Question 3

Provide an analysis of how you would provide for the diversity of learning styles and ensure that deep learning occurs in all students when teaching a lesson.

Students have many styles of learning, and a good teacher will provide different styles of instruction to ensure that most (or ideally all) students will get something that inspires them from every lesson.

The depth of student learning will vary depending on how engaged they are and whether the content is accessible to their learning style.

The teachers ability to provide diverse teaching will therefore help more students to achieve a deeper level of learning.

Older style 'formal' teaching methods do not address diversity because they present content in a very rigid textual way - 'one size fits all', with set exercises and progression of learning.

The opposite to the 'formal' approach is individualised learning. In the ideal world each student would be able to work one on one with their teacher so that the teaching is customised to suit the temperament, learning style and prior knowledge of that student.

In the ultimate individualised teaching a perfect balance could be struck so the student is excited, their curiosity is sparked, they want to explore, they are working just on the edge of what they are comfortable with, they have sufficient prior learning to continue, they are working in the 'style' that suits their primary intelligences, they have the time, space and resources to do real interactive, hands on work, and the resources available would include other knowledgeable peers and mentors.

This 'Gold' standard for learning fits the ideas of the constructivists - that knowledge is not fixed, but is rather re-built, or constructed by each student as they learn.

Piaget - knowledge is a scheme - we modify our scheme throughout our lives

Vygotsky tells us that the learning is social, and occurs as students talk to each other about the work and are supported by knowledgeable mentors (The ZPD).

Gardner tells us that our very brains are 'wired' (but still flexible) to experience the world differently. Each student has a unique mix of 'intelligences', with strengths in some areas and weaknesses in others. The implication is that teaching which works with some students will not necessarily work with all - and it is therefore good to teach in as many 'modes' as is practical.

http://www.studentretentioncenter.ucla.edu/sfiles/multipleintelligences.htm



Bloom tells us that we need to attend to the quality of the students learning. A student knowing some information about a subject is a poor substitute for a student who is able to analyse the subject and creatively work with it.
Unfortunately the opportunity of doing one on one instruction is rarely available in the real world due to financial and resource limitations. We teachers therefore have to somehow cater for diversity so we can facilitate deep learning within the restraints of larger groups with time and resource limitations.

How would I provide for diversity and deep learning in my teaching area?

Within a Mathematics context it is challenging!

I need to provide instruction that appeals to not only the mathematical/logical intelligence, but also the kinesthetic, musical, visual, emotional, interpersonal, and linguistitc intelligences.

An example lesson about calculating the surface area of three dimensional shapes might include: An excercise where students cut out and assemble shapes from paper or cardboard and then calculate the area of the paper used would engage the kinesthetic/spatial/body intelligence. A setup of bottles or drums with different volumes used to make different notes could appeal to the musical/auditory intelligence. An exercise to consider how different shaped buildings look 'friendly' or 'threatening' could address the emotional, interpersonal or linguistic intelligences.

Students who achieve success in excercises which match their own strengths may find that it is easier to attempt excercises that use intelligences at which they are less strong.

Here is a grid that maps teaching activities to Gardner's multiple intelligences and Bloom's coginitive outcomes for a mathematics lesson on the surface area of three dimensional shapes:

	Remember	Understand	Apply	Analyse	Evaluate	Create
Linguistic	Create rhymes or poems to remember formulas for different shapes					Write a syntax document for area formulas
Logical-Mathematical	Practice basic formulas for component shapes.	Choose the correct formula for different shapes	Attempt excercises to calculate surface areas of different shapes	Work on rules for shapes based on the number of faces and vertices		Create derivative area formulas for complex shapes
Naturalist		Find occurances of shapes in nature			Explain the occurance of shapes in nature (eg honeycomb)
Spatial		Draw three dimensional representations of shapes		Work on shapes with maximum and minimum surface areas	Compare surface area to volume for large and small creatures (eg mice versus elephants) And discuss with regards to energy retention
Bodily Kinesthetic	Step out large spaces within the school and calculate their areas
Musical		Use drums with different surface areas		Corelate surface are of drum to sound
Interpersonal	Make up personalities for basic shapes, and see what happens when they are added...
Intrapersonal

Some of these combinations are a bit forced! Still it is possible with a bit of work to come up with different lessons or activities to match the different learning styles, while moving towards deeper learning.