Understanding Your Preferred Learning Style

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What is Learning Style?

Learning Style refers to your preferred way of interacting with and learning material. Lectures, seminars, labs, or group work may challenge you to expand outside your comfort zone. Many people have mixed preferences.
Learning Style is more than "visual - auditory -kinesthetic". It includes how you:

• Connect with material....do you prefer to learn facts, or theoretical concepts?
• Make material meaningful: do you prefer to discuss or discover in labs, or think quietly alone?
• Experience the pattern of learning...do you prefer to learn sequentially, or see the end result and not know the details?

Assess Your Learning Style

Go to www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSpage.html for a free, short on-line assessment using the Index of Learning Styles by Drs. Felder and Soloman.

The 4 Domains of Learning Styles

How do you connect with material?
If you like facts and "tangible realities", try to create structure, ask questions to clarify, break big projects into smaller steps. If you like abstract ideas, try not to get sidetracked by your own imagined possibilities. Pay attention to detail, teach others to check your comprehension.

How do you make information meaningful?
If you prefer to learn by discovering through labs or discussions, try to be very active in your learning: talk, re-work notes, and pose questions for yourself. If you prefer quiet reflection, take time to work out your thoughts, then take a risk and share them in class or with a friend. Exams or presentations will require this.

What is your pattern of learning?
Most people learn sequentially, building on what is already known. Keep up with readings and homework, and focus on essential steps or concepts. Some people think "globally" meaning they see relationships, processes, outcomes more easily than individual steps and details. Ask yourself "Why?" or "How?" to examine details and facilitate communication with others.

What sensory input do you prefer?
Students with a visual preference use colour, mind-maps, and mental images. Those who are verbal prefer reading, note-making, translating graphics into words. Students who have a kinesthetic preference may enjoy labs, clinical skills courses and use shorter study blocks with physical activity during the break.

Next Part - 1. What is This All About?

 

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