personal learning styles essay

personal learning styles essay

Personal Learning Styles: Discovering Your Optimal Approach to Learning

1. Introduction

To provide a tangible example of the implications of learning styles, consider an instance in which a student is attempting to learn a task that is rather complex. Let us assume that the student has determined his learning style and has found that a particular sequence is his optimal pattern. If the teacher of this student can determine the sequence, he/she could present the information in that exact sequence, guaranteeing that the student will understand. On the contrary, a teacher without knowledge of optimal learning sequences may present the information in a different sequence. This may lead the student to a false impression of understanding, or frustration in that he cannot grasp the concept the first teacher is presenting. The student or teacher may perceive this as a lack of intellectual capability, when in fact it may just be a mismatch of learning styles. Let us not forget that an understanding of learning styles provides a recipe for success for both student and educator.

In recent years, a better understanding of how students perceive, process, and organize information has encouraged new methods of teaching and learning in higher education. In order to facilitate more effective instruction, it is important to understand the diversity in which students learn. What might be an effective teaching method for one student may be far from effective to another. One way to achieve more effective teaching is through matching instructional delivery with the preferred learning styles of most students. The more we know about our students in terms of their learning styles, the better we will be able to instruct them. Knowledge of learning styles not only provides valuable information for teachers, it also creates a substantial opportunity for students to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. From this vantage point, a student can take the necessary steps to improve the weaker areas in learning style, work more efficiently and productively, and be successful in all aspects of education.

2. Understanding Different Learning Styles

Knowing there are varieties of different learning styles, understanding the differences of each, and the various activities that are associated with each is the first step to understanding ourselves and nurturing the highly refined art of learning. Visual learners prefer to take in information through reading or seeing pictures/diagrams. These types of learners require visual stimulus to understand and capture a concept. Visual learners are likely to say “Show me how to do it.” Various activities associated with visual learners are drawing diagrams, color coding, active reading or note-taking, flashcards, and work that utilizes a computer. Aural learners learn best through listening. These types of learners are more inclined to talking things through and are more successful in remembering something that has been spoken. Aural learners are likely to say “Just talk to me about it.”

Each person has a distinctive way of taking in and processing information. Learning style refers to the different ways of absorbing information with different methods. These preferences have a direct impact on how much information we understand, how much we retain, and how we use it. Knowing and understanding our learning style enables us to develop strategies to capitalize on our strengths and improve our self-development plan.

3. Identifying Your Personal Learning Style

Research on learning styles is conducted in order to help instructors to be more knowledgeable as to what the means and ways of learning are, and to help them cater to each individual’s preferred method. Of the several learning style models, one of the most common is the VARK model. VARK is an acronym for visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic. It helps individuals determine their preference of learning by asking them to answer a questionnaire composed of sixteen questions which will then yield results determining what kind of learner one is. Whichever method is used, having an understanding of what leaning style one has is the first step to identifying it. Ideally, personal experience of learning style is the route to understanding, but this is a time-consuming process for students, teachers, and trainers. When you have finished this unit, we suggest that you complete a personal learning style assessment that will help you determine what your individual learning style is. By doing this, you will be in a position to use this knowledge when you are planning your further learning.

4. Leveraging Your Learning Style for Effective Learning

Successful long-term learning involves connections between short-term memories to new information, linking new information to old information, or creating links between new memories. This is because memory is a reconstruction of past events and if information cannot be found in memory, it is as good as lost. It is important to understand this process and thus creating the competency to direct one’s own attention is vital. The ability to shift focus on the outer world to something within is an attention to knowledge about one’s own cognitive processes. With this self-awareness, one can monitor comprehension and know when one does not understand something. This will lead to better results in future study, said a social student; after checking my work a few times, I’ve understood that what I can remember is much less than what I actually know.

Don’t be discouraged because everyone has their favorite ways to learn but must use other styles to achieve their goal. This can also be said for learning something that one doesn’t especially want to learn. Although it is easier to get disheartened when studies are not going well and it seems like hard work, don’t give up easily because perseverance can lead to long-term benefits. This is another point to teach to students as it’s important for their motivation.

Intrinsic motivation is important because it is the fuel for all learning. Seek out and do what gives you pleasure. To people with the read/write style, this means going to the library, making neatly organized notes from lectures which are often color coded to aid memory. They are likely to use lists to keep track of things and enjoy looking up and learning new words. Those with this style often say they feel that there are not enough hours in the day to do what they want to do. If you have the visual learning style, you are likely to be intrinsically motivated in art, multimedia, design, and creative writing. Logical/mathematical learners often have a lot of pleasure linked to intellectual activity and they enjoy experiments. Those with the social style often enjoy learning that involves interviewing others, discussing, and brainstorming. Solitary learners may have an extraordinary capacity to self-motivate, always being keen to move onto new things that they set themselves. They enjoy their independence. Teachers can help here by linking activities that need to be done with the learner’s preferred learning style. For example, revamping in an essay how findings of an experiment were not what was expected.

5. Conclusion and Action Steps

Theorist also is a necessity for change in one’s learning style. It is necessary for all students and professionals to develop and grow. Inherent in personal development is change. People would like to believe that change occurs for the better, however, this is not always true. Change can be costly in terms of time, money, and effort, and people will avoid it unless they have a strong conviction that the change will enhance their life. Knowing current learning styles will aid in a smooth transition in new approaches. With a firm belief that a new skill will be learned, a person may use a new learning style as a bridge to the new skill. A concrete understanding of the range of learning style differences may also ease the frustration of others as they learn in a different way. Understanding and patience are great assets to those hoping to modify the behavior of others. Finally, there is a great deal of research that has shown that the development of learning skills has led to an increase in self-esteem, motivation, and task achievement.

The main ideas of the inventory and the various theories presented are taken into consideration in this section. The first step in determining a learning style is to take inventory. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory is a well-known tool used to determine learning styles. Information gathered from the inventory can then be used to help decide which study methods will be most effective. Also, the information can be passed on to instructors to aid them in modifying the delivery of instruction to meet the unique preferences of the student. Another step in determining one’s learning style is to evaluate the study environment and study habits. Is the present study environment optimal? Are the study habits compatible with the learning style of the student? If the answer is no, alternative strategies should be considered. An additional suggestion is to experiment with different learning styles. Monotony is an enemy to learning. Therefore, the use of a less preferred style should be seen as an opportunity to develop a new skill.