Did You Hear the One About the Kinaesthetic Learner…?

Learning styles is a typical urban legend which undermines teaching and learning but which teachers adhere to with little or no evidence Paul A. Kirschner & Carl Hendrick slay a few dragons

Did you hear the one about the little old lady (why is it always a little old lady?) who after walking her toy poodle in the rain wanted to dry it quickly? She put the poodle in the microwave – it used to be the clothes drier – and cooked it?

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#38749"
  ["title"]=>
  string(24) "Debating Learning Styles"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(53) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/debatinglearningstyles/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1298643280)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-38749-3"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(77) "Barbara Prashnig responds to a recent review about learning styles. "
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(412) "... using learningstyles?’ can only be answered with a resounding “Yes!”because we have the evidence. Knowledge and applicationof the ‘Diversity Concept’ as I also call learning styles, iscapable of raising the quality of teaching and learning, butmost importantly, it gives hope and new learning abilitiesto students previously termed learning disabled ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(33) "Debating Learning Styles"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(77) "Barbara Prashnig responds to a recent review about learning styles. "
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5351) "whenlearning is difficult for them.Contrary to the description inthe team’s findings that an analysis of 30 inspection reportsfound no consistency on whether inspectors commendedthe use of learning styles they had identified as important,I have collected evidence from New Zealand, Australia andthe UK that learning styles do make a difference toacademic achievement and have often been reported asthe single most impactful intervention a school could offer.Therefore the posed question: ‘Should we be using learningstyles?’ can only be answered with a resounding “Yes!”because we have the evidence. Knowledge and applicationof the ‘Diversity Concept’ as I also call learning styles, iscapable of raising the quality of teaching and learning, butmost importantly, it gives hope and new learning abilitiesto students previously termed learning disabled and lost‘The academics have not performed the more usefultask of investigating on a larger scale how learning styleapplications based on complex but not complicatedinstruments actually work, how they do not label orlimit learners, and how they are also being usedsuccessfully in higher education. ‘performed the more useful task of investigating on a largerscale how learning style applications based on complexbut not complicated instruments actually work, how theydo not label or limit learners, and how they are also beingused successfully in higher education.Objection sevenAdvice given by theorists to classroom practitioners based onresearch on assessment instruments: It is regrettable that theresearchers have arrived at such a damning verdict, saying they‘found little good evidence to suggest that using a pedagogyinfluenced by the idea of learning styles, either directly orindirectly, has a significant effect on achievement of motivation’when countless teachers in many different countries have beenand are using the LS approach very successfully and can giveevidence to the contrary. I am currently writing my next bookabout applications of LS in different educational settings indifferent countries around the world, including reports andobservations from practitioners as well as my own experienceswith successful LS interventions and their encouraging, oftenastonishing results.I fully agree that a cautionary note is appropriate whensimplistic LS instruments label students and give eithergeneralised or rather limiting advice and their use shouldnot be recommended. However, appropriate assessmentinstruments raise awareness of style diversity in learnersand learning style knowledge always changes teachers’attitudes towards their so called ‘problem’ students. Manytimes over the past ten years I have seen that change ofattitude which results in often small but significant changesin their teaching strategies and interactions with students.This awareness that comes with a deeper understandingof style diversity has to be based on theoretical frameworksand LS models but must go beyond theory which willalways remain an empty shell without practical70www.teachthinking.comThe learning styles debateThe learning styles debateThe learning styles debateThe learning styles debateThe learning styles debateTeaching Thinking&Creativity  Summer 2004Imaginative Minds Ltd, thepublisher of Teaching ThinkingMagazine is pleased to offer itsown books and resources aswell as recommended titles fromother publishers. Our catelogueis now available online. Ourconcerns are inclusion, creativity,thinking skills and habits of mindfor learning – we hope they areyours too.Ordering resources online meansan end to leafing through piles ofbrochures to find what you want,and then waiting for thepaperwork to reach us.Which means you’ll have moretime to get on with other things.Visit our catalogue at www.thinkingonlinecatelogue.co.ukAnd, of course, if you’d rather notuse a credit card, we’ll gladly takeyour order by post, telephone,fax or email.for academic and lifelong learning. The many successful practicalapplications of our LS instrument in classrooms across the UK andaround the world give it what could be called ‘pragmatic validity’.In conclusion it has to be said that self knowledge andunderstanding of learning styles is becoming more important in our‘knowledge economy’, not only for developing greater flexibility inadverse learning situations but also for self-management ineducational contexts and later in work situations.Barbara Prashnig is Professor Emeritus Professor fromPädagogische Akademie Klagenfurt, Austria, now living inNew Zealand She is author of the The Power of Diversity,published by Network Educational Press and Director ofThe Creative Learning Company (CLC)www.creativelearningcentre.comThe Learning Style Analysis (LSA) and the Working Style Analysis(WSA) which CLC has developed over the past ten years areavailable through the NEP website www.networkpress.co.uk .If readers are interested in carrying out research projects based onour LSA instrument, or want further information, please contact theauthor via: barbara.prashnig@clc.co.nzTactile/visual learning tools for hands-on learning"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(41) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Creative Teaching & Learning

