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Learning strategies in PBLteam project and
professional communication
Xiangyun Du Sep26th, 2008
Agenda
• Learning strategies in PBL – Learning styles– Learning in a team project
• Professional communication – oral presentation skills
How much are you aware of your learning?– Preferred method – Strength – Weaknesses
How much are you aware of the changing process of your learning?
Exercise 1The learning styles test (1)
1. Circle "a" or "b" for every one of the 44 questions.
The learning styles test (2)
2. Fill out the scoring sheet with a ’1’ for each of your answers.
3. Add ’1’s in column ’a’ and column ’b’ in each of the 4 fields.
4. Calculate the numerical difference between a-score and b-score and add an ’a’ or a ’b’ depending upon which is the larger sum.
The learning styles test (3)
5. Transfer your 4 preferences to the preference sheet which you keep yourself.
6. Each group member transfers her/his 4 preferences to the group preference sheet, as well as to the group acetate.
7. The scoring sheet is handed in to the lecturer. Remember to write name, sex and nationality. The group acetate is also handed in to the lecturer.
The learning styles test (3)
Learning styles
Individuals’ different ways of taking in and processing information
- Richard Felder
How do you do reading?
Some people…sometimes…
Factors Influencing Learning Styles
Before entering the University• Native ability (IQ)• Background (past experiences)
At the University• Learning environment e.g. match between learning style and
teaching style
Purpose of Testing Learning Style• To know about yourself - ‘in which
way a student is smart’ rather than ‘whether this student is smart or not’
• To help learners to develop learning strategies and improve their learning by balancing it.
• To work with our teaching style to match and maximize student learning
But not to • Divide people into a set category as
blood types – instead, it is just measuring height or weight along some point in life
Different learning styles 1 Active Learners• Retain and understand
information best by doing something active
• Like discussion or applying it or explaining it to others
• ‘let’s try it out and see how it works’
• Like group work
Reflective Learners• Think about it quietly
before talk• Let’s think it through
first • Prefer working alone
quietly
Everybody is sometimes active and sometimes reflective. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.
It is hard for both learning types sitting through lectures without getting to do anything physical but taking notes, particularly hard for active learners.
Different learning styles 2
Sensing Learners • Tend to like facts• Like solving problems by
well-established methods and dislike complications and surprises
• Be patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on work
• More practical and careful• don’t like courses that have
no apparent connection to the real world
Intuitive Learners• Prefer discovering possibilities
and relationships • Like innovation and dislike
repetition• Be better at grasping new
concepts and more comfortable with abstractions and mathematical formulations
• Work faster and more imaginative
• Don’t like courses that involve a lot of memorization and routine calculation
Everybody is sometimes sensing and sometimes intuitive. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.
Different learning styles 3
Visual LearnersRemember best
what they see - ‘Show me’
• Pictures• Diagrams• Sketches• schematics• Flow charts• plots
Verbal learners Getting more out of
words - ‘Explain it to me’
• Spoken words• Written words
Everybody is both visual and verbal. Preferring one does not mean that you don’t learn in the other way. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.
Different learning styles 4
Sequential Learners • Gain understanding in
linear steps • Follow logical stepwise
paths in finding solutions
• Feel comfortable explaining things
Global Learners • Learning in large jumps,
absorbing materials almost randomly without seeing connections, and suddenly ‘get it’. Need big picture to function
• Solve complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big picture
• Feel difficult to explainWhich is your preference? Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.
Strong(-)
Moderate
(-)
Mild(-)
Mild(+)
Moderate
(+)
Strong(+)
Active(-)/Reflective(+)
68 137 157 84 42 5
Sensitive(-)/Intuitive(+)
38 126 154 98 53 24
Visual (-)/Verbal (+)
118 197 112 55 10 1
Sequential(-)/Global(+)
5 70 144 177 81 16
The learning styles of the 493 students divided into strong, moderate and mild preferences, AAU, 2003 (Kolmos & Holgaard 2008)
Learning style preferences related to disciplines at Aalborg University (Kolmos & Holgaard 2008)
Profession Active%
Sensing%
Visual%
Sequential
%
Architecture & Design (N=77) 79 38 96 32
Building & Civil Engineering (N=63) 84 81 95 60
Computer Engineering & Science (N=70)
71 69 81 47
Physics & Nanotechnology (N=25) 80 52 92 28
Electronics (N=57) 72 74 88 40
Mathematics (N=14) 50 71 79 57
Global Business Development & Industry (N=73)
78 55 85 68
Chemistry, Bio- & Health Technology (N=62)
53 77 77 52
Geography, Land Surveying and Planning & Environment (N=52)
77 71 81 44
Summary
• All types of learners are needed in every profession
• All learning styles are needed to addressed and satisfied in teaching
www.comestic.com
Please discuss with your group members:How can you make best of and learn from each other based on your individual strengths and weakness?
