early thoughts on new dissertation topic - e-Learning and kinesthetic learners

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:15:02 GMT

Finally settled on a new dissertation topic, give or take some emphasis here and there. A working title is: How effectively does e-Learning cater to the learning needs of the kinesthetic (language) learner?

Questions to be explored en route *might* include:

- What is a kinesthetic learner? - Does it exist? - Various takes on groupings of learning styles (and which one do we choose to work with?)

Then on e-Learning and how well / badly it provides for kinesthetic learners:

- The hype around e-learning

- Does e-Learning naturally or traditionally cater to learners with visual, aural or verbal preference?

- How e-learning can constrain the learner, tying him to his desk, and why this can be a bad thing - not the least in the light of existing theory on use of space in classroom management and physical tasks to aid learning

- Theory on physical learning / physical language learning – Total Physical Response - Expression in language learning - Body language in language learning

- How learning in the real world can take place and be supported by the online classroom (this idea inspired by ULOE course assignment, for which we had to learn something new, preferably a motor skill, and discuss this and report on the process of learning)

- Proportion of e-learning that caters to which learning styles - Responsibility of kinesthetic learners for their *own* learning – rejection of 'classroom osmosis' ; role of teacher in encouraging this - Holistic learning and yoga etc

But: can e-Learning be beneficial for kinesthetic learners, where for example grammar exercises are replaced by more dynamic and interactive online exercises / drills?

Obstacles:

- more than one style of learning is likely AND they are not mutually exclusive

- selection of learning style questionnaire is vital; many are poorly designed surveys, with great ambiguity. Could design own questionnaire on learning styles.

Key questions:

- to what extent does e-Learning benefit from a ‘real-world centred approach’ regardless of learning style

- Is balance of course design essential - too much of one thing (in e-learning, verbal / social content is prevalent) is tedious?

- Does e-Learning tend to too easily drop many of the trusted cornerstones of good language teaching – affective, role-setting, purpose-setting, etc – because it is new, because it is different?

Method:

Initial survey to attain sample. Then interviews with those who have strong kinesthetic preference – garnering their feedback on how comfortable they felt learning this way, and so on.

Potential recommendation, depending on findings (grounded theory) that further research be conducted to compare learning experiences of Kinesthetic Learners learning in routine e-learning and those learning through Total Physical Response-like e-Learning.

Beware potential flaws in mis-diagnosing learning styles. The best way might be to pose a problem, then have them reflect on how they resolved it...

Jez : Weblog items tagged with dissertation

early thoughts on new dissertation topic - e-Learning and kinesthetic learners