The results of ‘What’s your learning style quiz?’ reveal that I am 65% visual, 25% auditory and 10% Tactile.
Visual learner
Being a predominantly visual learner, I like to learn by visualizing things. Colors, picture and flashcard can be of best help for a visual learner. Most people in the population are predominantly visual learners. They learn new concepts by watching, rather than by listening or touch. Good eyesight is very important for this learning style. A picture is worth a thousand words, then hours of blah, blah, blahBut I have a problem with this method, a picture can carry different meanings for different people. Thus, it is important that words accompany pictures, so that the message is received in the right context.
Visual learners are good at remembering faces, but not names. They analyze new events and places, by looking around. Long lecture can easily bore a visual learner and they can be easily distracted. Using graphs, charts, pictures, maps, animations, etc., in the presentation or lecture, will help in getting the information over to a visual learner.
Visual learners are good planners and they visualize things before they venture into it. Similarly, visual learners rely more on body language than words to express or communicate themselves. Similarly, teachers have to ensure that they create a mental image in the minds of the visual learner, as it enhances the success of the learning process. In marketing courses, most of the information is communicated to the students using words and there is less scope for use of pictures. A study identified that incorporation of visual summaries as an instructional technique, improved the overall course satisfaction and performance on specific topics in marketing courses (Clarke, Flaherty and Yankey 218-226).
Auditory learning style:
The second learning style I choose is Auditory. People whose style is auditory, love to talk and express things using words. They are also good at remembering what others said and in repeating it. Audio instructions, talked speeches or listening exercises may work well for such learners. They are good at learning languages. Activities like discussion, speech and debates help a student with the auditory learning style. An auditory learner may do well in online courses, where there is no direct face to face contact with the teachers. Online audio lectures and verbal directions are effective in helping the student to perform on par with students attending a direct classroom (Neuhauser 99-113). Many libraries are using podcasts to communicate to the students. It is relatively simple to create a podcast message. Students can download these course materials from the libraries. Download of these podcasts, were found to increase steadily during the semester. Podcasts can be used to communicate information about a library or academic policies, legal concerns, cost and staffs (Berk et al. 409-419).
Though understanding once learning style will help in improving once learning outcome; the motivation to learn and planning are some of the attributes of a good learner. Auditory learner can learn even by listening to oneself. Listening to their voice while learning a lesson can help them remember things. People who have visual problems, compensate for this deficiency by having improved auditory learning skills. Students who like the auditory style may prefer to hear news from a TV, rather than reading a newspaper.
Work Cited
Berk, Jaya, Sonja Olsen, Jody Atkinson, and Joanne Comerford. "Innovation in a Podshell: Bringing Information Literacy into the World of Podcasting." The Electronic Library 25.4 (2007): 409-19. Web.
Clarke, I., T. B. Flaherty, and M. Yankey. "Teaching The Visual Learner: The Use of Visual Summaries In Marketing Education". Journal of Marketing Education 28.3 (2006): 218- 226. Web. 2 July 2016.
Neuhauser, Charlotte. "Learning Style and Effectiveness of Online and Face-To-Face Instruction". American Journal of Distance Education 16.2 (2002): 99-113. Web. 2 July 2016.
