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We know. There are more theories of learning styles out there than you can
shake a brain in a jar at.
What they all have in common: the idea that different people absorb information
in specific ways, and having a sense of which ways work best can maximize
learning for individual learners, and for a class.
How they differ: the specific way each theory divides up and labels different
types of learners.
And what's different about Felder-Silverman is that it divides those types up and
then tacks on teaching styles, too. That's when you get the Felder-Soloman index
of those learning styles and teaching styles, and that turns it into an all-out
revolution in the classroom.
Flashy.
For the time, at least.
The Styles
First up: the actual divisions of types of learners. According to Felder and
Silverman, those are called four "dimensions." We know what you're thinking:
there are more than three dimensions? Sounds super-sonic. Well, it could be if
you're the sensing type and can intuit beyond 3D. Or just a very perceptive
hedgehog.
Here's the deal. Each dimension includes two poles that independently designate
two different, even opposing ways of perceiving the worldbut, taken together,
can lead to any learner's best knowledge-absorbing potential.
So, without further adoand with a boost from the Felder-Silverman page on the
International Centre for Educators' Learning Styles sitethe four dimensions:
Along these lines, Felder and Silverman came up with five questions to define
learning style, and five other questions to define teaching style. Each set of
questions asks about how information is presented, which sensory channels or
methods of presentation are foregrounded, the way information is organized
(whether by the teacher or in the student's head), and what perspectives are
emphasized. You can look at the questions in their entirety by heading to the
ICELS site and scrolling down.
And then Felder and Soloman came up with a much longer questionnaire (44
questions, to be precise) meant to place learners in a much more precise spot on
the spectrum of each of those styles. That magical contraption is called the
Felder-Soloman Index of Learning Styles, or ILS.
The Takeaway
Work through the questionnaire, determine the best style for you, and try to
access new information only through that method.
Jk.
Sure, if you're a visual learner you want everything presented in chart, lesson
learned, end of story, boom. But chances are there will be some things you set
out to learn that just don't quite fit in a nice charty diagram. And even if they do,
it's important to gain comfort with other presentation methods to maximize your
own learning. And no, we're not just talking to visual learners here (duh). This
goes for both sides of all of those spectra, and everywhere in between.
How, you ask? Check out this list (think of it as a chart, if you're visual) of the
different styles and approaches that can be effective for each one. It builds on
the description of each style, plus offers ideas that work for each one.
So whether you're puzzling out which dimension you fit into to get a grasp on
your own methods, or thinking about how to alter your teaching to reach
students of various styles, what's worth remembering is that variety is key.
Knowing that you have a range of learners in your class and that they'll all
benefit from exploring the whole array of learning styles can help you design
activities that will exercise a gamut of processes and perspectives.
That's a surefire way keep your students (and you) ticking. And ultimately, to
propel you into a whole new dimension.