Learning Styles

Everyone has their own style of learning new information. Everyone solves mysteries in their own way. There is no right or wrong approach.

Mystery About You You will be able to discover your learning style(s) with the help of this lesson today. Let see how this is going to happen.

Learning Styles By the end of today you will know: –The definition of a learning style. –How to describe your learning style(s). –Suggestions on ways you can study and do your homework according to your learning style(s).

What is a learning style? The way each person concentrates on processes and retains new & different information.

What is a perceptual strength? When confronted with new and difficult material, this is the sense one relies on the most. Five senses: –Sight –Hearing –Taste –Touch –Smell

CON’T There are 5 perceptual strengths: Auditory, visual, tactual, kinesthetic, and verbal learners

Perceptual Strength #1: Auditory Learner A person who learns best by hearing or listening to new material. Examples: Learning from sound, frequently, moves their lips or speak under their breath while reading. Strategies: Lecture & Discussion, Brain stroming

Perceptual Strength #2: Visual Learner A person who learns best by seeing the material they are learning. Examples & traits: Remembers faces but forgets names, have greater recall of words presented visually. Strategies: learning from films, reading, materials, maps, charts, graphs, etc.

Perceptual Strength #3: Tactile Learner A person who learns best by using his/her sense of touch; texture of things. Examples & traits: Gestures when speaking, a poor listener Strategies: learning by taking notes, underlining while reading, making flash cards, drawing maps, pictures, charts, etc

Perceptual Strength #4: Kinesthetic Learner A person who learns best by being completely involved in the material or activity they are trying to learn. Examples & traits: Find it hard to pay attention to auditory and visual presentations. Strategies: learning by taking field trips, actively participating in the activity (i.e. PE), laboratory experiments, etc.

Perceptual Strength #5: Verbal Learner A person who learns best by talking about the material they are learning. Examples and traits: Learn by reading aloud or by explaining something to someone else. Strategies: making up rhymes in their heads to learn new things, learning by explaining something to someone else (i.e training someone on the job, tutoring, etc.), learning by reading aloud, etc.

21 Elements of Learning There are 5 learning style factors that each contain elements: 1.Environmental Factors (4) 2.Emotional Factors (4) 3.Sociological Factors (6) 4. Physical Factors (4) 5.Psychological Factors (3)

Environmental Factors (Of, relating to, or associated with the environment.) What type of surroundings allow you to learn best? Do you need light to study? Do you get tired if the lighting is not good enough? Can you concentrate in the cool or heat? Does noise bother you when you are studying or doing homework?

Environmental Factors (continued) 1.Sound –Are you the type who likes to listen to music while you study? –For some people, sound actually aids in concentration.

Environmental Factors (continued) 2.Light –Do you study better with a lot of light or with dim lighting? –Do you need every light in the room on or just a single lamp?

Environmental Factors (continued) 3.Temperature –Do you study best when the room is warm, or do you prefer the room to be cold? –Many people feel sluggish and tired when the room is too warm.

Environmental Factors (continued) 4.Design –There are 2 types of design: 1.Formal Design: you like to study in a straight chair or at a desk. 2.Informal Design: you like to study on the floor, couch, or on a bed.

Emotional Factors (Readily affected with or stirred by emotion.) Motivation: How eager are you to learn? Your desire to learn. Persistence: A learner who works at a task until it is completed.

Emotional Factors (continued) 3.Responsibility: A person/student who completes a task with minimum supervision. 4.Structure: The specific rules for working on and completing a task/assignment.

Sociological Factors (Interaction with other people) Do you learn more from a group than by yourself? Do you like to work in a small group or in a large group? The overall question is - Are you really learning?

Sociological Factors (continued) 1.Self: The total being of one person; the individual. 2.Pairs: Two corresponding persons. 3.Peers: A person who has equal standing with another or others, as in rank, class, or age; children are often easily influenced by their peers.

Sociological Factors (continued) 4.Team: A group on the same side, as in a game. 5.Adult: One who has attained maturity or legal age. A fully grown, mature person. 6.Varied: A mixed group consisting of people with different ages.

Physical Factors (Of or relating to material things; our physical environment.) 1.Perceptual: Use of our senses; perceptual strength. 2.Intake: Someone who likes to have something to eat or drink while studying is said to require intake.

Physical Factors (continued) 3.Time: What time of the day is best for you to study? When are you most alert - morning, afternoon, evening, etc. 4.Mobility: A person who likes to take breaks and walks around while studying.

Psychological Factors (Of, relating to, or arising from the mind or emotions) 1.Global/Analytic –Global: People who learn more easily when they understand the concept being taught first and then concentrate on the details. –Analytic: People who learn more easily when information is presented in sequence or step-by- step.

Psychological Factors (continued) 2.Hemisphericity: Refers to the dominance of the left and right sides of the brain. –In just about everything, both sides of the brain are used. However, the way each person learns seems to be controlled by one hemisphere (or side) or the other. –Right-brained people are global learners. –Left-brained people are analytic learners.

Psychological Factors (continued) 3.Impulsive/Reflective –Impulsive: One who often blurts out an answer without giving it much thought. –Reflective: Someone who has to repeat a question in his/her mind several times and then think of an answer.

Questions?