Debating Learning Styles

25 Feb 2011

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#38735"
  ["title"]=>
  string(27) "Researching Learning Styles"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(56) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/researchinglearningstyles/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1298631593)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-38735-3"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(246) "The idea that it is possible to raise attainment by teaching according to the learning styles of indivdual students is a popular one, but is it grounded in strong research evidence? A team from Newcastle University investigates."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(449) "... critical review oflearning styles models. London: Learning and SkillsDevelopment AgencyCoffield, F. C., Moseley, D. M., Hall, E. and Ecclestone, K.(2004) Should we be using learning styles? What researchhas to say to practice. Learning styles and pedagogy inpost-16 learning Report B. London: Learning and SkillsDevelopment AgencyEcclestone, K. (2002) Learning ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(45) "Researching Learning Styles"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(246) "The idea that it is possible to raise attainment by teaching according to the learning styles of indivdual students is a popular one, but is it grounded in strong research evidence? A team from Newcastle University investigates."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(3793) "styles movement canhelp teachers to re-frame old problems and re-examinetheir approaches to persistent problems. For example,Apter’s Motivational Style Profile uses the concept of reversalof motivational or emotional states to explain the fluidityand specificity of normally observed human behaviour. Hesays: ‘There are indeed characteristics that distinguishbetween people. But they are more like tunes than likecontinuously repeated single notes.’ (Apter, 2003, 474) andthis focus on ‘states’ rather than ‘traits’ can be a productivestart to imagining learning environments and interactionswhich could lead to greater engagement and achievement.The two theoretical models which emerged mostfavourably from our review were those of Entwistle andVermunt, since they are comprehensive, theoreticallycoherent and embedded in the theory and practice ofteaching and learning within a particular environment,35Teaching Thinking  Spring 2004www.teachthinking.com Learning stylesLearning stylesLearning stylesLearning stylesLearning stylesgreatly superior to the instruments which follow them,since they can all be misused to label or limit learners. Byoffering learners a vocabulary for understanding both howthey learn and why they learn more effectively in differentcontexts at different times, learning styles may helpstudents to become more autonomous, more motivatedand more likely to continue ‘learning to learn’.ConclusionIf we are in a ‘knowledge economy’, is self-knowledge,particularly in relation to learning styles, a valuable currency?Our research would suggest that learning styles are at best,only one part of a series of essential and related elements oflearning and thinking and at worst a red herring.Elaine Hall is a Research Associate in the School ofEducation, Communication and Language Sciences atthe University of Newcastle. This article was producedon behalf of the team: David Moseley, KathrynEcclestone and Frank Coffield.ReferencesApter, M. J. (2003) On a certain blindness in modernpsychology. The Psychologist, 16, 9, 474-5.Coffield, F. C., Moseley, D. M., Hall, E. and Ecclestone, K.(2004) Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning:Report A: findings of a systematic and critical review oflearning styles models. London: Learning and SkillsDevelopment AgencyCoffield, F. C., Moseley, D. M., Hall, E. and Ecclestone, K.(2004) Should we be using learning styles? What researchhas to say to practice. Learning styles and pedagogy inpost-16 learning Report B. London: Learning and SkillsDevelopment AgencyEcclestone, K. (2002) Learning autonomy in post-16education: the politics and practice of formative assessment,London: Routledge Falmer.Higgins, S. and colleagues (2003) Taxonomy Heaven.Teaching Thinking, Autumn 2003, 51-57Moseley, D. and colleagues (2003) Thinking skill frameworksfor post-16 learners: an evaluation. London: LSRCKolb, D., Boyatzis, R. E. and Mainemelis, C. (2001)Experiential Learning Theory: previous research and newdirections. In Sternberg, R. J. and Zhang, L.-F. (Eds.)Perspectives on Thinking, Learning and Cognitive Styles.London: Lawrence Erlbaum.Kolb, D. A. (2000). Facilitator’s Guide to Learning. Boston,Hay/McBer.namely higher education. However, they are also amongstthe most complex and are not easily accessible to thecasual reader.The theories which underpin these better models oflearning style have the potential to provide teachers andlearners with concepts of learning which can be bothmotivating and liberating. In this respect, the theories are"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(41) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Creative Teaching & Learning

