Are You Getting The Most Out of Online Learning: Tap Into Your Students 5 Senses

When given the breadth of the Internet, is an especially powerful and advantageous tool for students, as they automatically lean towards resources which they understand best. In March, teachers were forced to go online immediately and had to diversify their teaching to support all students. We know that audio alone is not enough for our new online environment. Although Technology provides fast and easy communication with other students and their teachers, we are still trying hard to diversity all classrooms keeping in mind how audio, visual, smell, taste, and touch still need to be included in learning.

Teachers are being creative and providing exciting experiences for all students in their zoom meetings. Below are a couple of examples of how teachers are engaging students by tapping into their senses therefore providing access to classroom resources and materials through their senses.

Working to reach students through sight:

  • Make sure close-captioning is on; its great to read what teachers are saying while students are online

  • Jesters are great, waving, pointing, and showing size by using your hands work well!

  • Colors can be good but make sure you watch out for yellow and other colors that may not be as clear.

  • Clear, Vibrant, and high-quality images and visuals for explaining the story behind “why” students are taking on this assignment

Students get excited with sound:

Learning Pyramid

  • Play music at the start of the lesson, to lighten the mood, it also helps with brain-breaks during a lesson

  • Positive tone when speaking, while practicing positive praise to build student confidence while working on self-esteem.

  • Use, bells, chimes, or a specific sound for transitions on zoom, students can refocus on a new task when they hear this sound

Touch is a challenge but can be done:

  • Compare and contrast multiple images based on touch and adding these ideas to a ven diagram.

  • Sending or delivering painting packages to students home as a reward or as an activity, finger painting is always fun.

  • Science in the community can be done as well, checking the temperature outside and expressing what 64 degrees feels like and what clothes should I wear when traveling outside.

Smell and Taste can be done but with some parental help and support:

  • Working with students to participate in preparing meals and writing about their experiences through the sense of smell and taste. Also digging into our past history and how cultural traditions, social gatherings, and family meetings are in the kitchen around food.

  • Delivering items such as lavender, rosemary, and peppermint to homes sharing the benefits and expressing how lavender clams, rosemary helps with mental fatigue, and peppermint encourages concentration. (Teach.com)

The Roles of Teachers and Students

Teachers play a role by exposing students to ideas while guiding their interest. We are now observing how teachers can really become creative in this online environment. With an entire palette of available computer programs, gadgets, and displays, they can turn a lesson on Vikings into an immersive story. Students can also introduce chemical formulas to the class by allowing the students to use a digital laboratory or their kitchen. Technology expands beyond just lessons and can offer educational professionals the means to assess student progress online. Wherever technology can be used to give each student educational equity, it contributes to a bright future for all.

References:

“Assistive Technology.” Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario - LDAO, www.ldao.ca/introduction-to-ldsadhd/what-helps/assistive-technology. Accessed 24 Aug. 2020.

Adams, Sharon, et al. Connecting Student Learning & Technology. Austin, Tex., Technology Assistance Program, Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1999.

Berry College. “Taking Initiative.” Berry College, www.berry.edu/uploadedFiles/Website/Premier_Work/_Assets/Documents/Taking%20Initiative%20pdf.pdf. Accessed 23 Aug. 2020.

“Incorporating the Five Senses to Stimulate Learning - Blog.” Teach.Com, 6 July 2017, teach.com/blog/incorporating-the-five-senses-to-stimulate-learning/.

“Teach100.” Teach.Com, teach.com/what/teachers-know/teach100/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2020.

“The Learning Pyramid [Image].” Educationcorner.Com, 2019, www.educationcorner.com/the-learning-pyramid.html.

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