Facilitating a match between teaching and learning styles.

Abstract

As a result of educator/student interactions within a particular course, both parties anticipate that some learning will occur, some change in behaviour will have taken place and some personal growth will be evident. In order to facilitate such change every educator ought to reflect on personal practice and ask 'Is what I am doing helping the student to learn?' The answer to this question firstly should come from the student and secondly should further prompt the educator to ask 'Do I need to change my style of teaching to match the learning needs of these students?' In searching for an answer to these questions it is suggested that the teacher would need to reflect on just what constitutes teaching and learning styles. Then one might need to investigate the possibility of matching teaching style with the students' learning styles. This paper looks at the perceived need to identify different approaches to learning and the potential for matching teaching and learning styles. It is suggested that a facilitative approach to teaching, such as that used at Macarthur Institute of Higher Education in Australia, will accomodate students' learning needs.