Some of you may have done this before, but I am listing a really good link for discovering your learning style. Learning styles are the ways in which individuals prefer to learn. For example, a kinesthetic learner, one who prefers learning through bodily movement, may remember a phone number by the sequence of keys they hit in their phone as opposed to remembering the actual number.
I encourage you to take this learning style inventory in particular because it rather than giving you an either/or answer, it provides your two strongest areas with tips on how to best utilize your learning style. Here is the link:
http://www.metamath.com/multiple/multiple_choice_questions.html
I am rather even across the various learning styles, but always learn towards visual/verbal. What this means is that students who have the same learning style as me are more likely to fair better in my class - studies show that students with the same learning style as their instructor perform better in the classroom. Additionally, higher education more often favors auditory, verbal, and visual styles, however lab classes are often better for kinesthetic learners because you are actually "doing" something.
Questions to consider:
1. What is your learning style and what are some ways you utilize your style when studying or in class?
2. What are some ways college classes can better incorporate your learning style into the classroom?
For me I am a very visual and interactive learner. I have learned to adapt certain activities into my studying to make studying more fun. I use flash cards alot when I study. I think that making class more interactive is a good place to start for those of us who are interactive and visual learners.
ReplyDeleteTaryn Grover
I discovered that I, too, am a kinesthetic learner primarily, but the scores for the rest of the styles follow closely. A lot of the study hints the results give me are actually ones that I have been practicing for a while. I frequently use flashcards in order to memorize dates for classes such as History and I always try to sit at the front of a classroom and takes notes as it suggests as well. I find that taking notes in a way that is interesting for me to look at later really helps me study. I draw pictures and have lots of arrows and different boxes and such that allows me to remain interested in what I'm reading instead of reading word after word.
ReplyDeleteI feel that college courses could incorporate other learning styles by perhaps changing up the style of the course once in a while or even regularly. Sometimes we could meet in an environment that is perhaps less formal than a classroom or for some classes perhaps we could go to an area where we can actually see the things that we are talking about. I find that the lectures I've been in are not too terrible though because the professors tend to ask questions of different students and get other's insight and opinions which sort of keeps things moving around instead of making the lecture super dull.
Taylor Jakovich
I got visual/verbal learner, which I think is accurate. I can listen to lectures just fine, but it's more helpful for me when an instructor writes down key points on the board so I have something to look at. I study best when I use flashcards, and when I take tests I can sometimes remember the look of the flashcard that I studied. I highlight important things I'm reading to make them stand out so I remember them better.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne Peterson
According to this test, I have a Tactile/ Kinesthetic Learning Style. I could not agree more. I've always been more hands on. This website recommends that I use flash cards and more visual techniques when studying. I have not used these forms of studying in a long time, but I'm sure I'll try them out! I think that my college classes could better adapt to my learning abilities by becoming more interactive.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely a tactile/kinesthetic learner. I learn more in atmospheres were I can do hands on experiments, and actually see/do the activity I am learning about so it will stick in my brain. I find it helpful to make flashcards for specific subjects and also study with friends. In addition to being a tactile/kinesthetic learner, I feel like I learn well verbally, in the sense that if I can explain something thoroughly out loud to a friend, then I feel as if I will remember it better than I would have by just reading it.
ReplyDeleteI am a visual/ verbal learner. I think I sort of already knew this, it's easy for me to remember information when I write it down and can memorize it. Most of my classes already help with my learning style by posting power points and using an organized outline form when discussing notes. It's helpful for me to have the notes as I read so that I can relate what the teacher is talking about to what I read in the book.
ReplyDeleteI'm a visual/verbal learner too. I've known that for a while though. I already use quite a few of the studying tips it suggested. I color code everything in my planner, and I shape code when I'm taking notes. Having a power point to take notes from also really helps me.
ReplyDeleteI'm a visual/verbal listener. It doesn't surprise me because I have always had trouble reading straight from a text book, and retaining the information. Power points with notes on them help me stay tuned into the lecture, and also study guides that review the material are also a big help. Another thing that is very effective for me when I don't immediately catch on is to be in a small group where everyone is discussing the topic, so I can break it down and better understand it.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly agree with teachers tying to incorporate different lessons with different learning styles. We are all different and we all tick a little differently. I myself can learn through all three of the learning styles; either auditorial, visual and by kinesthetics. This is good and bad at the same time. Most of the time I pick up on things really quickly and understand something instantly, and other times when I don't understand I have noticed that I need to walk through another style. If I am listening to a lecture and I don't understand something, then to clear up the fog I will need to see it, or do whatever it is. I can learn through any learning style, so it dosen't matter what kind the teacher will use, and even if the teacher uses different styles here and there then that is even better. Its really good to mix it up. Anyways in saying all of that, it is drastically important for students to get the most out of what they are studying and should know their weaknesses and strengths on issues like this so they can be prepared when homework or lectures come up to look for what will benefit them the most, and then to succeed at learning that way. If you are kinesthetic, then take lots of notes, visual read the powerpoints over again, auditorial just pay lots of attention to the lectures and then after class ask another student to run over what the lecture was about in their own words and see what you learn from that.
ReplyDeleteI am a tactile/kinesthetic learner. I don't think I utilize my learning style as often in my school work. The majority of my classes (this semester in particular) are a lot of reading and knowing the different theories involved.
ReplyDeleteThere are some classes this semester that have integrated this learning style a little bit through interactive exercises during the lectures. Those are definitely the classes that I enjoy most. I think this learning style is fairly difficult to use in classrooms, just because of the nature of the material.
I would consider myself more of a hands on learner. I enjoy doing rather than just listening to someone else's perspective. Teaching oneself is part of the process of learning and growing as a person. Lecturing is insightful and provides a lot of good information but a lot of teachers in college read straight from a power point or from the book which I could do myself. I think that group activities are helpful in that you must work with groups once integrated into the workforce. Getting oneself actively involved in a process personally helps me.
ReplyDelete