LEARNING STYLES

What is Your learning style? Learning is a fundamental aspect we need to exist and thrive on this journey of life. Learning is a mixture of knowledge and skills acquired by study, action, or instruction. 

It’s safe to assume that many of us will learn differently. Ever since birth, we’ve been learning things we need in order to make progress. Our natural abilities, personalities, and inclinations cause us to have many differences. Understanding what those differences are and adjusting to them can be beneficial. 

One important aspect of learning is honing unique traits and utilizing them to our advantage. We all have differences in the way we look, the way we feel, and the way we learn. Some people can learn things faster than others, but how you learn is the focus here. There are several techniques that a person might use to enhance their ability to learn. The particular style by which a person learns best can vary. It depends on the individual and what works for them. I believe we all have a style of learning that helps us retain information.

During the past year I’ve considered attending another online college to further my education. Online college isn’t only for the convenience, but also for suiting a few of my learning styles. I also enjoy expanding my mental capacity as an individual. However, not everyone has the desire or ability to attend college online. Some folks need in-person interaction and instruction from their professors and peers. People like me do perfectly fine alone on a laptop performing the same amount of work. 

So, what’s the difference? The difference is learning styles. 

I took the learning-styles-online survey. This survey is designed to expose an individual’s particular learning style in one of several categories. You answer a series of questions to which the answers are analyzed. The result of your answers will place you somewhere between seven different styles for learning content: Visual, Aural, Verbal, Physical, Logical, Social, or Solitary. 

My results concluded I had strong point totals in two sections: Solitary, and Visual. 

Visual was defined as preferring images, pictures, colors, and maps to organize information and communicate with others. Solitary was defined as more private, introspective and independent (advanogy.com 2004).

In my opinion this basically meant I like to be alone and visually see how things are done. After taking the survey I took some time to think about my past experiences. I can say without a doubt that I do possess those particular styles of learning. I would much rather learn information on my own, as opposed to having a study partner or group. I also learn better when I can visually see how things are done. Once I see how something is done, I can mimic or recreate what I’ve seen in a way that’s original. 

Although there’s much debate over the topic of learning styles, I have to side with surveys like this to identify how we learn best. The method by which you retrieve, remember, and recite information is critical to your learning success. I believe that anyone interested in enhancing educational or cognitive ability should consider identifying their learning style. You may naturally know what works best for you, but there’s nothing wrong with a little extra conformation. 

After drawing these conclusions, you can begin to foster the best method, environment, and materials to suit your style. This self-reflective research may help you strengthen your learning potential and maximize your learning success.  

Reference

advanogy.com (2004). Learning styles online. Retrieved from: http://www.learning-styles-online.com/