Chapter 4: discovering how you learn

• learning styles: particular ways of learning, unique to each individual
• your learning style reflects the way you acquire knowledge

• VARK learning styles inventory: how learners prefer to use senses to learn

Visual: learn info w graphs, charts, symbols, underlining & highlighting, etc.

Aural: hear info, talk w others about info, record lectures, read notes out loud

Read/write: learn info displayed as words, write/rewrite notes

Kinesthetic: learn through experience & practice, hands on
you can be a multimodal (someone w more than one learning preference) learner!

• Kolb inventory of learning styles: abilities we need to develop in order to learn

-concrete experience: allow to be receptive to others & open to others' feelings (learning from & empathizing w others)

-reflective observation: reflect on experiences w many perspectives (remain impartial while looking at situation from different points of view)

-abstract conceptualization: integrate observation into logically sound theories (analyze ideas intellectually & systematically) 

-active experimentation: make decisions, solve problems (move quickly from thinking into action)

-accommodators: hands on learning, rely on intuition, make things happen. might be pushy/impatient, use trial & error instead of logic.

-divergers: reflect on situation from different viewpoints, brainstormers, imaginative, people oriented, emotional. difficulty making decisions.

-convergers: ideas & theories, good at how to apply those theories to real-world. prefer tasks & problems.

-assimilators: abstract concepts, theoretical ideas w/o relating to real-world.

• Myers-Briggs type indicator: personality test, can also be used to describe learning styles

~E-I: where you direct your energy
Extraversion (outgoing, talkative. energized by people, activities. people of action. good communicators. quick to act & lead. can talk too much or too loudly)

vs.

Introversion (reflect carefully & think things through before taking action. quiet & private. good, careful listeners, deep thoughts. might seem too shy & not aware enough of people & situations around)

~S-N: how perceive the world & take in info.

Sensing (interested in facts. practical, factual, realistic. accurate, steady, precise, patient, effective. routine. traditional & conventional. sometimes won't see the whole picture)

vs.

Intuitive (possibilities, concepts. less tied to here & now. need inspiration & meaning for what they do. work in brusts of energy. original, creative, nontraditional. trouble w routine or details. bright, innovative. can be impractical dreamers & fall short bc of inattention to detail)

~T-F: how prefer to make decisions

Thinking (logical, rational, analytical, critical. reasoning. impersonal & objective. fairness. can seem cold, insensitive, blunt)

vs.

Feeling (warm, empathetic, sympathetic. harmony. distressed by conflict. trouble being assertive. kindness. can facilitate cooperation & goodwill. can be illogical, emotionally demanding, reluctant to tackle unpleasant tasks)

~J-P: how you approach outside world

Judging (planned, orderly, organized. make decisions quickly & easily, follow plans. punctual, tidy. get things done & done on time. can be too judgmental bc jump to conclusions too quickly. have trouble changing plans)

vs.

Perceiving (adapt, flexible. deal well w changes. delay decisions to keep options open. juggle too many things at once w/o finishing. roll w the punches. can be messy, disorganized procrastinators)

• Multiple intelligences (Dr. Howard Gardner):

Verbal/Linguistic: likes to read/write, tell stories, good at memorizing info

Logical/Mathematical: likes to work w numbers & good at problem solving & logical processes

Visual/Spatial: likes to draw & play w machines, good at puzzles & reading maps & charts

Bodily/Kinesthetic: likes to move around & good at sports, dancing, acting

Musical/Rhythmic: likes to sing & play instruments, good at remembering melodies

Interpersonal: likes to have many friends, good at understanding people, leading, mediating conflicts

Intrapersonal: like to work alone, understand themselves well, original thinkers

Naturalist: likes to be outside, good at preservation, conservation, organizing living area

• when learning styles & teaching styles conflict, take control of your own learning (internet, textbook, tutoring, etc.)
• learning disability: affect people's ability to interpret what they see & hear or to link info across different parts of the brain:

-attention disorders: daydream excessively, easily distracted, ADD, ADHD, trouble organizing tasks or completing work. don't seem to listen or follow directions. trouble getting organized.

-cognitive learning disabilities: mix up letters & words, difficulty assigning sounds to letters. (ex. dyslexia) unable to understand new concepts, problems w vocab, grammar, hand movement, memory (developmental writing disorder) problems recognizing numbers & symbols, aligning numbers, understanding abstract concepts (developmental arithmetic disorder)

-HAVING A LEARNING DISABILITY IS IN NO WAY RELATED TO INTELLIGENCE.