Types of Learning Strategies

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This week, we learned about types of learning strategies. Personally, when I started teaching, I was so out of depth of what I needed to do that I followed the textbook strictly as it has the step-by-step of what to teach, when to introduce the topics, the pre-task, the activities, everything. Slowly, I tried to loosen myself by taking tips from my senior colleagues and did my own research on teaching and learning strategies. It turned out that there were so many learning strategies that I could use in my classroom, and I learned more about them this week. So, let's start!

There are 10 types of learning strategies, in which they are divided into 2 groups; teacher-centered and student-centered.


TEACHER-CENTERED LEARNING STRATEGIES

The teacher functions in the familiar role of classroom lecturer, presenting information to the students, who are expected to passively receive the knowledge being presented. 

1. Presentation-learning strategies.




This strategy is heavily relied on the teachers giving information to students. It is designed to help students acquire and assimilate  information expected to be learned. There are 4 phases to employing this strategy:

  • Teachers must present objectives of the lesson so that students know what to be learned at the end of the lesson.
  • Teachers use advanced organizers to scaffold new information.
  • Teachers present information to be learned by students.
  • Teachers help students extend  and strengthen their thinking.
When teachers want to use presentation lessons in the classroom, they must;

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    Connect content and advance organizers to student’s prior knowledge
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    Be sure lesson delivery is clear by explaining links of information, providing examples with rules, and carefully planned verbal transitions
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    Help students extend and discipline their thinking by using higher order questioning and discussion
There are some advantages of using presentation-learning strategies;
  • It can be used to show the information needed to all students, but it can only be done once.
  • It is a great way to display interactive technology for a lesson to further understanding.
There are also limitations to using this method;
  • It can be boring for students to learn a lot of information at a time.
  • Note-taking can be difficult for students when presentations are lengthy and there is too much information.

2. Demonstration Learning Strategy



It's in the name itself; demonstration, which is to perform an activity. It is a practical way of teaching as teachers perform an activity to teach a concept to their students. Teachers use the demonstration method in a systematic and a step-by-step process. This strategy is often used by teacher when students have a hard time to connect theories to actual practices and when students are unable to understand the theories and their applications. 

There are three things which teachers must perform for this method:
  1. The object displayed for demonstration should be visible to all students.
  2. The demonstrator (teacher) should use clear language and step-by-step procedure so the students understand the concept of demonstration easily.
  3. The pupils should be given the chance to ask question from teachers to clear their concept and difficulties about the topic.

There are some advantages to using demonstration learning strategy in the classroom:
  • Students are able to see how things are done as theories are made alive through demonstration.
  • This can be a fun activity to allow students build a connection to what is being learned.
  • This method arouses the spirit of discovery in students.
However, there are also some limitations to this strategy:
  • Not all students can see the demonstration being done.
  • Sometimes the needed supplies are limited and this can greatly affect the teaching purpose.
  • Students are not involved in practice as teachers are the ones doing the demonstration, therefore they cannot gain personal experiences.

3. Drill and Practice Learning Strategy





Drill and practice is a method of instruction characterized by systemic repetition of concepts, examples, and practice problems. In a classroom, this technique is employed by giving students the same materials repeatedly until mastery is achieved. It is used to build more meaningful learning. The objectives of this method are to:
  • increase skills at performing the given task.
  • increase speed at performing the given task.
  • internalize the given information until it is an automatic assumption.
When teachers apply this strategy in the classroom, they should avoid criticisms of students' ability.  It may be that the prerequisites have not been met and the activity is not appropriate for the intended student. Teachers also have to make sure that every drill conducted in the classroom is finished. It is recommended that drill and practice exercises are made short-term, usually completed in about 10 minutes.

These are the advantages of drill and practice method:
  • It allows students to learn before practice. All practices are based on what they have learned.
  • It allows students to have feedback as they learn which is important for them to ask questions and understand the materials.
These are the limitations of drill and practice method:
  • Too much of drill and practice can lead to boredom and learning will be limited.
  • It is not an effective method if students are not prepared for the practices.
  • It is used typically to test basic knowledge and not so much questions that require higher order thinking skills (HOTS).


