Ashley Neu
It is said that people can retain information through three types of methods: visual, kinesthic or auditory. Whichever method is your preferred (and most effective) way to study or learn is then considered to be your dominant learning style. The biggest complaints we receive after a class are often things like:
“the instructor spent too much time talking and not enough labs”
“we spent too much time on the labs and the instructor wasn’t able to go through all the slides of his lecture”
While these seem like faults on the instructor, it really stems from three things:
- A lack of understanding from the student of their own personal learning preference
- Lack of communication between instructor and student on what learning style is most effective
- Lack of diversity of learning methods based on an instructor’s assumption for the class
By developing your understanding of your preferred method of learning, you can convey this in every training class you take in order to receive a balance of information in the way that best suits you.
Visual Learning Style
For the visual learner information is best processed when it is presented in a visual way either in writing, through illustration or by seeing pictures and other graphics on a screen. This type of learner is typically the one who will absorb the most knowledge by reading a textbook of the information because they connect with the words written on the page.
Do you…
- Enjoy analyzing pictures, charts or other types of diagrams
- Usually craft a vivid image in your mind as you are reading materials
- Take more time to process through the content delivered in a lecture to understand it
If so, you are probably a visual learner and probably learn best when given the option to self-study, even if it is just for a portion of the course.
Kinesthetic Learning Style
The kinesthetic learner is the person who needs to do the action to absorb the information. This person will typically write or type the information in order to facilitate the processing of information. Additionally, this type of learner will prefer to engage in classroom activities and other hands-on labs that puts them in control of the data points and primes them for developing their understanding of the information.
Do you…
- Consider yourself a Lego expert as a kid or even as an adult
- Remember how to get to a place or cook a recipe after doing it just one time
- Get fidgety when you sit for too long without doing some type of activity
If so, you are a kinesthetic learner and need a lot of activity in a training class. You will want to choose a training course that incorporates a number of hands-on components.
Auditory Learning Style
Active listening is key for this type of learner. This person actually enjoys lecture sessions, but unlike his/her kinesthetic peers doesn’t participate in a ton of note taking. Instead these learners sit back and let the words engulf them. Audible and YouTube are an Auditory learner’s best friend.
Do you…
- Find it easy to remember conversations, music lyrics, etc
- Enjoy debates or general discussions
- Find it difficult to digest the information within charts or graphs
If so, you are an auditory learner and will need a good amount of lecture within your course. If you are in a course without too many auditory learners and the format has been adjusted, ask your instructor if he/she can provide recordings of their lectures to help you absorb the information.
Learn This and More in CTT+
I learned about these learning styles and more training techniques during my CompTIA CTT+ course.