Managing Team Project
What is a team project?
• A unique task
• Have a lot of complex activities
• Needs several people with different skills
• Have a shared goal/objectives
• Limited resources (time, money, people)
• Have to deliver a result at a given time:– As a minimum a written report
Student’s own goalsOfficial goals for education
Fullfilment of official goals for education
Fullfilment of student’sown goals
Init problem Project Project report
Project unit
PS courses Consultancy
Learning goals in project work
Complementary skills
Wider perspectives
Team projectA forum for discussion and reflection
Challenges
Learning opportunities
Motivation and supports
Good teams are collections of differences and companies would like to get cross-functional teams
Domination by an individual
Using too much time
Taking one’s own purpose
Slipping into conformity and groupthink
How can a team benefit a project?
How can a team damage a project?
How clear, relevant and realistic is your goal?
Have you done team building excise?
How do you conductmeetings?
The team performance curve
High performing team
Real team
Potential team
Pseudo team
Working group
Interact with each otherShare informaiton, experiencesHelp each otherDo not share a common goal
No shared goalDo not know how to collaboratePersonal conflictNo interest in joining forcesWeak group
Try to set up clear goalsTry to collaborateTry to share workBut a long way to go…
Complementary skillsCommitted to common goals and working approachesGood social environment
Do more At the best level
Integration•Crystallization of roles•Sub-groups•Deeper communication•We - feeling
Conflicts•Divide /rule•Alliances•Management
Maturity•Clear goals and role•Mutual respect•Clear communication of facts and feelings•Constructive criticism•Consensus
Honeymoon•“Nice” communication•Unity and generosity•Idealization
The initial phase•Uncertainty•Vague norms and roles•Power struggles
The Group Process
(Lenneer-Axelson and Thylefors 1993)
I ndividual needs
Team needs
Task need
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Diversity of group situation
Diversity of group situation
Professional communication (oral presentation)
Group work • To make a ‘do’ list for making
oral presentation • To make a ‘donot’ list for making
oral presentation
The short presentation plan
1. Tell them what you are going to tell them!
2. Tell them!3. Tell them what you have told them!
The longer presentation plan
Questions to ask:• Who is to know? Receiver, code,
power • What is my point? Message• Why do I want to tell? Motivation• How much do I know? Competence• How should I tell it? Focus, media• Where/when to tell? Situation• How do I behave? Attitude
Things to think about:
Content - message, structure
Appearance - confident, open, lively (eye-contact, hands)
Articulation - clear, fluent, correct terminology (write)
AV-aids - blackboard, OHP, PowerPoint, posters, film
Time-management - organise, message
Group collaboration - organise, message
Plan - rehearse - evaluate – review – rehearse etc.
The longer presentation plan
39
Oral presentations - body language
Elements in body language• eyes• facial mimic• gesture• posture• position• dressing
• Be aware of your body language – often there is a contradiction between what you say and what your body tells
• Some examples which may well be culturally biased??
Oral presentations - body language
How do you think of these?
How do you think of these?
How do you think of these?
Nervousness . . . . . . .
Everyone is nervous, insecure and/or exited - the only thing that helps is practice.
• Prepare
• Rehearse
o in front of friends
o in front of mirror
• Write introduction + conclusion
Strategies • Using manuscript• Using clue card with keywords• Design of slides (put more words)• Choosing certain audience to have eye
contact• Remember: You are the one knowing
the subject in most details, often much better than censor and lecturer.
Asignment 1• Please prepare for a powerpoint
presentation which cover: – A brief introduction to your P0 project– Project management (goal, time plan,
resources, methods, expectation, etc)– Team management (how you work
together, e.g. Code of conduct, collaboration agreement, etc)
• Make a team based, max 8 minutes long presention next time (Oct 3rd)
Asignment 2Please look through a 7th semester project
report and discuss in your group:– Please list 3 good points (what you can learn
from it)– Please critize constructively on 3 points (what
could be done to make it better)