Week 9 - My Thoughts on the Relationship Between Learning Styles and Technology, and some General Reflections on the WebSkills Course

Although schools have always been populated by unique learners with unique needs, this uniqueness has not always been fully embraced. Despite repeated calls for more "progressive" approaches, traditional teaching methods that tend to focus on the "stand and deliver" model have typically endured. Consequently, schooling in general has not been truly inclusive. The students with learning styles and cognitive competencies that do not fit with the prevailing teaching styles have, in a sense, been marginalized. In other words, classrooms have not been addressing the unique diversity of students' learning styles.

This week's readings and discussions conveyed the notion that modern technology can help teachers reach a range of learning styles and cognitive competencies in the classroom. The consensus seems to be that technology holds promise for for helping teachers address the diverse needs of students. However, it has to be stressed that the presence of technology in classrooms is itself certainly not a magic bullet or educational panacea. How the technology is used is what counts! Teachers now have powerful tools that can help them work with information in ways that can reach more learning styles. The trick is ensuring that teachers know how to use these new tools effectively. In the absence of guidance, some teachers might use new technology to simply reinforce their traditional teaching practices. In doing so, they will fail to honor the unique learning styles of many of their students.

As I mentioned in my discussion posting this week, I think it is the "multimedia" rich features of modern computer technology that makes it potentially valuable for addressing multiple learning modalities. Teachers now have tools that allow them to integrate elements of text, audio, images, animations, and video into their lessons in innovative and creative ways. As we have learned in our WebSkills course, digital technology also broadens the range of opportunities for engaging students in project-based learning opportunities. Teaching and learning that employs digital technology does not have to be confined to any one learning style, rather it can embrace multiple learning styles (sometimes simultaneously). In a way, information technology can be thought of as a bridge or potential link between the curriculum and diverse learners. If employing technology effectively, a teacher can "cast a web" of instruction that captures the interests and imaginations of a wide variety of learners.

By casting such a web, we can bring all learners together under the same umbrella of classroom learning. If we approach a concept or topic from several viewpoints (or ways of understanding it), we not only reach more students, we also enrich the learning experience for all students. In effect, we take a more holistic approach to teaching that embraces whole-brain learning. The idea behind such learning is that it is best for instruction to emphasize a broad range of cognitive capabilities, rather than focus on a narrow range. When we employ this kind of teaching within the context of a collaborative and project-based environment, we create conditions where students can learn from each other's diverse learning styles -- we create a learning environment where everybody has something to offer! In this type of holistic teaching and learning setting, each students' unique learning modalities are not only considered personal gifts, but can be thought of as gifts to the group as a whole.

I think digital technologies, with their propensity for facilitating multimedia-oriented and interactive activities, are tools that can be leveraged by teachers to create learning experiences that are rich in perspective and form. When used to their full advantage, digital technologies can help teachers create learning situations and experiences that are likely to resonate with a broad range of cognitive capabilities and a broad range of learners. The World Wide Web offers a countess number of versatile tools that when used by creative, enthusiastic, innovative, and knowledgeable teachers can result in the creation of valuable experiences for all students.

This week's discussion was timely, as it encouraged me think about my Project Plan in yet another light. As I worked to complete my plan this week, I was reminded that within the new group of six ESL students that I will have this fall, there will likely be six unique learning styles! However, I think the project-based nature of my proposed "avatar presentation project" mitigates the risk of any one particular learning style will be marginalized. Although I will provide a detailed framework for the project, my students will have considerable flexibility within that framework to capitalize on their own individual strengths. Furthermore, since we will develop a rubric together at the outset of the project, it can take into consideration the multiple ways the students might want to express their knowledge and their learning progress. Having students contribute to the planning of their activities means that their individual learning modalities are embedded within the activities!

As I reflect on the above ideas, I feel like I am starting to construct a unified understanding of the various topics we have discussed during our course. The challenge will be integrating what I have learned into my own teaching -- as well as conveying central ideas to my teaching colleagues. The "trick" to meeting this challenge I have come to realize is approaching integration one step at a time! The technology itself can be overwhelming and distracting, so discussions need to revolve around pedagogy. Once central ideas around teaching and learning are established, it is easier to look at the application of technology to those ideas. That being said, the world of technology continues to evolve, with new tools and resources "going online" everyday. I will do my best to keep pace with those developments, while staying focused on how they might be applied to educational contexts to support best pedagogical practices. I suspect that one of the best ways to continue learning about the application of computer technology to language instruction is to keep in touch with my WebSkills classmates! It is nice to know that I have a team of wise practitioners at my fingertips. Perhaps some of the public blogs and personal emails will continue into the future, allowing us to continue to learn from each other well after the course has ended!