Learning Styles Comparison - Essay Example

Learning Styles Comparison Visual learner From the inventory, I learnt that I am a visual learner. This is because I believe in seeing. A visual learner prefers to learn and process information using visual forms such as charts, paragraphs, lists, pictures and other printed information. Visual learners learn best by seeing then visualizing what they have seen. They easily recall information using words, numbers, sentenses or even specific phrases. They also understand information thst is presented in form of pictures very easily and also recall that information with the same ease. Visual learners have very strong visual skills and they are able to make up movies or scenarios of what they read on their heads. Their visual-spatial skills are also very high and they have a good eye for visual appeal and colour. They are also able to interpret body language as they pay close attention to everything and everyone around them (Wong, 2014). When studying, visual learners like using visual strategies. They like having things that they can see, and memorize as mental images. One will find that the visual learners’ text books and notes highlighted and notes written on the margins. They also like creating visual tools for studying like maps and chats. They read rapidly and require quiet reading areas. They also read for pleasure and relaxation and may spend long periods of time reading (Haggart, 2011). Major learning styles According to Van (2012), people have different learning styles due to their ability to acquire information, process that information and be able to retain it. There are three major learning styles; there is the visual, the auditory and the kinesthetic. The auditory learners learn by talking and listening. They speak extremponously and recall sounds they hear. They often forget the faces of people they meet but they rarely forget their names. They love working with languages and words and love reading plays and dialogs. When studying, they subvocalize either internally or externally so that they can be able to comprehend. They also like interrupting others when reading so that they can discuss the content or an issue that is disturbing them. They remember new words by sounding them phonetically. They love listening to music especially when studying and they recall what they have read by using mnemonics (Haggart, 2011). The kinesthetic learners require movements and touching objects when learning. In class, they are often off task, talking to their neighbours and walking around the class at every opportunity they get. They like figuring out things by themselves. They work on stuff and learn in the process. They learn well in small groups or where the teacher encourages discovery learning. They like feeling, tasting an smelling everything. Most of them are athletic and they have good motor skills. These are the people who dismantle everything just to see how they work and their peers might find them immature for their age. They are also ver hyperactive. They learn well by conducting experiments, self-testing themselves and replicating tasks that will appear in a test (Tileston, 2010). Similarities and differences between various styles Similarities Both the visual and the kinesthetic learners take notes while reading. The kinesthetic and the auditory learners love discussing with their friends when they are reading and are stuck or they do not understand something. People with the kinesthetic and auditory learning styles are also very comfortable reading in noisy environments and are not destructed easily. In fact, they are the ones who disturb their fellow classmates who are visual learners. Differences The best learning method for the auditory learners includes talking and listening. For the visual learners, it is by seeing-is-believing. For the kinesthetic, they learn best by moving around and touching objects and their fellow class mates. The auditory learners remember names of people but often forget their faces while the visual learners forget names but never forget a face. The visual learners can read for long hours in quiet environments but the auditory learners cannot read for long hours and they love reading while listening to music (Haggart, 2011). For processing and recalling information, the visual learners highlight their text books while reading and make small notes on the margins. The auditory learners subvocalize what they are reading either internally or externally so that they can be able to comprehend and also use mnemonic to recall information. The kinesthetic learners conduct experiments, self-test themselves and replicate tasks that will appear in a test by writing possible questiuons on the margins of a text book (Tileston, 2010). Moreover, the visual learners can be able to read very fast and follow written instructions but the auditory learners are unable to read fast and prefer oral instructions (Haggart, 2013). When the visual learners are unable to understand something, they take down modified block notes, the auditory learners will explain the information loudly and the kinesthetic learners will create question, problem and word cards and practice them in groups of 10-15 people (Van, 2012). What I learned about myself I learnt that I have to make an effort and read ahead of the teacher. This will enable me to understand better by visualizing what I had already read. I also learnt that my destructions are not weird and that most of my classmates are like me. I used to find it very weird when a teacher has a new hairstyle or odd clothes and that is all I could concentrate on during the whole lesson. I now understand that that is very normal for people with my learning style. How I think my learning style affects my education My learning style has affected my education because I have difficulties taking actions before I have read or seen what needs to be done. To be confident in anything I do, I have to read thoroughly. This can be problematic especially in situations where the time required to perform an action is not enough for reading. I also find it very hard reading where people are talking or there is noise. Thus, the only place I can read and understand is when I am alone and it is quiet. Furthermore, I find it very hard understanding lecturers who do not use any graphics or visual pictures to illustrate the subject they are teaching. Moreover, the class environment also affects me very much. I get bored easily when the class has no decorations and it is painted with drab colors. I also cannot concentrate in a class with too much visual stimulation. Why it is important to understand learning styles when developing adult education and training? It is very important to understand the learning styles of different people because it indicates how the students learn, like to learn and learn effectively. Understanding the preferred learning style is a valuable toll for curriculum designers. Identifying learning patterns that are common among the adults being educated may serve to improve the curriculum content and the instructional methods for training and educational courses. A thorough understanding of the learning style that the audience preferrs makes for a better curriculum developer, trainer and instructor. The development of a program that is well balanced encourages learning by optimizing the learners learning styles and enhancing their learning experience (Halima, 2009). By understanding the learning styles, one gains some basic understanding of an average student’s weaknesses and strengths. This information is essential given the trend toward more continuing education. According to Halima (2009), a myriad of new training and education programs are being developed to meet the demands of different students, increase their skills and elevate their professional levels. The new courses are designed to include cognitive domains for recall, application of new skills, solving problems and psychomotor skills. To accomodate the expanding scope of learning, the course designers need to have a deeper understanding of their audience (Halima, 2009). Retrieved from http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm ReferencesTop of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Haggart, W. (2011). Discipline and learning styles: An educators guide. S.l.: Worthy Shorts. Halimah, B. Z, & International Visual Informatics Conference. (2009). Visual informatics: Bridging research and practice, first International Visual Informatics Conference, IVIC 2009, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 11-13, 2009 : proceedings. Berlin: Springer. Tileston, D. W. (2010). What every teacher should know about diverse learners. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin. Van, B. D. L. (2012). Orientation to college learning. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth. Wong, L. (2014). Essential study skills. Read More