The Counselling Unit UWI, Mona Study Skills Learning Styles – Discovering how you learn

Discovering our learning styles allows us to: 4 Seek out experiences that draw on the strengths of our styles 4 Adapt our speaking, writing, thinking, and listening to the styles of other people 4 Develop our skills at other learning styles

When we learn, two things initially happen 4 Perceiving - how we ‘take in’ reality 4 Processing - how we internalize the experience

Perceiving & Processing Perceiving 4 Concrete approach – sensing and feeling 4 Abstract approach – analyze, intellectualize Processing 4 Actively experimenting – “jump in” and do things 4 Reflectively observing – watch and ponder what is going on

Style I 4 Perceive through concrete experience and process through reflective observation 4 View concrete situations form many points of view 4 Approach events as observer 4 Reflect on the situation rather than take action

Style I cont’d 4 Enjoy generating a range of ideas 4 Work for harmony and build support 4 Have a concern for people 4 Engender trust 4 Favorite question when learning new information – Why?

Style II 4 Perceive through abstract conceptualization 4 Process through reflective observation 4 Understand a wide range of information & good at putting it into a concise, logical form

Style II cont’d 4 More interested in abstract ideas than people 4 Thorough, goal-oriented 4 Excel in traditional learning situation – chalk & talk 4 Favorite question – What?

Style III 4 Perceive through abstract conceptualization 4 Process through active experimentation 4 Skilled at finding practical uses for ideas 4 Good problem solvers and decision makers

Style III cont’d 4 Prefer working with things than with people 4 Plans and schedules are their thing 4 Favorite Question – How does this work?

Style IV 4 Perceive information through concrete experience 4 Process new learning through active experimentation 4 Learn from “hands-on” experiences

Style IV cont’d 4 Enjoy new and challenging experiences 4 Listen more to their ‘gut’ feelings than any logical analysis 4 Risk takers 4 Not fazed by new people or situations 4 Favorite question – What if?

How to use our learning styles 4 Recognize our own styles and capitalize on the strengths we already have 4 Extend our success by exploring other learning styles

How to use our learning styles cont’d 4 Consciously choose to use the characteristics of each style by asking ourselves four questions:

How to use our learning styles cont’d 4 Why is it important to my education that I learn this? 4 What are the important concepts and facts I need to learn in mastering this information?

How to use our learning styles cont’d 4 How can I try this out or practice this new idea to see if it makes sense for my life today? 4 What if this idea can be extended more broadly to other situations in my life?

Reference: Ellis, D. (1994) Becoming a master student (7th ed) Rapid City, SD. Haughton Mifflin