Sometimes students may prefer certain teaching styles which are not in correspodence with their learning styles simply because they are not aware of their learning styles. I think that when it comes to the teaching styles to be used , the teachers should have the last word as they are supposed to be qualified to address students needs and individual differences including the learning style variable.

For teachers specific knowledge of each student is the basis of respect due them as individuals. As human beings we are bearers of a story that makes us unique, special. No two people are alike, biographies differ radically despite being immersed in a society governed by the same values and objectives. Hence individual differences in a classroom are a reality today and always. It has worked every day in a room formed by students of the same age, but radical differences can be identified, such as the scope of personality, way of learning, sex, character, etc. It is when it comes to learning styles, cognitive styles, intellectual styles, or personality traits. In this communication the prevailing differences in students are analyzed. The diversity will better understand their own practice.

Best regards

Ingrid

Sometimes students may prefer certain teaching styles which are not in correspodence with their learning styles simply because they are not aware of their learning styles. I think that when it comes to the teaching styles to be used , the teachers should have the last word as they are supposed to be qualified to address students needs and individual differences including the learning style variable.

I prefer student-centred approach. Students have different learning style, different learning speed, and different learning needs.

Thanks Ingrid, Salam and Florencia for your inputs.

Let me also say that an expert doctor knows best what medicines should be given to the patient. S/he can not ask the patients what medicines they would like to take. So, Salam's perspective is very important in this regard as the teacher has knowledge of the goals to be achieved and the context in which knowledge of certain quality and quantity needs to be given to the students, like the medicine to be given to the patient.

But Ingrid has an important point here. The class is always diverse; and the teacher must keep everyone's need in mind and then adopt the style accordingly. This is not an easy issue to resolve but still it is not insurmountable. The patients here are not of the same type. Some students (perhaps the best ones) always want rigorous, causality-linked, value-adding learning, but the average ones look for easy and perhaps entertaining-style knowledge; therefore, it is important to keep their perspective in view. Florence therefore has an important point related to students' perspective. Thus, I think both perspectives need to be carefully intertwined and articulated.

The very base of management education is practice (Ravi Mathai - IIMA). He had said that IIMA will be producing managers, let universities produce management academicians. Unfortunately, management departments of universities started IIMs in teaching and research. Teachers hardly deliver rigorous content intertwining various research perspectives in it. There is no point in blaming management students that they are interested in "how-to" skills only.

Your query is obvious! it has answer also obvious that students wants teacher with knowledge "How to". This how to answer is dependent on the skills of presentation of research, text , context, clarity, compassion, future thinking. Now, i would like, whether management teacher can simultaneously apply all these with that consciousness. Are they trained enough? Are they have the know and procedure for "insertion". How to insert relevant and irrelevant but useful for inserting the knowledge "how to"? I want your reaction! Please

Dr. Barman, all these issues you are raising are presumed to be there in the question i.e. the teacher is competent, is a researcher, and has the competence to deliver conceptual as well as "how-to" knowledge. It also assumes the reality that mostly the class consists of a diverse group of students. If that is so, then what approach should be adopted by the teacher?

Bhagwan (God) could not satisfy all person/disciples at a time, he took differentiation strategy, repeated the same but different situation and context. So i belief on the of product differentiation from monopolistic market. Obviously, whole universe is all about differentiation. A teacher must have have the skills for differntiation according to the requirement but satisfying 360 degree of course curricula, course delivery, undertanding by student, objective to satisfy the need all these are simultaneous answer. I hope I could reach you.

This is an interesting question and two aspects need to be considered. Firstly, from the point of view of students, they all learn best in different ways and therefore would always have their preferred learning styles. Teachers really need to bear this in mind when preparing their classes and associated activities.

From the point of view of the teachers, university education involves the development of a scientific mindset, rather that the learning of useful or practical skills. This, of course, does not mean that students do not need to know practical skills. What usually happens is that the students are taught the subject science and also through the development of out placements for short periods of the year, where the student has the opportunity to observe these principles in action.

Learning subject sciences and principles is an important aspect of university teaching. Through the learning of principles and appropriate thinking patterns, students learn to observe and note problems and to find appropriate means of dealing with them, thus they become more capable professionals in their working lives.

In Indian shastras there is mention of three types of teachers:

Guru: He provides literary knowledge to the students

Acharaya: He enhances student's ethical domain

Sadguru: He does not withhold anything from his student. He enlightens his students to supreme extent.

A teacher should possess such an aura that his students wish to be like him that can only be possible when you give him the knowledge that helps him in his future endeavours.

Thanks Dr,

I believe the "science" of teaching is completely related to the experience of the teacher in communicating and reflecting about the subject of knowledge in relation to "how to" (the background of the lecturer is vital to give the students a more or less opened approach) and how to apply this experience to every single group that is an unique scenario.

