Each individual learner has a particular way in which they prefer to learn. However, learners do not always get the opportunity to learn in this manner due to the particular style of the course they are taking or the facilitator and as such can find the process difficult. By the time we reach adulthood our learning style is often quite well defined. As such research has shown that it may possibilities arise when we take a closer look into learners learning styles and such possibilities can then be brought to life through technology.

This page deals with a brief look at the different types of learning styles and also how on technological advance, i.e.: dynamic web pages can be used to provide for such styles.

LEARNING STYLES

DYNAMIC WEB PAGES

It has been widely agreed that there is no one theory for the process of adult education due to the incredible number of variables involved in the process (Brookfield 1996). Variables such as cognitive style, learning styles, psychology , cultural diversity, personality, and motivating factors are only the tip of the iceberg. However, some thought research and incorporation of some of the more distinct variables into the setting up of continuing educational courses can greatly enhance the overall learning process.

For example, in dealing with Learning Styles it is important to remember that different students learn best from different approaches. Research has shown that teachers often ignore this and arrange their learning in their own particular learning style making it useless once they try to impose it on learners with different styles. One example of learning styles has been developed by Kolbs who separates learners into one of four categories based on the outcome of a short quiz.

Kolbs Learning Styles:

A second example of where some research into a variable can be effective is that of motivating factors, yet they are by no means as clear cut. As you can set out the Kolbs learning style to test and evaluate a persons particular style it is far harder to figure out what exactly motivates a person and such factors continually changing throughout a persons life. Knowles believes it to be self-actualizaiton and a sense that learning will progress the person in their career or personal life, whereas Merriam et al (1991) sights Houle as separating the motivations of learners into 3 very general typologies:

Perhaps one of the most useful features of technology is its flexibility, that is that it can be adapted to varying degrees to suit the user in light of the outcomes of the above examples. As you may realise from an educational stand point this aspect has huge appeal. One such example of where the use of technology can be used to facilitate such flexibility and restructuring of required data to enhance the learning process is that of dynamic web pages.

Dynamic web pages are pages that through the use of a database can be constructed from the same base of data but viewed in a way that suits the given user, based on their interaction with the web page. These pages differ from static web pages which are almost like pages of a book simply displayed on a screen. These pages are extremely useful in terms of the Internet where users can determine their own path through information and sites. A prime example of the use of dynamic web pages is on-line purchasing where the store has a huge database of it's products and prices and once the user clicks on whichever product he/she wishes to buy the details are retrieved from the database and displayed on the scree. If taken one step further such web pages could be used as a means of interaction and education in many different areas of education.

© Lillian Clarke MITE01 2001 - 2002