School of our dreams
A group of students from Business College Helsinki with an immigrant background focused on their learning style from the very beginning of their studies. Each member of the group has a personal history and cultural background, and their own unique way of learning. A learning style is the way a person focuses, processes and internalises new or difficult information.
Students dream of their dream school
As part of their studies, students were able to dream of a dream school where learning is like dancing. What would a dream school look like?
"The school of my dreams is safe, healthy, has clean indoor air, lots of plants, and adaptable, bright and spacious spaces," says the 45-year-old woman from Estonia.
"The way that there is not too much pressure to learn, students can learn independently and teachers can stimulate students' interest in learning during the lesson, and the lesson is also relaxed and happy," says a 25-year-old woman from China.
"My dream school would have small groups, teachers would use many different ways of teaching because everyone learns differently and there would be quiet places for breaks," says the 30-year-old immigrant from Morocco.
Otherwise, there was a desire for leisure learning, theme days, teacher guidance, fun and relaxation in general, both in the facilities and in the learning arrangements.
Effective learning is also in teachers' dreams
"Give me the big picture first, then the details you need."
What did we learn and what
observations did we make from the group analysis?
When the learning environment and conditions better match the different learning preferences of students, learning is more coherent and effective. Appropriate teaching methods can also enhance learning.
28 students with an immigrant background at Business College Helsinki were given a learning or work style analysis developed by Professor Emeritus Barbara Prashnig, and the teacher went through the results with them in one-to-one meetings. In addition, the students were given a written document and materials to study in more detail at their leisure. The analyses were also compiled into a group report, showing the most effective way of learning for that group.
The students did the analysis in Finnish, which is a foreign language to all of them. They needed support both in understanding the questions and in analysing the results. It is particularly important to use plain language with immigrants to help them understand the terms.
We found that the group prefers a reflective style of thinking, using their sense of sight, visualisation and imagination. They prefer to work under the guidance of a teacher, during the day, alone or in pairs, in a quiet working environment. Results show strong intrinsic motivation, perseverance and consistency, as well as adaptability and responsibility. There were several naturally analytical individuals in the group, but there were no gifted or fast learners. On the other hand, there were no potential concentration or learning problems. The students' current new life situation and linguistic challenges were reflected in the results of the analysis.
"Most of the time, I want to know why a task is being done and what the desired outcome is. So tell me the big picture first and then the details I need to know," says the male student from Italy with a diverse work experience and an immigrant background.
"The results helped me to know myself better, my preferences and my learning style. I like the idea that there is no one like me, I am unique! I no longer see my differences as shortcomings," enthuses a female student with a previous university degree who has moved to Finland from Russia.
Teaching should take into account the common preferences of the group. This group needs clear instructions and time for reflection. They should be provided with visual aids to support their learning, such as videos and powerpoint presentations. Students prefer to work in a quiet and calm space, as noise distracts them from their concentration. The group of students would like the teacher to guide their work and learning. The results of the analysis show that students prefer to work alone or in pairs. On the other hand, in today's working life, a wide range of teamwork skills and good interaction with colleagues are needed, so it is also worth practising these skills.
"The group analysis gives an accurate picture of the diversity of the student group and the different ways of learning. By using this information, you can achieve better learning outcomes - and students are also happier and less stressed," says Kaisa Nuutamo, lecturer at Business College Helsinki.
Learning style analysis can be used to identify individual and group needs and preferences for learning. There is no right or wrong way to learn, only different ways to learn more effectively. Strengths come from preferences. They increase motivation and concentration and improve performance in exams, for example. Who among us doesn't want to learn more effectively and have more fun?
Text and more information: Helena Miettinen and Kaisa Nuutamo