4. Tutorial Learning Strategy





Tutorial learning strategy is a strategy usually employed after lessons where teachers have taught the concepts and and knowledge needed. Its is to help students to improve their cognitive (thinking) abilities and other academic abilities. In a class, it is very difficult for teachers to address every student's problem, and the reason being, if they try to do that, the syllabus will not be finished in time. To remove this drawback, tutorial strategy is used, whereby pupils are divided into small groups so that the personal problems which come across during the lesson may be solved successfully. 

The aims of employing tutorial learning strategy are to:
  • enable teachers to create content or teach exclusively to the selected category of people.
  • help students gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
  • enable students to learn how to think - how to respond to questions and challenges, thinking on one's feet.
These are the advantages of the tutorial learning strategy:
  • Contents of a lesson can be easily used and provides feedback to enhance the learning process.
  • Students can work independently, allowing them to work at a comfortable pace.
  • Students are able to stop for breaks  and to repeat sections as needed.
These are the limitations to the strategy:
  • The repetitions of a tutorial can be boring, making the learning progress to be stagnant.
  • Frequently takes novices longer to learn via tutorial than via classroom setting.
  • Students must be motivated enough to complete tutorial.


STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING STRATEGIES

Student-centered learning strategies are strategies used when students are engaged with interactive activities and experiences which are guided by teachers and executed by students.


1. Discussion Learning Strategy





In a classroom setting, discussion session is where students exchange ideas and opinions among other students and teacher. Discussion is important to learning in all disciplines because it helps students process information rather than simply receive it. Leading a discussion requires skills different from lecturing. The goal of a discussion is to get students to practice thinking about the course material. Teachers act as facilitators, prompting topics for discussion when needed and keeping the discussion flowing.

Participating in a discussion is a skill that students need to learn. This includes learning about the purpose of discussions, how to contribute and how to communicate their ideas effectively. Shy students need to learn how to ensure that they are heard. Loud students need to learn how to moderate their dominance. All students can learn how to engage in back-and-forth dialogue in a collegial manner. Students can also be taught how to appropriately reply to opinions and comments that they disagree with.

The advantages of using discussion as a learning strategy are:

  • It is one of great ways for students and teachers to talk about something new.
  • It gives students an opportunity to think about what is being talked about and making connections to their existing knowledge.
However, there are also some limitations to this method:
  • Discussions can be easily too much for some students to comprehend and fully understand.
  • Not all students would be actively participate in the discussions, especially shy students. Teachers would have to know their students in order to include everyone into the discussion per their own capacity.

2. Cooperative Learning Strategy




Cooperative Learning, sometimes called small-group learning, is an instructional strategy in which small groups of students work together on a common task. The task can be as simple as solving a multi-step math problem together, or as complex as developing a design for a new kind of school. In some cases, each group member is individually accountable for part of the task; in other cases, group members work together without formal role assignments.

One unique characteristic of this strategy is that students and teacher's roles are changing. The ownership of teaching and learning is shared by groups of students, and is no longer the sole responsibility of the teacher. Students have more opportunities to actively participate in their learning, question and challenge each other, share and discuss their ideas, and internalize their learning. Along with improving academic learning, cooperative learning helps students engage in thoughtful discourse and examine different perspectives, and it has been proven to increase students' self-esteem, motivation, and empathy.


These are some of the advantages of the strategy:
  • It encourages participation and accountability in activities.
  • Encourages students to show what they have to offer and it benefits others to see how they may learn the same way.
  • Carefully structured activities can help students learn the skills to work together successfully, and structured discussion and reflection on group process can help avoid some problems.
The limitations to this strategy are:
  • The strategy is not suitable to be used if students are not ready to have a discussion on a particular topic.
  • Teachers have a lot to monitor; releasing the control of learning, managing noise levels, resolving conflicts, and assessing student learning.


