Our teaching style must accommodate the diverse learning styles of our students. It is necessary to provide several routes to the same destination. If students are to achieve, the critical information and skills must be presented in several formats and from several sources. I supplement my lecture with reading materials, visual aids, and with as many hands-on demonstrations as possible. Each skill and principle is carried to the doing or experimental level.
Students respond well to the many approaches taken for each knowledge and skill.
Grading must also value student's varied abilities to demonstrate that learning has occurred. The traditional mid term and final exam method of evaluating student learning ignores student learning styles. Frequent and diverse evaluative opportunities serve both the student and the teacher better. If there was a practical way in the university environment to develop a workable system, I would be the first to move to competency-based evaluation of students. Teaching in the Department of Agricultural Education is closely linked to service.