Summary: Episode 3 is Learning Styles and the Online Teacher. Felder and Soloman Index of Learning Styles defined a spectrum between active and reflective, sensing and intuitive, sequential and global, and visual and verbal. The ILS assesses preferences on the four dimensions of a learning style model developed in 1988 by Richard Felder and Linda Silverman. These sets of characteristics are ranges, not opposites. Understanding learning style preferences facilitate teaching and presentation and knowing what type of learner you have in an online class can help you promote the right kind of learning skills and point to appropriate support services. Professor Felder recently wrote a piece on how instructors can use learning styles that you can download here. Fleming and Mills (1992) suggested VARK as the four main learning channels: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic styles. Howard Gardner’s landmark Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) is still much talked about even without direct support from evidence-based research. More here. Michael Wesch suggests that teachers are not reaching students today because they are very different from previous generations. Learning styles matter: Some say, “Yes!” Marc Prensky, James Paul Gee Others say, “Maybe...” Eszter Hargittai, Jamie McKenzie. Consider the point-counterpoint offered in : Jamie McKenzie’s November 2010 article on “Tech A.D.D” and “A Vision of Students Today” offered by Michael Wesch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o Where do you stand? Should you take a stand?
