asiabar et al., 2015). This style is going to consume little time to explain a particular concept using the images, therefore, more content can be covered using a short time as compared to other learning styles.

The other adult learning style is auditory. This is whereby adults that are learning prefer listening to the instructions that are being given out. This style is preferred by adults that have better hearing in capturing of statements. This style is whereby the teacher takes them through a specific task through word of mouth. This happens when learners themselves do not want to read instructions concerning a particular task themselves but prefer someone to take them through the instructions by the use of word of mouth (Sarabi-Asiabar et al., 2015). Some learners will prefer auditory style because they may record the lectures, which will always remind them what the teachers said. So as the learners to learn effectively, they need to take the front seats or the teachers to be audible enough such that they are going to be heard by those learners that are occupying the back seats. Learners will benefit from this style much since any query from them will be dealt with as they are being taught, which will always be captured in the tape in case they are recording.

Kinesthetic is the other learning style of adult learners. The style usually involves learning via touching. The adult learners will be required to feel the position as well as the movement of the material that they are being taught. The adult kinesthetic learners will prefer this style since they are in a position to learn effectively since they are taught physically hence understand quickly (Sarabi-Asiabar et al., 2015). This is because they are practical rather than theoretical manner. This style usually engages the adults’ learners much hence understand quickly.

Interactive learning styles is the other one. It is also known as collaborative learning style. This style will require adults’ learners to discuss learning concepts. This is going to be encouraged by the various discussion concerning the topics are being learned (Sarabi-Asiabar et al., 2015). This will ensure that all learners participate during the process of learning; therefore, everyone is going to present their various school of thought during discussions in the classes.

Printing is the last learning style for adults. This style usually requires learners to write notes during the process of learning. The notes are going to capture everything essential and may assist the learners later. Here learners will be dictated during the lectures. This style will require the learners to attend the lectures according to capture the notes as they follow each other (Sarabi-Asiabar et al., 2015). Also, the leaners must know the spelling of the words that are being dictated by the teachers. This style may be in a position to incorporate the auditory style since what is being heard by the learners is written down for future purposes.

Implementation of effective pedagogical techniques

Gaining students attention is one of the ways to implement effective pedagogical techniques. This is whereby you make sure that you capture all the attention of your students. For instance, one may start motivating the students before you start teaching them. This will help you to attract their attention (Ju et al., 2017). Use of humor during lecture will also enable you to capture students’ attention since humor is going to make the class lively. The other way is reviewing the relevant, previously learned materials. This is going to assist the students in recalling what they have already been taught. It also ensures that the students are going to give their views on what they had been taught previously.

The other way is to present new information by linking it to previous information that you had been issued to them. This will make sure that the students will at least be having an idea concerning present information since it is linked to previous information. This will ensure that they understand quickly since they have an idea of the information. The other way is providing adequate time for the practice where they will give back feedback on the outcome of their practice (Ju et al., 2017). This will enable students to carry out practices of a specific task where, after practicing, they give the teacher the response concerning the practice. The last way is providing the student with guidance concerning a particular topic. This will ensure that the students will at least be having an idea of the way to handle a specific topic. The students will not be having a hard time while they are learning, therefore, they are going to enjoy their studies.

Tips

One of the tips is knowing the standards as well as expectations that are set by the institution of higher learning. This will ensure that they will always follow the set standards hence being in a position to achieve the set targets by the institution. The second tip relates to establishing clear communication with the various students of the institution concerning the protocol (Fung, 2017). This is going to ensure that any message pertaining to the students is received at the right or designated time. The other tip is giving the students an appropriate amount of time so that they can complete the assessment. Enough amount of time is vital since it is going to enable the students to carry in the evaluation without hurrying hence complete it on time.

The other tip relates to giving students sufficient information to study ahead of the teacher. This will prevent students from having much stress as well as pressure as they are going to learn with the teacher. The time will enable students to come up with questions that they are going to ask as they will be learning with the lecturer. The other tip relates to lecturer issuing the learners with favorable response and parts that they can improve on. This will enable the students to learn on the areas that they are weak (Fung, 2017). The other tip relates to the type of questions. This is whereby they should vary, for instance, use of short answers, multiple choices, true or false, essay as well as matching.

Methods that can assist in teaching student population that is diverse

Many methods can be used to teach the diverse student population. I am going to concentrate on the three main methods. One of them is call on each student method. This is whereby one calls a student in a diverse population, and you ask him or her a question where you will give lessons as per the questions (Banks, 2015). This method will ensure that every student is involved despite being a diverse student. This method is going to ensure that the students are free such that they can share their personal opinions as well as thoughts.

The second method is presenting new concepts through the use of the vocabulary of the student. The attention of the students from a diverse population is going to be captured as a result of their vocabulary. This is going to ensure that the students are going to be attentive, therefore understand quickly without straining. For instance, a student that likes football (Banks, 2015). A teacher may use a football term which the student is conversant with.

The last method is interviewing students. This is where the teacher interviews various students from a diverse population. After the interviews, the teacher is usually in a position to know the diversity of the students (Banks, 2015). For instance, both weaknesses, as well as the strengths, are learned, therefore the teacher will be in a position to come up with a plan on how to teach the various students in the diverse population.

References

Banks, J. A. (2015). Cultural diversity and education: Foundations, curriculum, and teaching. Routledge.

Fung, D. (2017). A connected curriculum for higher education (pp. 1-182). Ucl Press.

Ju, R., Buldakova, N. V., Sorokoumova, S. N., Sergeeva, M. G., Galushkin, A. A., Soloviev, A. A., & Kryukova, N. I. (2017). Foresight methods in pedagogical design of university learning environment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education13(8), 5281-5293.

Sarabi-Asiabar, A., Jafari, M., Sadeghifar, J., Tofighi, S., Zaboli, R., Peyman, H., … & Shams, L. (2015). The relationship between learning style preferences and gender, educational major and status in first year medical students: a survey study from iran. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal17(1).

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