I think that the training of something requires a prior knowledge, research on the elements in practice and teachers need to be skilled in both directions and provide a good combination of both lines in order to facilitate the best way of learning to every student in the group. It becomes a "journey" that needs a lot of reflection by teachers and students as a collaborative work, but basically teachers are always an example for the students and the observation, empathy and create a good environtment are very important to go ahead.

I believe both, the student and the teacher have something to contribute to learning strategies, having different perspectives of what would be the most efficient way of transfering knowledge, but the teacher is the expert, and should have more experience in choosing the most efficient teaching method for a particular subject.

Not everyone learns in the same way. This is especially true with adults. Some students learn by reading or observing and are Visual Learners. Some students learn by listening to the professor's lecture or verbal explanations of the subject and are Auditory Learners. Others learn by doing or touch and must actually have a hands on approach to learning. These students are called Kinesthetic Learners. How each student learns depends on how they process information: seeing it, hearing it, or touching it. Thus many professors in the Unites States incorporate all three styles of learning into their presentations. This is called the VAK model.

VAK model is nothing new. This was practiced thousands of year BC in Vedic system of education.

Teacher and learners perspective both are essential when encourage only learning; if we want to show our mastary then teachers perspective is must. We should never sacrifice mastary perspective.

This is certianly a crucial question and the replies are worth-reading.

I believe both have to be studied.

What is more important? I think it depends on the case.

Learners should have a say yes. But teachers' personality should not be neglected.

Flexibility is required

Teaching and learning process involve both teachers and learners, teachers must put the interest of the learners first, but teacher perspectlve about effective teaching style is essential because teachers as a trained personnel know the appropriate time including the environment that influence the situations of learning.

Dear Gregg, you have indeed made an important point. Surely, the teaching style effectiveness will be determined by the fact whether the audience learns more by auditory, visual or kinesthetic approach. Thanks for your input!

university professor's teaching perspective is more important than student because he has more experience in teaching.

Teacher, because he *must* have the knowledge of the teaching skills appropiate for the student(s) in that particular environment. Sometimes what they want is not what they need.

good it is the best answer the above mentioned one

It is a balance. As faculty we are hopefully more gifted in our capacity and capability to write in a scholarly manner - so it is up to us to mentor and guide our students in writing so their thoughts are transposed to paper (online).

However, it is important as faculty we don't shut down our students' voices (their matter of style) as they begin to engage in scholarly discourse. My way of writing may be vastly different than my students - my role is to help them with their self-expression nurtured through a scholarly lens.

I believe the teacher's perspective is crucial to learners at the university level . Learner's perspective is always welcome since it adds value to classroom engagement. Students must be aware of this approach at the start of the course, so it's importance for faculty to set the tone from early.

Teacher's perspective will always be important for learners at the university level . However, the teacher has to be dynamic in creating her perspective keeping first and foremost the learner's needs and interests. At this level, the learning responsibility should be that of students; the teacher's role becomes that of facilitator. A clear understanding should be made in this regard before the beginning of the course.

It is vital that the teacher identifies the different styles of each student. Accommodating the different learning styles makes learning possible. Skills of effective communication between the teacher and the student is of paramount to maintain teamwork. 

The beginning of difference is in the teaching method because the method is linked to the teacher and his personal and academic characteristics that help in the implementation of the teaching strategy. Effective teaching is teaching that achieves goals in quality rather than quantity. Effective teaching differs from one learning position to another, so there is no such strategy as all educational situations. Strategy A corresponds to the first position and does not correspond to the second position of different characteristics of students and subjects of teaching and the nature of educational material

The key word is "More." Pl take a note of this while giving your valuable answer.

Effective teaching style is the one where the person at the receiving end (student)is able learn and enhance his knowledge domain in conceptual as well as in practical (how to) terms. Initially the students may prefer the "how to" approach but ultimately they have to understand the linkage between the concept and its operationalisation.

Hello there,

It is important to know what is "effective" teaching. Instead of the word teachig, and strive towards creating a LEARNING environment, then teaching will automatically effective.

Hope I add some value to the discussion.

Azhar

Nice topic and replies.

Obviously the teacher has to do the session planning and needs to know as many perspectives as possible, including the ones of the studets, to select an appropriate one.

On the other hand the learner might have to plan his/her studying program.

It all comes to who is responsible.

The wealth attained today in most areas means that the teacher should not consider himself as the sole source of information and knowledge in his field.

A course should not be an accumulation of knowledge but an incentive for students to complete the various facets. For the methodology to be used, the teacher must help the students to find by themselves the expected results.

Your statement is partly true.

But I think the scenario is changing off late with classes being conducted to introduce the students to practical approach for various issues related to finance/ management/ marketing during masters programme.

Exposure to the real world and practical problems is always beneficial not only in management course but in almost all the kinds of studies

The issue is not who is more important - the teacher or the student. Exploration is the essence of learning whichever pedagogy you follow for exploration and experimentation.

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