Faculty can use the information provided to adapt their classroom to match the students in it. This will require a realization that it is possible that a room full of 30 students will all require a somewhat different experience. According to Loli Dillon in an article in the Minnesota English Journal, “During classes, nearly all college students still experience an hour or two of pure lecture or discussion as the way they encounter course material in the college classroom. Though those teaching methods are effective, they may be only reaching a fraction of students who have much linguistic strength.” She goes on to recommend breaking the students into groups that will allow them to work in such a manner that applies specifically to them. Her application was in an English classroom where she broke groups into clusters of three to four. Each cluster is assigned labels: ‘Small Group Discussion,’ ‘Journaling,’ ‘Hands-on’ etc.” By splitting the recreation students into similar groups, each of them can be reached, and they will have a higher chance of succeeding.
Through a discussion with faculty members the recreation department at the University of South Dakota, and SDSU Professor Paul Fokken, a great relationship was formed that will allow collaboration between the two departments, and will increase the opportunities offered to all of the students involved. There will be great opportunities for service learning projects which will allow a much more hands-on, application focused program.
Step 1--Assess and identify students (Previous Step)
Step 2 -- Recognize and adopt learning styles in the classroom
Step 3 -- Inform students about individual styles (Next Step)
All 8 of the intelligences can be present in the classroom. All must be given the same attention, or valued at the same level for all students to receive the same benefit in the classroom.