Researching Learning Styles

25 Feb 2011

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#93590"
  ["title"]=>
  string(45) "Cognitive Load Theory : How Much Is Too Much?"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(24) "Professional Development"
    [1]=>
    string(8) "Research"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(73) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/cognitive-load-theory-how-much-is-too-much/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1618015500)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-93590-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(229) "Are we swamping learners with information in ways they are unable to process? Simon Richter considers what Cognitive Load Theory has to offer and what this means for classroom practice and the professional development of teachers"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(328) "... style’ and in ‘staged chunks’. This reflects earlier findings that showed that over 90% of teachers in both the UK and the Netherlands believed in ‘learning styles’ (De Jong: 2010). Whilst the scientific research into how the brain works is applaudable in its own right we must also take into ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(45) "Cognitive Load Theory : How Much Is Too Much?"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(229) "Are we swamping learners with information in ways they are unable to process? Simon Richter considers what Cognitive Load Theory has to offer and what this means for classroom practice and the professional development of teachers"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5649) "a teacher to know? Perhaps not – it is a bold claim. But, if used correctly, CLT can improve teacher instruction, which is an important ingredient in the complex classroom environment.Key lessons to apply to Teaching and LearningCLT helps you design teaching that reduces the demands on learners’ working memory, so that they learn more effectively. You can apply the concept of cognitive load to learning and teaching in several ways.Measure Expertise and Adapt Presentation AccordinglyThe more expertise you develop in a particular area, the more information you have available in your schemas. Remember, it doesn’t matter how complex a schema is – it counts as a single item in your working memory.This is why it is a good idea to adapt your instruction to reflect the level of expertise of the people you’re teaching. Do this by administering a Training Needs Assessment, or ask learners to describe how familiar they are with the topic.Next, use Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives  to ensure that you present information at the right level for your learners – what seems obvious to you may not be at all obvious to them. The following link will be helpful in this: https://teaching.uncc.edu/services-programs/teaching-guides/course-design/blooms-educational-objectives2. Reduce the Problem SpaceThe “problem space” is the gap between the current situation and the desired goal. If this is too large, people’s working memory becomes overloaded.This often happens with complex problems, where the learner needs to work backwards from the goal to the present state. Doing this requires the learner to hold a lot of information in the working memory at once. Focusing on the goal also takes attention away from the information being learned, which makes learning less effective.A better approach is to break the problem down into parts. This reduces the problem space and lightens the cognitive load, making learning more effective.Other methods of reducing the problem space include providing worked examples and presenting problems with partial solutions for the learner to complete. These approaches are particularly useful, because they demonstrate strong problem-solving strategies in practice.3. Reduce Split-Attention EffectWhen you have multiple sources of visual information, such as diagrams, labels and explanatory text, your attention is divided between them. This adds to the cognitive load, making it more difficult to create new schemas.This effect is reduced when you integrate visual information. Incorporate labels into diagrams (as in Figure 1), rather than placing them in a box to one side, or, if this isn’t possible, focus in on one part first. If learners need to use a manual while working through a computer program, for example, allow them time to become familiar with the text first, before introducing the program.Split-attention effects also apply to multiple sources of auditory information. So, for example, if you are speaking to learners on a particular topic, try to remove any extraneous sources of noise, such as other people talking or music playing in the background.4. Take Advantage of Auditory and Visual Channels in Working MemoryAnother way of overcoming the split-attention effect is to replace some of the visual information with auditory information. This reduces the cognitive load on people’s visual working memory by also using the auditory channel, which has its own memory space.In a study by Mayer & Moreno, for example, students were found to learn most effectively when they were shown an animation that was accompanied by narration, rather than the using same animation with added on-screen text.[xix] You can replicate this by directing your learners’ attention to parts of a diagram while talking about it.What are the implications of this for our practice?To begin with, we need to ask whether teachers need to understand the in-depth and detailed research that has been carried out into this topic area. Teachers’time is precious and there is an ever-growing list of expectations on the profession that seems to grow by the day; so would a superficial understanding of how the brain works suffice? One thing does seem certain, greater collaboration between the education profession and the scientific research profession is critical in the future.A notable statistic shows that 76% of teachers (in comparison to 93% of the general population) believe that students learn better if the material is delivered in their ‘preferred learning style’ and in ‘staged chunks’. This reflects earlier findings that showed that over 90% of teachers in both the UK and the Netherlands believed in ‘learning styles’ (De Jong: 2010). Whilst the scientific research into how the brain works is applaudable in its own right we must also take into account the real implications for classroom practice. Belief in ‘learning styles’, for example, can create huge unnecessary workload implications for teachers developing multiple versions of each resource, and as such some commentators do challenge how widely teachers have invested in planning for a variety of learning styles due to the time pressures they are already under.And in a recent smaller-scale survey that sought to explore teachers’ awareness of the value of practices based in cognitive science (such as spacing and interleaving), only 31% of respondents thought retrieval practice was more effective than re-reading"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(2) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(24) "Professional Development"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(8) "Research"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["tags"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Psychology"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Professional Development

