Using Learning Styles to Improve On-line Learning Through Computer Assisted Diagnosis

Carolyn May and Dr Kevin Palmer

Yale College, Wrexham and Salford City Learning Centre

Using Learning Styles to Improve On-line Learning Through Computer Assisted Diagnosis

Contents

The Context of the Paper – North Wales e-training Partnership

The General Context – Learning Styles and Teaching and Learning

Honey and Mumford – A Model of Learning Styles – Learning Styles and Learning Tasks

Constructivism

Deep and Surface Learning

Tasks – Classroom to Computer

Learning Object Design

The Application of Learning Styles to LO Content Design

The Application of Learning Styles to VLE Based Learning Management

Context

The Context of this Paper – Learning Styles, Learning Objects and the North Wales e-training Partnership

The General Context – Learning Styles and Teaching and Learning

Honey and MumfordModel of Learning Styles

Activist

Pragmatist

Theorist

Reflector

Games

Active tasks

Problem-solving

Decision-making

Logical analysis

Text analysis

Data analysis

Simulations

Learning Styles;Learning Tasks

GamesActive tasksProblem-solvingDecision-makingLogical analysisText analysisData analysisSimulations

Matching cardsDrag and dropCategory sortingLabelling diagramsSequencing cardsIdentifying key pointsIdentifying trendsOrdering events

Constructivism and Learning Styles

Learners are unique

They form constructs

Constructs must be corrected

Feedback is crucial

Deep and Surface Learning

Existing Learning

New Learning New Learning

Existing Learning

Tasks Classroom Computer

Must be: Kinaesthetic Fun High order (Bloom) Related to effect sizes

Bloom found that over Bloom found that over 95%95% of the test questions students of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level...the recall of information’.level...the recall of information’.

Size of Effects

No effect = 0

1.00 = an increase of one standard deviation – associated with advancing a student’s education by one year – a two grade leap in GCSE e.g. from C-A

Recall Rates

Lecture Reading Audio/visual Demonstration Discussion Practice by doing Teach others

5% 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% 90%

Learning Object Design

Set Learning Outcomes using Bloom

Present material

Create tasks according to effect sizes

Assess

Feedback

The Application of Learning Styles to LO Content Design

Content reviewed

VLE Vendor-created products, most notably Teknical

The product portfolio distributed through the NLN product development project since the late 1990’s

The BBC’s on-line education content, most specifically the GCSE Bitesize group of products

The S-cool range of revision products

Thomson Net-g’s product range, and its published papers on research and development

The FD Learning product range, and its published papers on research and development

Products created and distributed through JISC programmes, most notably the 5/99 and Exchange for Learning programmes

Figure 1 – Simple Linear Learning Object

Cognitive Diagnosis

Learning content phase 1

Learning content phase 2

Learning content phase 3

Learning content phase 4

Assessment

Figure 2 –Linear Learning Object with Internal Assessment Loops

Cognitive Diagnosis

Learning content phase 1

Learning content phase 2

Learning content phase 3

Learning content phase 4

Assessment

Failed diagnosis sends learner out

Failed end-of-phase assessment repeats phase

Failed end-of-phase assessment repeats phase

Failed end-of-phase assessment repeats phase

Failed end-of-phase assessment repeats phase

Failed end-of-Learning-Object assessment repeats Learning Object

Pass on to next action or Learning Object

Figure 3 –LS Diagnosis Determines Content Presented Throughout LO

Learning Style Diagnosis

Learning content Type 1, phase 1

Learning content Type 1, phase 2

Learning content Type 1, phase 3

Learning content Type 1, phase 4

Assessment

Type 1

Learning content Type 2, phase 1

Learning content Type 2, phase 2

Learning content Type 2, phase 3

Learning content Type 2, phase 4

Assessment

Type 2

Learning content Type 3, phase 1

Learning content Type 3, phase 2

Learning content Type 3, phase 3

Learning content Type 3, phase 4

Assessment

Type 3

Figure 4 – LO Structure Based on LS Diagnosis

Learning Style Diagnosis

Cognitive pre-assessment

Type 1

Type 2

Type 3

Type 4

Learning Content Phase 1

Learning Object assessment

Out or re-assess in different style

Learning Content Phase 2

Learning Content Phase 3

Learning Content Phase 4

Next

Failure loops back to phase according to assessment

The Application of Learning Styles to VLE Based Learning Management

Three Models

Wholly Mixed – Caters for all four learning styles

Reflector and Theorist Mix – the caricature of the ‘academic’ programme and learner

The Activist and Pragmatist Mix – the caricature of the ‘vocational’ programme and learner

Learning Content

LO interaction

Conversational review

Task Student/tutor exchange

Recorded performance

Progression

LO

Interaction

VLE Off-line VLE Assessment VLE

Reflector Reflector/

Activist

Activist Pragmatist Theorist Reflector Pragmatist

Figure 6 – A Mixed Profile of Services in an e-learning Programme

Learning Content

LO interaction

Assessment Task Student/tutor exchange

Recorded performance

Store

LO interaction LO assessment Research VLE Assessment VLE score

Reflector Reflector/

Activist

Theorist Reflector Theorist Reflector Reflector

Figure 7 – A Mixed Profile of Services in an e-learning Programme – Reflector and Theorist

Web discovery

task

LO interaction

Conversational review

Task Peer exchange Group exercise Progression

LO prompts

interaction VLE Off-line VLE discussion VLE VLE

Pragmatist Reflector/

Activist

Activist Pragmatist Activist Activist Pragmatist

Figure 8 – A Mixed Profile of Services in an e-learning Programme – Pragmatist and Activist

Conclusions

Objectives set using Bloom LO’s rely on theorist/reflector styles Constructivism supports Activist/Pragmatist styles Integrated assessment and feedback Cost and benefit to learning style based LO design Flexibility and explicitness in programme design for e-learners Next steps for research