Aims and Objectives

The aim of this session is to introduce

you to a range of teaching and
learning approaches
Aims and Objectives
By the end of the session you should be able to:

Identify and explain briefly different learning styles

List in depth a range of resources and teaching approaches

that can be used
Teaching and learning?

Q: How do we learn?
Teaching and learning?

Learning is a relatively
permanent change in behaviour
as a result of experience
Edgar Dale
Thorndike's Principles of Learning
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Readiness
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Exercise
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Effect
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Primacy
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Recency
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Intensity
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Requirement
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Freedom
Principles of Learning - Readiness

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Ready and eager to learn
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Being physically, mentally and emotionally ready to learn
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Understand and value the reasons for learning

Strategies:
●
Get students ready to learn
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Create interest by showing value of the subject
●
Ensuring stretch and challenge
Principles of Learning – Exercise

●
The principle of exercise states that those things most
often repeated are best remembered.
●
Learners learn best and retain information longer when
they have meaningful practice and repetition.
Strategies:
●
Practice must be meaningful
●
Practice leads to improvement when it is followed by
positive feedback.
Principles of Learning – Effect

●
The principle of effect is based on the emotional reaction
of the learner.
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It has a direct relationship to motivation.
●
The principle of effective is that learning is strengthened
when accompanied by a pleasant or satisfying feeling...
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...and that learning is weakened when associated with an
unpleasant feeling
Strategies:
●
. Ensure sense of achievement and accomplishment
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Positive and motivating feedback
Principles of Learning – Primacy
●
The state of being first often creates a strong, almost
unshakable, impression in the mind that is difficult to
erase.

Strategies:

●
Ensure that what is taught is right first time.
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Ensure first experiences are positive, functional, and lay
the foundation for all that is to follow.
Principles of Learning – Recency
●
The principle of recency states that things most recently
learned are best remembered.
●
The further a learner is removed, time wise, from a new
fact or understanding, the more difficult it is to
remember.

Strategies:

●
Recall and review
Principles of Learning – Intensity
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Implies that a learner will learn more from the real thing
than from a substitute.

Strategies:

●
Learners to apply new knowledge and skills to real life
situations
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Avoid simulation
Principles of Learning – Requirement
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Having everything required in order to be able to learn.
●
It can be ability, skill, resources.

Strategies:

●
Consider learners starting points and current skills, for
example, if a learner is to be able to learn how to save
an image from the internet they must first know how to
use a web browser and search engine.
Principles of Learning – Freedom
●
Things freely learned are best learned.
●
The greater the freedom enjoyed by individuals within
society, the greater the intellectual and moral
advancement enjoyed by society as a whole.
●
If no freedom is granted, learners may have little interest
in learning.
Strategies:
●
Learners must have freedom. Freedom of choice,
freedom of action.
Learning Styles – Kolb's

David Kolb, 1984:

“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is

created through the transformation of
experience”
Kolb's Experimental Learning Cycle
 Kolb's Experimental Learning Cycle
Kolb stated that...

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...learning involves the acquisition of abstract concepts
that can be applied flexibly in a range of situations.
●
...the impetus for the development of new concepts is
provided by new experience.
●
...learning is an integrated process with each stage
being mutually supportive of and feeding in to the
next.
●
...effective learning only occurs when a learner is able
to execute all four stages of the model.
Kolb's Learning Styles
●
Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct
learning styles.
●
Different people naturally prefer a certain single
different learning style.
●
The learning style preference is the product of
two pairs of variables, or two separate 'choices'
that we make.
●
Kolb presented these choices as lines of axis,
each with 'conflicting' models at either end.
Kolb's Learning Styles
Fleming and Mills – VAK Learning Styles
Learning Styles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQkTho2or8U
Honey and Mumford
Activists
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Involve themselves fully and without bias in
new experiences.
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Open minded and not sceptical.
Enthusiastic about anything new.
●
Days are filled with activity.
●
When one activity is dying down, they're on
the look-out for another.
Activists
But:
●
Act first and consider consequences
●
after.
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Centre all the activities around
●
themselves.
●
Thrive on challenge, but are bored with
implementation and long term consolidation.
Reflectors
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Stand back and ponder about
experiences
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Enjoy observing other people and
adopt a low profile.
●
Act on the past, the present and the
opinion of others.
Reflectors
But:

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Thorough collection and analysis of data can
delay reaching a definite conclusion.
Theorists
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Observe and make theories
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Analyse and synthesise
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Go back to basic assumptions,
principles, theories, models and
systems.
Theorists
But:
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Perfectionists
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Tend to be detached
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Analytical
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Feel uncomfortable with subjective judgements,
lateral thinking and anything flippant
Pragmatists
●
Keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques
to see if they work.
●
Return from management courses brimming with
new ideas that they want to try out.
●
Essentially practical, down to earth people and
get on with things.
●
Like making practical decisions and problem
solving.
Pragmatists
But:

●
Impatient with ruminating and open-ended
discussions
Teaching Methods
Definition:
A teaching method is the basic approach used by
the teacher, for example, lecture, demonstration
or discussion.
Methods:
●
Lecture
●
Group discussion
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Tutorial
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Demonstration
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Role play
Methods of Instruction
Choice of method:
●
The teacher should select the method or methods
of instruction that is most suitable for a particular
topic.
●
It is recommended to select more than one method
and combine them into a single period of
teaching if the subject demands it.
●
For example, a teacher could combine a structured
lesson to impart theory and follow it up with a
demonstration in order to reinforce
understanding.
Tutor Attributes - Preparation
A good tutor always prepares for the lesson by:
●
Considering the content of the lesson to ascertain
the best way to present the information.
●
Preparing a lesson plan.
●
Ensuring they have sound knowledge of the
subject.
●
Checking all aids and equipment prior to the
lesson.
●
Checking the student's background to ensure the
lesson is pitched at the appropriate level.
Tutor Attributes – Eye Contact
Maintaining eye contact throughout a lesson:

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Personalises instruction
●
Allows the tutor to check for confusion
●
Keeps students alert
●
Focuses student attention on the tutor and vice
versa
Tutor Attributes – Stance and Movement
When moving about the class it is important to:

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Be natural and purposeful
●

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Use movement to focus attention
●

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Avoid distracting movements e.g. pacing, rocking,
tapping and so on.
Tutor Attributes – Gestures and Facial
Expressions
A good tutor should use:

●
Natural and purposeful gestures
●
Non-verbal cues to help students answer, e.g.
nod or smile
●
Gestures and expressions as a management
device.
Tutor Attributes - Appearance
A good teacher displays a professional attitude
by:
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Dressing neatly and appropriately
●
Being well groomed
●

●
Students will model their behaviour on you. If you
appear untidy, disorganised and slouch around
in the classroom you can hardly expect them to
be different.
Tutor Attributes – Level of Language
Students may not have had the benefit of your
experience of the subject, avoid:
●
Jargon
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Abbreviations
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Technical language
●
Obviously, if the subject matter is of a technical
nature which demands the use of the above,
ensure that you introduce the new jargon,
abbreviations and technical language in a
controlled way. Introduce your students to it. Don't
just drop it in and expect them to know what you're
talking about.
Tutor Attributes - Voice
Your voice has a major effect on the communication process. Try to listen to yourself
whilst you are talking. Think about:
●
Volume/projection
●
Keeping your head up
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Speaking loud enough for the person at the back to hear
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Maintain good eye contact
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Clarity
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Pronounce words clearly
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Don't mumble
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Vary pitch, tone and volume to add emphasis
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The verbal delivery should flow smoothly
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Avoid 'ums' and 'ahs'
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A well timed pause can add emphasis
Tutor Attributes - Organisation

The tutor who is organised and professional in

their approach to the job instils confidence in
the class.
Tutor Attributes – Enthusiasm
Students will follow the instructions and guidance
of an interested, enthusiastic, confident Tutor
more readily than those of a disinterested,
lethargic Tutor.

A Tutor who takes a professional approach to

instruction and who is always thoroughly
prepared and willing to assist students, will
always be more effective than the disinterested,
poorly prepared Tutor.
Tutor Attributes - Summary
●
As the tutor you set and example.
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Remember to use eye contact, stance and
movement as well as the qualities in your voice
to keep the students attention and maintain
interest.
●
Be enthusiastic about the material you instruct. If
you don't show enthusiasm about it the
students certainly won't.
●
Ensure you are prepared and organised before
the session begins.
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Any questions?
Recap and Review
Self Study:
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Research other models of learning styles:
– Anthony Gregorc's
– NASSP Model
– Dunn, Dunn and Price