Cognitive Load Theory : How Much Is Too Much?

10 Apr 2021

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#87452"
  ["title"]=>
  string(58) "Technology Can Help Us  Tackle the Void of Differentiation"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(5) {
    [0]=>
    string(20) "Assistive Technology"
    [1]=>
    string(16) "Digital Learning"
    [2]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
    [3]=>
    string(16) "Leading Learning"
    [4]=>
    string(29) "Virtual and Augmented Reality"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(106) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/augmented-and-virtual-eality-can-help-us-tackle-the-void-of-differentiation/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1597071739)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-87452-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(161) "Differentiation is a fabulous ‘buzz’ word, but with new technology we can differentiate in a more meaningful way to make challenging tasks fun and achievable"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(338) "... market and this can help to retrieve what they heard. This is a whole new version of a differentiated,multi-sensory approach to teaching and learning languages because ‘anchors’will help support the less dominant learning styles. It is a well-known fact that the brain makes countless connections to ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(58) "Technology Can Help Us  Tackle the Void of Differentiation"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(19) "Simon Luxford-Moore"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(161) "Differentiation is a fabulous ‘buzz’ word, but with new technology we can differentiate in a more meaningful way to make challenging tasks fun and achievable"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(4673) "leaders fromacross the world. I talked about the benefits of enhancing learning andteaching through innovative use of technology like this. All agreed this was a fabulous approach to education butsome were nervous about how to implement the change, with so many teachersstuck in ‘traditional’ ways. One approach might be to step back from focusing quiteso much on teaching the curriculum and think more about teaching children. Because it inherently places learners directly into anenvironment, Virtual Reality (VR) is a wonderful resource to use in education.I have been a VR Pioneer for two years now and seen first-hand, the incredibleenhancements to learning and teaching it can provide. The key successes come from the fact it is multi-sensoryand therefore can engage all visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners easilyand in a fun and innovative way. To that end, it also creates an experience forthe learner because they have felt immersed in the lesson. This makes it farmore meaningful, memorable and engaging and that, ultimately, is what everyteacher wishes to provide for their classes.Virtual Reality lets us enhance the learning experience of everychild in the school in a truly multi-sensory and immersive approach. This isparticularly true for subjects such as History and Religious, Moral andPhilosophical Studies where we often expect learners to describeconditions which others experienced.By making learning a more meaningful experience, learners areless hindered by challenges and are more engaged in learning. I have created360 Virtual Reality tours of Edinburgh which supported our study of theJacobites in Primary 6 (Year 5). Video can be embedded into a 360 image (orvideo), along with websites, text and audio clips, as well as Microsoft Formsso learners can comment or answer questions on devices of their choice. Pompeii is no longer a distant and expensive school trip, nowthat our children can stand on the edge of Vesuvius with lava tantalisinglyclose. In Primary 3 (Year 2) classes used to study Rainforests using imagesfrom textbooks, now they can ‘visit’ them with VR.  I have even explainedthe concept of psychosomatics when the children find themselves ‘feeling’ theheat and intense atmosphere of the Amazon.It goes without saying that the children love the inclusion ofVR in the classroom but it is not just about making learning more fun. A boy inPrimary 3 told me once “…with photographs and TV screens I can see things in arectangle in front of me but with VR I can choose to look wherever I want.” Hecaptured the essence of ownership of learning and deepened my appreciation offlipped learning.Virtual Reality for learning languages I am currently working with the University of Glasgow and DrGabriella Rodolico on how to incorporate VR into the teacher training syllabusfor PGDE students.  Mostrecently, one of Dr Rodolico’s PhD students contacted me to assist her in herresearch into how VR can assist with alleviating anxiety when learninglanguages. Her study focuses primarily on Chinese to English and this is anincredibly exciting area to develop.Imagine using VR to immerse learners in an environmentwhere they can experience the spoken language, not just hear it or readit from a textbookI recall learning Spanish and French at school by listeningto audio tapes. Clearly, audio was not my strength and I relied on visual inputto reinforce this so, needless to say I did not learn well simply by listeningto people talking. However, when I was able to see people speaking and, albeitsubliminally, take in their gestures and body language etc. I became quite aconfident linguist and can happily get myself out of most situations in French,Spanish and now Arabic.We all know that most language is supported by theaccompanying gestures, inflection and facial accentuation which come withspeech. Soon we will exploit this aspect of communication in lessons. If childrenstruggle to recall the price of cheese on a market stall they don’t have torely on auditory memory. They will be able to close their eyes, picture wherethey stood in the market and this can help to retrieve what they heard. This is a whole new version of a differentiated,multi-sensory approach to teaching and learning languages because ‘anchors’will help support the less dominant learning styles. It is a well-known fact that the brain makes countless connections to make sense of its surroundings and to process information. Now, with new technology will  we  be able to exploit this as teachers?"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(5) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(20) "Assistive Technology"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(25) "Digital Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(25) "Leading Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(29) "Virtual and Augmented Reality"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Assistive Technology

