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Return to: ETAP 623 Spring 2021 (Byrne) | Elizabeth Choinsky's Portfolio Page |
Incorporating Learning Styles Throughout the Learning Process

About Me

My name is Elizabeth Choinsky. I am a recent Saint Rose grad from their dual Childhood and Special Education Bachelor's program. My concentration was in logic and computing. My preferred grade level is 3rd-6th as students in this stage of development are beginning to explore more complex learning and problem solving strategies. I believe that with the right support every student can be successful in any challenge they decide to take on. I hope to use the ever growing technologies of the world to better equip students in need.

My Topic and Purpose

TOPIC: How to differentiate elementary education for multiple learning styles

GOALS/LESSONS:
1. Define and classify learning styles
2. Identify student learning styles using personality quiz and/or individual preferences
3. Strategies and implementation of differentiated instruction to include multiple learning styles
4. How to shape assessments to include multiple ways of answering questions

• How to continue the differentiation beyond the lesson

The goal of this mini course is to help educators identify and better differentiate instruction for elementary students in regards to individual learning styles for increased student success.

Needs Assessment

Instructional Problem: The need for educators to provide students differentiated instruction regarding learning styles for increased student success.

What will be learned: Educators will learn how to identify student learning styles, strategies for implementation for differentiated instruction to better include multiple learning styles, and how to shape assessments to include multiple options for demonstrating knowledge utilizing learning styles.

About the learners: Participants in this course will be pre-service elementary education professionals, current elementary education professionals, or other paraprofessionals interested in differentiating instruction to better cater to student needs. These educators have an inherit interest in student success and are therefore self-driven to learn more about individualized instructional planning.

Why this course is beneficial: Learning styles are highly individualized, even within their multiple subcategories. Every student has an ideal learning scenario that highlights their particular interests, needs and abilities. “How an individual actively constructs schema is highly personal” and therefore requires careful planning for optimal student success. (Fiorenza & Hanna, 2020) The ability to recognize “students’ learning preferences and provide differentiated instruction that [offers] more opportunities to enhance success among students” is highly sought after in any classroom. (Fiorenza & Hanna, 2020) Studies have shown that learning styles play an “important role on intelligence, cognitive styles and behaviours” especially when talking about the “receiving-processing of any information.” (Günes & Sahin, 2019) Utilizing learning styles to better support students is vital because “no one way is right… Each learning style has its advantages and disadvantages.” (Costa & E., 2001) Therefore, learning how to better apply these techniques can help an educator “incorporate learning styles into curriculum design across disciplines.” (Costa & E., 2001)

Instructional content: These lessons within this course will have a similar format. Educators will be asked to read a short excerpt relating to the specific unit. Following the reading, educators will be asked to complete a short quiz confirming their understanding of the previous topic. There will be a section for questions that will be submitted to the professor for review/clarification. Some units will have interactive, hypothetical situations to work through to better test your knowledge. Educators will be asked to create a short lesson about a topic of their choice applying a minimum of three learning styles into the instruction of said topic.

Explore instructional problem/solution: Participants may be located in different areas around the world. Participants may not follow the same curriculum standards and/or goals for their students.

Generate goals: Goals for this course will be for participants to leave with confidence and a new knowledge about learning styles as well as how to implement them into daily instruction. This will be measured by comparing quizzes given at the beginning and end of the course.

Performance-Based Objectives

Define course-level target objectives

Task Analysis

Elaborate and analyze the objectives to identify more specific enabling and supporting objectives.

Curriculum Map

References and Resources

• Della Costa, D. E. (2001). Current Trends in Learning Styles. Florida Communication Journal, 29(2), 66–74.
  
• Wininger, S. R., Redifer, J. L., Norman, A. D., & Ryle, M. K. (2019). Prevalence of Learning Styles in Educational Psychology and Introduction to Education Textbooks: A Content Analysis. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 18(3), 221–243.
  
• Fiorenza, L. E., & Hanna, L. G. (2019). Greater Differentiation of Instruction and Mastery of Learning for Student Teachers by Utilizing the True Colors™ Model. Journal for the Advancement of Educational Research International, 13(1), 47–54.
  
• Günes, G., & Sahin, V. (2019). The Algorithm of Mathematical Modelling for Learning Styles of Pre-School Children. Education 3-13, 47(3), 277–292.