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

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. Honey and MumfordModel of Learning Styles Activist Pragmatist Theorist Reflector Games Active tasks Problem-solving Decision-making Logical analysis Text analysis Data analysis Simulations

5. Games Active tasks Problem-solving Decision-making Logical analysis Text analysis Data analysis Simulations Matching cards Drag and drop Category sorting Labelling diagrams Sequencing cards Identifying key points Identifying trends Ordering events Learning Styles;Learning Tasks

6. Constructivism and Learning Styles • Learners are unique • They form constructs • Constructs must be corrected • Feedback is crucial

7. Deep and Surface Learning New Learning New Learning Existing Learning Existing Learning

8. TasksClassroomComputer Must be: • Kinaesthetic • Fun • High order (Bloom) • Related to effect sizes Bloom found that over 95% of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level...the recall of information’.

9. 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

10. Lecture Reading Audio/visual Demonstration Discussion Practice by doing Teach others 5% 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% 90% Recall Rates

11. Learning Object Design • Set Learning Outcomes using Bloom • Present material • Create tasks according to effect sizes • Assess • Feedback

12. 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

13. 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

14. Figure 2 –Linear Learning Object with Internal Assessment Loops Learning content phase 1 Learning content phase 2 Learning content phase 3 Learning content phase 4 Cognitive Diagnosis Assessment Failed diagnosis sends learner out Pass on to next action or Learning Object 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

15. Figure 3 –LS Diagnosis Determines Content Presented Throughout LO Learning content Type 1, phase 2 Learning content Type 1, phase 3 Learning content Type 1, phase 4 Learning content Type 1, phase 1 Assessment Type 1 Learning Style Diagnosis Learning content Type 2, phase 2 Learning content Type 2, phase 3 Learning content Type 2, phase 4 Learning content Type 2, phase 1 Assessment Type 2 Learning content Type 3, phase 2 Learning content Type 3, phase 3 Learning content Type 3, phase 4 Learning content Type 3, phase 1 Assessment Type 3

16. Figure 4 – LO Structure Based on LS Diagnosis Learning Content Phase 1 Learning Content Phase 2 Learning Content Phase 3 Learning Content Phase 4 Learning Object assessment Cognitive pre-assessment Learning Style Diagnosis Type 1 Next Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Out or re-assess in different style Failure loops back to phase according to assessment

17. 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

18. Figure 6 – A Mixed Profile of Services in an e-learning Programme Learning Content Interaction Conversational review Task Student/tutor exchange Recorded performance Progression LO VLE Off-line VLE Assessment VLE LO interaction Reflector/ Activist Reflector Activist Pragmatist Theorist Reflector Pragmatist

19. Figure 7 – A Mixed Profile of Services in an e-learning Programme – Reflector and Theorist LO interaction Learning Content Assessment Task Student/tutor exchange Recorded performance Store interaction LO LO assessment Research VLE Assessment VLE score Reflector/ Activist Reflector Theorist Reflector Theorist Reflector Reflector

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

21. 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