How do
Students Learn?
A Learning
Emporium Session
Host
The Bagel Emporium
Instructional Advancement
Bill Vilberg
Vilberg.com
Student Government
Miami.edu/sg
Do all students learn the same
way?
A) Yes, all learn the same way
B) Most learn in a similar manner
C) No, most learn in a different
manner
D) Unsure/I do not know
Classical View of Learning Styles
 Auditory
 learn best through verbal lectures, discussions,
talking things through and listening to what others
have to say
 Visual
 tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom
to avoid visual obstructions and respond best to
graphics
 Kinesthetic
 learn best through a hands-on approach, actively
exploring the physical world around them
Updated View of Learning Styles
 iPod/iPad
 Listen to music while studying or writing a paper
 YouTube
 Watch humorous videos or music videos while
studying
 Facebook
 Stays connected with the gossip and this
weekend’s party pictures
What do I mean?
 Acollege student 20 years ago (most of you!)
does not use nor respond to the same studying
and teaching methods as you did!
Then vs Now
Then vsNow
Then vs Now
Then vsNow
Then vs Now
Then vsNow
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLwaPP9cxT
4
A few more cool things…
A few more cool things…
A few more cool things…
How to Tweak Your Approach
"Involving students in discussion
fosters retention of information,
application of knowledge to
new situations, and
development of higher-order
thinking skills”
-Higher Education Journal
Yet 70 to 90 percent
of professors use the
traditional lecture as
their primary
instructional
strategy!!!
Auditory Learners
 Prefer to pay attention instead of taking
copious notes
 Encourage tape recording
 Use AV equipment in rooms to self
record and create a podcast
 Appreciate being able to hear lecture
clearly
 Mic yourself if in a large lecture hall
 Enjoy audience polling
 Ask the audience questions at end of
class out loud with students responding
 Post questions so they can listen and
not write!
Visual Learners
 The visual learners like to have a general idea
about what they want to learn before they
get the details
 Write a lecture outline on the board so they
can organize their thoughts
 Tend to underline using different colors
 On your board work/ power point use
different colors to emphasize key things
 Prefer to recall the pictures that they studied
when preparing for the exam
 DRAW! And use figures and videos
Kinesthetic Learners
 Like to touch what they want to learn
 Bring props whenever possible!
 Technology that can help the kinesthetic
students in learning is technology that allows
them to manipulate tools in the classroom
 Interactive websites
 Enjoy teacher interaction
 Step our from behind the podium and join your
audience!
 Ask for students to come to board and solve
problems
iPod/iPad Style
 The iPod/iPad style can support the three
learning styles.
 Allows the kinesthetic learners to touch the
screen
 Allows the auditory students to listen to
audio files
 Allows visual students to see and download
pictures
YouTube Style
 Can help auditory students by allowing them
to hear other voices during the class
 Allows kinesthetic students to manipulate
tools in the class(watch video on their PC or
handheld device)
 Can help visual students by allowing for
pictures and other visual aides to be used on
the screen
*Create YouTube video watching mini
assignments
Facebook Style
 Create a Facebook fan page for your
class
 Post practice questions before a test
there
 Allows for discussion to occur
underneath a post
 Allows you to send notifications to
students
 They will check this more often!
Discussion
What have you
tried that has
worked?
What could you try to
incorporate/change
into your teaching
strategy?
Do all students learn the same
way?
A) Yes, all learn the same way
B) Mostlearn in a similar manner
C) Mostlearn in a different manner
D) Unsure/I do not know
Take Away
 Tweeking your approach is a consequence of
teaching new generations of students
 Use Bill Vilberg to help you come up with
creative ways to update your teaching style or
lesson plan
 Poll your students, they give they best feedback
for you to use in your classes
Don’t be afraid
to try
something
new!
Next Session