“Understanding Your Preferred Learning Style Can Help You Develop Better Study Habits”

1. Part I A Tutorial Learning Styles by Mary Coleman University of Phoenix Mrs. Felicia Mallory, Instructor February 5, 2007 “Understanding Your Preferred Learning Style Can Help You Develop Better Study Habits”

2. Goal • Welcome to this two Part series of “Understanding Your Preferred Learning Style Can Help You Develop Better Study Habits” • The goal of Part I, “Learning Styles,” is to provide you with the tools that will help you identify your preferred learning style.

3. Objectives • At the conclusion of this tutorial you will be able to identify your preferred learning style.

4. What are learning styles? • Learning styles are simply different approaches or ways of absorbing information. • YOUR preferred learning style is the way in which YOU learn best.

5. The following three learning styles are most commonly identified: Auditory Visual Tactile/Kinesthetic You will be introduced to four other learning styles as used by the Memletics learning styles inventory: Social Solitary Logical Verbal What are learning styles? (Cont’d)

6. Auditory learners learn through listening... As an Auditory learner, you interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Auditory Learners

7. For the auditory learner, written information may have little meaning until it is heard. The auditory learner may benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder. Auditory Learners

8. Visual Learners • Visual learners learn through seeing. • As a Visual learner, you need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson.

9. Visual Learners • Visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information during a lecture or classroom discussion. • Visual learners tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions.

10. Visual Learners • Visual learners may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs, etc.

11. Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners • Learn through, moving, doing and touching... • You learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around you.

12. Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners • You find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by the need for activity and exploration.

13. Logical You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems. Logical Learning Style

14. Verbal You prefer using words, both in speech andwriting. Verbal Learning Style

15. Tips for the Visual Learners • Mnemonics are your friends for recalling lists of information. • Acronym mnemonics use words, focusing on the first letter of the word to make up another word or memorable sequence. • You can also make up phrases using the items you want to memorize.

16. Tips for the Logical Learners • You like using your brain for logical and mathematical reasoning. You work well with numbers and you can perform complex calculations. • You should aim to understand the reasons behind your content and skills. Don’t just rote learn. • Understanding more detail helps you memorize and learn material you need to know.

17. Social You prefer to learn in groups or with other people. Solitary You prefer to work alone and use self-study. Social and Solitary Learning Styles

18. Tips for the Social Learners • Social learners • When working in groups it may help to have everyone do the learning styles inventory. • The inventory may help everyone understand why each person has different viewpoints. • It can also help with assigning activities.

19. Tips for the Solitary Learners • Solitary learners • Should not be afraid to ask questions like “What’s in this for me?” “Why does this matter?”, “How can I use this idea?” • Be aware of your inner thoughts and feeling towards various topics, because these inner thoughts have more of an impact on your motivation and ability to learn than they do in the other styles.

20. Assessment 1 • Please click the link below to complete the e-Assessment for this tutorial. • Click the “back” button in your browser to return to this tutorial after you complete the assessment and click the submit button. Assessment - 1

21. Learning Style Inventory • For this tutorial, we have chosen the Memletics learning styles inventory. This free inventory has 70 questions and it provides graphical results. • The Memletics learning styles inventory provides you with a guide to your own personal learning styles. By asking a series of questions, and then scoring the results, the inventory indicates which are your dominant and secondary styles.

22. Learning Style Inventory (Cont’d) • The next slide reveals my personal learning style results. • I am the solitary style learner. • I am more private, introspective and independent. • I concentrate well, focusing my thoughts and feelings on the topic at hand. • I am aware of my own thinking, and I am able to analyze the different ways I think and feel.

23. Learning Style Inventory (Cont’d)

24. Learning Style Inventory (Cont’d) • The results of my preferred learning style helped me to understand why I enjoy the distance learning environment when others don’t. • The results help me to recognize what works for me. • Finally, the results confirm what I have always known about myself but did not fully understand.

25. Learning Style Inventory (Cont’d) • Your results will help to improve your learning performance by providing you with the knowledge that will: • Help you strengthen your dominant style. • Help you recognize your secondary style(s) and provide you with additional ways to enhance learning through relevant study habits.

26. Learning Style Inventory (Cont’d) • Click the link below, to discover your preferred learning style. Note that the Excel® workbook contains the following four sheets. • Instructions • Questions • Styles Graph • Score Sheet • After reading the instructions, click the “Questions” tab in the workbook and answer the 70 questions. After completing the questions, go to the “Styles Graph” tab to review your results. When done, exit Excel® to return to this tutorial: Learning Style Inventory 

27. Assessment 2 • Please click the link below to complete the e-Assessment for this tutorial. • Click the “back” button in your browser to return to this tutorial after you complete the assessment and click the submit button. Assessment - 2

28. Resources • http://www.learning-styles-online.com/ • http://www.how-to-study.com/LearningStyles.htm • http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/howtostudy.html • http://www.studygs.net/ • http://www.dushkin.com/online/study/dgen4.mhtml • http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html

29. Credits • Animations from www.animationfactory.com • Clipart of the logical learner from www.kryptonitebar.com/.../normal_anita.jpg • Memletics – Learning Styles On-line.com, Discover Your Learning Style Graphically http://www.learning-styles-online.com/ Exit