FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 26, 2001

CONTACT:
Cindy Young
(312) 263-2391

Students Find Use of Internet Can Help Address Different Learning Styles

Colleges and universities have long known that no students are alike. The challenge has been to help all students learn effectively despite their range of learning styles. Now, many faculty members are incorporating the Internet into their teaching practices, and students of all learning styles are finding that advanced technology can help them enhance their education.

"The Internet opens another channel for interaction between faculty and students, and the students themselves, and that interaction can supplement traditional learning activities," said Greg Sanders, Associate Professor of Sociology. "For example, one student may be comfortable jumping right into a class discussion, while another may want to see what his or her classmates are saying before offering a conclusion. By posting class material and guiding online discussion in addition to classroom instruction, faculty members enable both students to access the information in a format that best suits their learning style."

Sanders in Greenville College's SBC Teaching & Learning Mentor for the 2001-02 academic year. The Mentor's role is to guide faculty members from all college departments in ways to use technology to enhance teaching and improve students' learning. The Teaching & Learning Mentor program is the latest addition to the SBC Faculty Development Technology Program, made possible through a grant from the SBC Foundation. The program is designed to help faculty bring new media into their classrooms. During the past five summers, faculty and staff members from more than 90 private colleges and universities in the Midwest have participated in workshops aimed at integrating technology into their classrooms.

Feedback from students at colleges participating in the SBC Faculty Development Technology Program indicates they feel positive about the use of the Internet in teaching. Several students said they felt more in control of their own learning. Others commented that they had more time to think about ideas, and that they spent more time collaborating with other students. Clearly, the students felt more engaged in the learning process.

For more information about the SBC Teaching & Learning Mentor Program, contact Cindy Yang, Vice President, at the Associated Colleges of Illinois at (312) 263-2391 x. 26.

Last updated: November 28, 2001