3. Games Learning Strategy




Games can introduce goals, interaction, feedback, problem solving, competition, narrative, and fun learning environments, elements that can increase learner engagement and sustain motivation. Games learning strategy offers a competitive environment in which students follow rules to attain a challenging goal. By using this strategy, game elements like point systems, leaderboards, badges, or other elements related to games are integrated into “conventional” learning activities in order to increase engagement and motivation. For example, an online discussion forum for a Physics course might be gamified via a badge system: students might be awarded a “Ptolemy” badge after they have made 10 postings, a “Galileo” badge after 20 postings, “Kepler” after 30, “Einstein” after 40, and so on. In ideal gamified learning environments, students can see the online badges that their peers have earned to create a sense of comradery or competition.

Though not all of the elements are needed to successfully gamify a learning activity, carefully selecting those elements that help meet the learning objectives of the course can be useful. Each game feature has its own pedagogical value, like badges, which is a way to acknowledge students' work. Game points are used as a reward for accomplishing certain tasks.


The advantages of games learning strategy are:
  • Games are attractive to students and they can relate to it as they learn.
  • It gives learners the opportunity to see real-world applications.
  • It offers the opportunity for learners to engage with content in an effective learning environment. If learners get excited about learning, they are more likely to retain information.
The limitations are:
  • The availability to suitable and appropriate educational games can be expensive and hard to get for anyone.
  • There can be too much competition in a game setting. Students can easily get distracted to be better than others.

4. Discovery Learning Strategy




Discovery learning involves allowing learners maximum freedom within a resource-rich environment to discover answers to disadvantages. It requires learners to build upon background knowledge and utilize resources available in the environment to increase their knowledge base. Discovery learning is usually juxtaposed with instructor-centered approaches, as learners are not told all the information; instead, they must discover knowledge for themselves.

This is an example of how this strategy is implemented in a lesson:
  1. The instructor places the appropriate resources in the classroom to allow learners to discover knowledge and skills.
  2. The instructor transparently presents the lesson objectives to the learners (e.g., “What is heavier—sand or water?”).
  3. Learners are given minimal guidance but sent to the learning stations to try to answer the prompt themselves.
  4. The instructor provides minimal guidance, recognizing that making mistakes and trying the wrong thing is also a part of the discovery experience.
  5. Learners get together at the end of the class to discuss what they discovered.

The advantages of discovery learning strategy are:
  • Learners generate knowledge for themselves rather than being told what is right and wrong.
  • By discovering the facts, learners will have a firmer comprehension of the reasoning behind why something is real.
The limitations to this method are:
  • Too much learner freedom may distract learners from their goals.
  • This can be a time-consuming technique as learners uncover information and learn at their own pace. It can be challenging to implement in school districts that are packed with curriculum outcomes that must be met.


5. Simulations Learning Strategy





Simulation refers to the imitation of real-world activities and processes in a safe environment. Simulations aim to provide an experience as close to the ‘real thing’ as possible; however, a simulated activity has the advantage of allowing learners to ‘reset’ the scenario and try alternative strategies and approaches. This allows learners to develop experience of specific situations by applying their wider learning and knowledge.

The approach is frequently used in disciplines where students need to develop skills and experience but safety issues or cost considerations prevent this happening in the real-world. For example, medical simulators allow students to practice diagnosis and treatment on dummies that can react in sophisticated and fairly realistic ways; whereas, trainee pilots (and aeronautical engineering students) use flight simulators to learn how an aircraft would react in a variety of conditions without ever leaving the ground.


These are the advantages of using simulation in learning:
  • Simulations can be a great way for students to grasp a lesson that mimics a real-life experience.
  • It is effective to reenact history in order for students to feel and understand the context of a particular history.
The limitations are:
  • This could be too much for the students to comprehend in a short amount of time.
  • Some simulations can be too difficult to understand and may need some extra preparation to make it more productive for learning.


