Below are answers to the questions that came up at the pre-conference workshop during the "Teaching Techniques" session. Answers are from Beth Rohloff and Laurie Sabol (both from Tufts University), guest speakers for the session.
Learning Style Questions
Q: How do learning styles influence preparation (i.e. creating learning objectives, planning activities, etc.)?
A from Beth: You may wish to consider learning styles when deciding how to present the material outlined in your learning outcomes as well as how you wish to assess your audience’s success in meeting the learning outcome. For example, a person who is a “linguistic” learner may learn best from material presented in a lecture and discussion format. In turn, this learner may be able to best demonstrate his or her mastery of the content through an assessment that might be in written or oral form. A more visual learner may benefit from learning the material through images, videos, etc. and in turn you may wish to assess them by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge in a visual form (i.e. drawing a diagram).
Q: How do I integrate learning styles into my teaching without being overwhelmed?
A from Laurie: The simplest way to do this is to make sure you use various teaching methods. Don’t only lecture (which some people *will* appreciate), but also do database demonstrations. Divide attendees into groups and give them a task to learn to teach the rest of the audience. Ask each attendee to write a question on a 3x5 card that you collect and review at a break.
Q: How can we identify the learning styles of our audience?
A from Beth: If the first time you’ll be meet your audience will be during your presentation, then you might not have a chance to identify and prepare for their learning styles in advance. In this case you should make sure to use various teaching methods as Laurie suggests above. However, if you do have the opportunity to survey your audience members before the presentation the short quizzes provided on the Learning Styles handout would be a way to find out what type of learners will be in your audience. A quick Google search for “learning styles quiz” will lead you to other short learning style assessments.
Multiple Intelligences Online Quiz: http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm
VARK Learning Styles Questionnaire:
http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire
Q: How do you adequately address different learning styles in a group?
A from Laurie: One good way is to ask questions that students can answer in a variety of ways. Those students who are most comfortable with words can write their answer; those that are more verbal will report their answer orally. I guess you could have the kinetic learners dance their answer but make sure you’re insured in case s/he jetés through a plate glass window.
You can also have your attendees work in groups, where it will be likely that a variety of learning styles will be represented.
Other Questions
Q: What is the best way to “engage” our audience?
A from Laurie: There’s no one best way and your methods will vary depending on factors such as
1) Your prior familiarity with audience. Naturally, if you know some of the attendees, they will be more engaged. As well, you can refer to prior meetings you’ve had with them which may increase everyone’s comfort level, which will in turn serve as a basis of engagement.
2) Your comfort level taking risks. Your audience will be less engaged if you stand in back of a podium lecturing and displaying screen shots than if you walk out among them, speak to them, ask questions of them.
No matter what factors are in play, the important goals are to show your enthusiasm and knowledge of your subject, your willingness to put attendees at ease to ask even “stupid” questions, and to make it clear that time spent at your training session will be time well-used. If you can achieve two of those goals, you can be sure that you will have engaged your audience.
Q: How much time should be allotted to assessment? Is it better for assessment to occur during the session rather than afterward?
A from Beth: The amount of time needed for assessment will vary depending upon the specific needs of your audience. You might ask yourself – At what level do I or others (i.e. employers) expect attendees to meet the learning outcomes? I think the more you expect from your audience, the more important assessment becomes. If workshop attendees are supposed to walk out of your workshop being able to create their own collection development policy then you might want to create an assessment activity after the session that ensures they are actually capable of completing such a task. Other the other hand, if attendees are only expected to explain the basic components of a collection development policy then you may be able to quickly assess what they learned through a brief in class activity (i.e. discussion, one-minute paper, etc.).
I think that it’s important that you make time in your presentation to check for understanding. Also if you do intend and are able to assess what participants learned after the workshop then you want to allow time for guided practice during the session since the material is new to them.
Q: From the effective teaching strategies everyone listed on the flip charts, which do you feel are the most important for us to remember?
A from Laurie: Every article I’ve read, every workshop I’ve been to, everyone I’ve talked to says that enthusiasm and knowledge of the topic are at the top, bar none. If I had to choose one more strategy, it would be to deliver a well-organized workshop.
Q: What is the connection between the presentation and our trainer sessions?
A from Laurie: Our presentation was aimed at beginning teachers/trainers who would benefit from learning some teaching and assessment strategies. Obviously, 60 minutes is not enough time to go into any of this material in depth but we hope we gave you some useful ideas to take with you.
Q: What is a reasonable number of learning outcomes to expect from a time controlled session? Is there a key time ratio?
A from Laurie: I’ve never read or heard anyone assign a ratio of learning outcomes based on the time of the session. I do know that when I used to try to teach students how to use 4 databases in 50 minutes, that I was completely wrong in gauging the amount of time needed, the amount of material the students were capable of absorbing and that some of my fundamental teaching philosophies were out of line with reality. When you are developing your learning outcomes make sure that the amount of time you devote to each of them is realistic and allow for time for computer failures, questions and time needed to repeat (modified if need be) material that you sense is not getting through.
OK, OK, I haven’t answered your question. If I have an hour, I will write three learning outcomes, which will allow me to present the material in a couple of ways and give students hands-on time and a few minutes at the end for a quick evaluation.
