SPSU 1001 Hitchhikers Guide to SPSU Learning Styles

SPSU 1001 Hitchhiker’s Guide to SPSU Learning Styles Copyright © 2010 by Bob Brown

Hitchhiker’s Guide ? A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979) says Don’t Panic “in large, friendly letters on the cover. ”

Introductions Dr. Jon A Preston • 18 years’ experience in teaching IT/CS/Gaming • Very interested in teaching and learning • BS, MS and Ph. D in Computer Science (Georgia Tech and Georgia State)

Your Education So Far • In elementary school, you memorized. • • Spelling Addition and multiplication tables The “shapes” of words for reading. Questions had right answers. • In high school, you learned more complex material. • Proofs and derivations in math • Points of view in history and literature • The fact of questions with unknown answers in the sciences and other subjects. • Most questions still had right answers.

Critical Thinking • In coming to college, you have chosen to work with your brain, not your back. (Good. ) • In college, and later at work, you will be asked to analyze, often on the basis of incomplete knowledge, and provide an educated opinion. “If it’s all opinion, why should I study? ”

Your Grade Comes From… • The answers you give. (There’s still a lot of material with “right answers” in college. ) • How well you support your opinions. The opinion part of an answer almost doesn’t count; what counts is showing how you reached your opinion. • You support your opinion through: • Authority: what do experts think about this. • Evidence: what known facts support your opinion. • You have to think critically, organize, and know the material!

College is Different • All of you are smart • Most of you were in the top 10% in high school. … what does that imply? • Equivalent success means more work at the university level. • You have more freedoms… • … and more responsibilities.

People are Different • We have different strengths and attributes. • That applies to our brains as well as our bodies. • If you know your strengths… • You can play to your strengths • And compensate when necessary

People Have Different Learning Styles • Four “axes” • • Active – Reflective Sensing – Intuitive Visual – Verbal Sequential – Global • Like height, weight, strength, hair color, the differences are of degree, • Like some physical attributes ( such as strength) we can exercise our learning styles.

Active and Reflective • Active Learners: • Learn best by doing • Want to try things out • Enjoy working in groups • Reflective Learners: • Prefer to think about something first • Want to think things through • May prefer working alone

Sensing and Intuitive • Sensing Learners: • Like learning facts • Solve problems by well-established methods • Dislike surprises • Intuitive Learners: • Like discovering relationships • Dislike repetition • Enjoy new challenges

Visual and Verbal • Visual Learners: • Remember what they see • Verbal Learners: • Remember what they hear

Sequential and Global • Sequential (Linear) learners: • Learn in logical steps • Want to follow all steps to a conclusion • Global (Associative) learners: • Learn in big jumps • Absorb material almost randomly • Suddenly put the pieces together and “get it”

Exercise • Consider how you learn, then place yourself “somewhere along” each of the four axes. • Example: • • Strongly reflective Somewhat verbal Neither visual nor verbal Mostly global

Exercise • Four “axes” • • Active – Reflective Sensing – Intuitive Visual – Verbal Sequential – Global • “Placement” words • • Strongly Mostly Somewhat Neither ___ nor ___.

More About The Course • You will submit your homework using email. • Due dates are always by 6 am. • This course is graded, and counts in your GPA. • There is no textbook!

Questions