6. Problem-Based Learning Strategy




Problem-based learning strategy (PBL) is probably one of the most popular strategies used by teachers in their classroom. It is a strategy during which students are trying solve a problem or a set problems unfamiliar to them. PBL is underpinned by a constructivist approach, as such it promotes active learning. Activities are carried out with groups of students, typically in a tutorial or seminar setting. PBL fosters self-directed learning, effective problem solving, communication and collaboration skills. Students tend to work in groups to problem solve with the lecturer or tutor taking a backstage role during the activity, their involvement is usually limited to guiding and monitoring the process.

These are steps to accomplishing the approach in a lesson:

Step 1: Explore the issue. Gather necessary information; learn new concepts, principles, and skills about the proposed topic.

Step 2: State what is known. Individual students and groups list what they already know about the scenario and list what areas they are lacking information.

Step 3: Define the issues. Frame the problem in a context of what is already known and information the students expect to learn.

Step 4: Research the knowledge. Find resources and information that will help create a compelling argument.

Step 5: Investigate solutions. List possible actions and solutions to the problem, formulate and test potential hypotheses.

Step 6: Present and support the chosen solution. Clearly state and support your conclusion with relevant information and evidence.

Step 7: Review your performance. Often forgotten, this is a crucial step in improving your problem-solving skills. Students must evaluate their performance and plan improvements for the next problem.


The advantages of using this strategy are:
  • Students can seek answers to what they have noticed in the real world and relate it to what they already know enhancing the ability to learn something more.
  • Students can feel an involvement with the real world.
The limitations are:
  • Collaboration with other teachers is needed to find quality problems that students can benefit from.
  • Timing is an issue when it comes to attempting to solve problems during the class, which is limited.



References


Rodriguez, M. (n.d.). Presentation Instructional Strategies. Sacramento State University. Retrieved January 3, 2022, from https://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rodriguezm/373bspring06/presentation_instructional_model.htm


Khan, D. M. (2020, February 5). Demonstration method. Education Awareness and Research. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://research-education-edu.blogspot.com/2020/02/demonstration-method.html


Newsome, J. (2016, July 4). Drill and Practice. SlideShare. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://www.slideshare.net/JoshNewsome1/drill-and-practice-63695367


ION Professional eLearning Programs. (n.d.). Drill and Practice - ION Professional eLearning Programs - UIS. University of Illinois, Springfield. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://www.uis.edu/ion/resources/instructional-activities-index/drill-and-practice/


Maheshwari, V. K. (2017, May 30). Tutorial Strategy in Education | Dr. V.K. Maheshwari, Ph.D. Dr. V.K. Maheshwari, Ph.D. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from http://www.vkmaheshwari.com/WP/?p=2427


Green, A. I. (n.d.). Discussion as a teaching and learning strategy. Institute of Teacher Aide Courses. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://www.itac.edu.au/blog/teaching-strategies/discussion


Staff, T. (2019, November 15). Cooperative Learning. TeacherVision. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://www.teachervision.com/professional-development/cooperative-learning


University of Waterloo. (2021, November 8). Gamification and Game-Based Learning. Centre for Teaching Excellence. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/gamification-and-game-based-learning


Lynch, M. (2021, November 5). How to Implement Discovery Learning in your Classroom. The Edvocate. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://www.theedadvocate.org/how-to-implement-discovery-learning-in-your-classroom/


Glover, I. (2019, March 22). Simulation: An Approach to Teaching and Learning. Technology Enhanced Learning at SHU. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/shutel/2014/07/23/simulation-an-approach-to-teaching-and-learning/


Problem Based Learning. (n.d.). ECU Intranet. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://intranet.ecu.edu.au/learning/curriculum-design/teaching-strategies/problem-based-learning#:%7E:text=Problem%20based%20learning%20(PBL)%20is,a%20tutorial%20or%20seminar%20setting.

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