Table of Contents
What Is Pedagogy?
Pedagogy is the concept of how we learn and how we teach. Students learn in different ways, some by listening, others through seeing things visually, and others, for example, through kinaesthetics.
By understanding that different people learn in different ways, we can begin to better teach and train those that we provide lessons, workshops, and tuition for.
Why Is Pedagogy Important in CPD?
The whole concept surrounding CPD, i.e. continuing professional development, is the idea that we, as educators, help people to improve. Whatever the topic area and level that the learner is at, CPD is about moving from A to B, that is, improving on where they are in terms of their learning and level.
Pedagogy becomes an invaluable and, one might posit, a vital tool.
If we really want our students to learn, then providing them with the opportunity to learn in such a way that it really works for their own individual learning style, is essential.
So, when evaluating training materials used for CPD, it is invaluable to ensure that pedagogy is one of the considerations and factors against which training materials and courses are checked.
Learning Styles
There are 4 key learning styles and, by including consideration for all four in any teaching and training you provide, you will be a better trainer than if you solely focus on one or two of these learning styles.
Do consider though that we all use a combination of these learning styles but most of us tend to learn better from one or two of these four styles, more than the other styles.
Visual Learning
Many people learn best by seeing things, i.e. by using their sight. As the old saying goes, a picture can tell a thousand words, and, in a sense, this also applies in teaching.
Being able to see something can help a student build a visual map and memory and this aids learning.
Visuals in the form of slides, handouts, pictures and video, for example, can all aid visual learners.
Auditory Learning
Some learners learn best through auditory learning, that is sound.
The teacher’s voice is the most obvious auditory experience in a classroom. You can though include having students verbally repeat things back to you or to push learners to have small group discussions and to learn to sound.
Kinaesthetic Learning
Actually feeling something can be an amazing way to learn, especially for children. Touching a cat, for example, you gain appreciation for the softness of the fur and the sound of a cat purring.
Experiencing learning through touch can be a very powerful way to learn!
Learning by Reading and Writing
Reading and writing have always played a vital role in education and learning and they are highly effective in helping us learn.
Reading books, writing a diary or journal, reading aloud, creating a report etc. all help us to learn and to memorise information.
Is It Practical To Provide Training That Covers All Learning Styles?
This is a very fair and reasonable question to ask, when first starting as a freelance trainer, corporate trainer, or teacher.
Indeed, the idea of trying to provide teaching that covers all four learning types in the same 1 hour, 2 hours, half-day, full-day or two-day courses, might at first seem overwhelming, but it really need not be.
Just make sure to strike a good balance of the learning styles by ensuring that your lesson plan includes:
- activities whereby people can work in small groups.
- tutor/teacher speaking
- use of visuals such as slides on a projector
- if applicable to what you are teaching, include things people can touch or feel
Further Information on Pedagogy
- TES on pedagogy
- Ed Central
