This document discusses how learning styles can inform the design of online courses. It provides an overview of several learning style models, including Grasha's teaching styles, Gardner's multiple intelligences, Felder-Silverman learning styles, and VARK learning styles. The Felder-Silverman model categorizes students as active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal, and sequential/global learners. The document gives tips for designing online content and activities to engage different types of learners based on their preferred styles. It provides examples of exemplary online courses that incorporate varied instructional strategies, activities, and tools to appeal to diverse learning preferences.

1. Taking Learning Styles Online Nancy G. Abney, Instructor & Program Manager UAB Graduate School Professional Development Program [email_address]

2. Intersections of Course Design Informed by Learning & Teaching Styles Activities: How students interact with And manipulate the content To make it meaningful Input: Organizaton & Presentaton of Content Output: Student Communication and Products

3. Overview of Teaching Styles Grasha’sTeaching Styles… Expert/ Authority / Model/ Facilitator/ Delegator http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/faq/ts-indiana.htm How teaching style informs course design/delivery http://vudat.msu.edu/teach_styles/ What’s your teaching style? Take a survey: http:// www.longleaf.net/teachingstyle.html

4. Quick Overview of Learning Styles Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model VAK (VARK) learning styles model

5. Learning Styles Inform Online Courses Learning Style Instruments VARK ILS (Inventory of Learning Styles) …can inform online teaching in organization & presentation of content choice of activities / tools/ assignments and student output-- projects, communication

6. Index of Learning Styles Based on the Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model Active <------------------------> Reflective Sequential <--------------------> Global Visual <-------------------------> Verbal Sensing <----------------------> Intuitive Video interview with Richard Felder The Mismatch of Teaching & Learning Styles R.M. Felder and L.K. Silverman, &quot;Learning and Teaching Styles in Engineering Education, &quot; Engr. Education, 78 (7), 674-681 (1988).

7. Tips for Active & Reflective Learners Active learners Need to do something with the material: discuss, apply, explain, and teach concepts Benefit from studying in groups, problem-solving Reflective learners Need to think deeply about the material Need opportunity to “process” information Benefit from writing reactions & summaries, discussions, blogs, journaling

8. Sequential & Global Learners Sequential learners Prefer linear models, outlines, flow charts, procedural steps Benefit from building on prior knowledge, emphasizing relation of new material to old Global learners Need to see the “big picture” Provide them goals, objectives, overviews Benefit from analogies, broad applications, implications

9. Visual & Verbal Learners Visual learners Prefer pictures, diagrams, charts, time-lines, films, demonstrations Benefit from using the web to enhance materials with animations & demos Verbal learners Prefer words: written & spoken Use group study Benefit from written & oral reports, summaries, stories

10. Sensing & Intuiting Learners Sensing learners like to learn facts Prefer established methods (e.g., performing the same task for homework weekly) Make connections to the real world Benefit from specific examples & applications Intuitive learners like to discover relationships & possibilities Dislike routine; prefer innovation Benefit from prompts such as “What’s the relationship….?

11. V isual, A uditory, R ead/Write, K inesthetic How do your students learn best? Take the VARK Survey VARK Goals: Raise awareness of learning styles Identify preferred style(s) Learn strategies for supporting and expanding different style(s) http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=helpsheets Fleming and Mills (1992)

12. What does it mean to be multimodal? Indicates a broad repertoire of skills Multimodal learners may need to process information in more than one way to achieve full understanding “ approximately 50% of faculty seem to be multi-modal, although they usually show preferences for Read/write” http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=understandingresults

13. Using VARK Online Supports introspective, intrapersonal, kinesthetic, reflective learners Is helpful as part of course orientation Is a useful Icebreaker/ Intro activity for discussion Can be used to build community & study support: form groups of like or unlike preferences to work or study together

14. Instructional Strategies for teaching to different styles

15. Instructional Design Tips for Online Learning Activities for different learning styles Video clips of interviews, movements Historical audio clips of famous speeches Screen animations for instructional exercises Personal interview reports Crossword or word search puzzles Matching and game-show-style trivia games Online scavenger hunt / WebQuest Annotated bibliography PowerPoint presentations as assignments Flash simulations Joan Van Duzer (2002) Rubric for Online Instruction

16. Examples from Cal State Chico: Exemplary courses based on the Rubric for Quality Online Instruction Orienting Students to Online Learning: Resources for Online Learners ( Anth 112) Visual support Self-assessment promotes self-awareness, reflection, hands-on learners Web Resources (SPED 673) Visuals & links provide context for global learners

17. Examples from Cal State Chico: Exemplary courses based on the Rubric for Quality Online Instruction Home Page Organization (Sped 673) Representative visuals & icons Scavenger Hunt Analogy appeals to global learner Kinesthetic hands-on, active learner Guided questions support reflective learner Communication Wimba Voice Board for introductions, discussions, presentations http://www.csuchico.edu/celt/roi/eoi_vista.shtml

18. References on the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model R.M. Felder and L.K. Silverman, &quot;Learning and Teaching Styles in Engineering Education,&quot; Engr. Education, 78 (7), 674-681 (1988). R.M. Felder, &quot;Reaching the Second Tier: Learning and Teaching Styles in College Science Education,&quot; J. College Science Teaching, 23 (5), 286-290 (1993). R.M. Felder and E.R. Henriques, &quot;Learning and Teaching Styles in Foreign and Second Language Education,&quot; Foreign Language Annals, 28 (1), 21-31 (1995). R.M. Felder, &quot;Matters of Style.&quot; ASEE Prism, 6 (4), 18-23 (December 1996).

19. Taking Learning Styles Online Nancy G. Abney, Instructor & Program Manager UAB Graduate School Professional Development Program [email_address]