Technology Can Help Us Tackle the Void of Differentiation

10 Aug 2020

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#84481"
  ["title"]=>
  string(18) "Learning in Motion"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "Learning Spaces"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(49) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/learning-in-motion/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1584101877)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-84481-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(242) "The Frederiksbjerg School in Aarhus, Denmark is built for play: an experimental, standout innovative desisgn to create active learning spaces. In this school, walking is the least common form of movement. Aaron Hathaway explains why."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(385) "... furniture choices and lighting options emphasise versatility and are adaptable to different purposes and atmospheres. Driving this dynamic design is a desire to accommodate alternative learning styles. Students with learning disabilities, or those who simply find themselves restless during class, have the option to leave class for what Hansen terms ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(27) "Learning in Motion"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(14) "Aaron Hathaway"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(242) "The Frederiksbjerg School in Aarhus, Denmark is built for play: an experimental, standout innovative desisgn to create active learning spaces. In this school, walking is the least common form of movement. Aaron Hathaway explains why."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5704) "staircase resembling a half-finished Tetris grid challenges students to ascend in careful leaps. Diffuse daylight in the atrium illuminates details of a playful graphic identity: portholes embedded in the walls at the average height of an eight-year-old reveal detailed dioramas of domestic scenes; a custom font extends from Shakespeare quotes on English classroom walls to custom labels on garbage cans. Sounds of study and play reverberate within the four-level atrium, encouraging a sense of unity between the school’s age-stratified layers.Shortly before noon, students spill out into the atrium to pass between classes, plunging the school into adolescent bedlam. Students trailing book bags burst out of classrooms in skips and sprints, careering around corners and past hall monitors. Walking appears to be the least common form of transport here; friendly roughhousing goes largely un-scolded. Installations like ping-pong tables, climbing ropes or the dangling handholds of the Multifunctional Ninja Track provide a physical outlet for exertion, but the school makes place for calm: Curtained reading nooks and high-backed couches offer sheltered respite from the surrounding energy. On the third floor, five girls chat quietly at a communal table as one boy drags his companion past by the leg, stomach squeaking on the polished floor. These microcosms of fevered activity and thoughtful solitude exist in unlikely equilibrium, a balance emblematic of Frederiksbjerg School’s educational philosophy. Compared to the monastic order encouraged in traditional school hallways, the tolerance for spirited play at this school might be seen as incompatible with focused learning. But the support for activity at Frederiksbjerg School takes root in the belief that this exertion is a necessary component—perhaps a precursor—to learning.“Of course some students still have problems with being disruptive in class, but they’ll still have that if you try to keep them calm throughout the day, and they might get even more restless,” Hansen says. “We try to take steps to allow students to move as they will. It’s natural for the body to be in motion, and we want to create the right space to bring that out.”Light and learningInside classrooms, students learn on their own terms. Room layouts, furniture choices and lighting options emphasise versatility and are adaptable to different purposes and atmospheres. Driving this dynamic design is a desire to accommodate alternative learning styles. Students with learning disabilities, or those who simply find themselves restless during class, have the option to leave class for what Hansen terms a “power break,” a brief five-minute recess to let off steam and return renewed.Frederiksbjerg School collaborated with Henning Larsen to explore the role of interior lighting in creating more comfortable classrooms. Moving beyond the fluorescent tube light native to so many offices and schools, a team from Henning Larsen installed hanging pendant lamps in classrooms, enabling students and teachers to activate softer, focused lighting around communal work tables. Over a period of eight months, the team found that classes gravitated to the pendant lamps for quieter activities, such as reading and mathematics – And in 70 percent of situations when the lamps were on, average noise levels in the classroom were measurably lower. Imke Wies van Mil, a PhD student with Henning Larsen specialising in artificial lighting design, suggests the adaptable lighting may help the classrooms suit a wider range of learning styles.“I think what we generally do is flood classroom spaces with the same type of uniform light. This might not be a problem for the average student, but if there’s a student who is more easily distracted, or just has a different visual comfort level, the full lighting could be distracting,” Wies van Mil says. “We heard feedback from teachers who felt that the pendant lamps made the biggest difference to these more restless children. So you can see it in more of the extremes, but this works through to the whole class—If the disruptive student is less disruptive, the whole class feels it.”Room for allTwo years after its doors opened on August 10th, 2016, the Frederiksbjerg School remains one of the only examples worldwide of a school purpose-built to suit an active educational vision. The physical design provides a learning environment that allows students to exercise motion and autonomy. For many students, the school is the first formal educational setting they have experienced, and it stands out as one with greater room for personalised learning. Hansen says that she hosts at least one group of visitors every week, drawn from across Europe and Scandinavia to tour the premises.No formal studies at Frederiksbjerg School have yet substantiated the emerging scientific support for physical motion in schools, but Hansen says she notices a difference in this new learning environment.“I think students here are more motivated; they have more control over how they learn and they stay active. From that, I think they must learn more. But I also see them learning beyond the classroom, developing skills that would never show up on a standardised test,” Hansen says. “I think it’s too early to take data and look for concrete improvements. We are going for life-long learning, instead of getting ready for exams.”Every Wednesday evening a group of adults arrives to practice Brazilian martial arts in the third-floor dance studio. The local capoeira club is part of a"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "styles"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(24) "Learning Spaces"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Learning Spaces

Learning in Motion

13 Mar 2020