Definition
The term "learning styles" refers to the preferred way(s) in which individuals interact with, take in, and process new stimuli or information across the three domains of learning identifed in the taxonomy of education objectives: cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (attitude). In other words, your preferred learning style is simply how you learn best.
Types of learning styles
Experts have proposed several taxonomies for learning styles.
Visual, Aural, Kinesthetic (VAK and VARK)
Although the theorists may disagree on the vocabulary to describe the four basic types of learning styles, the following are representative categories:
- visual (learn by seeing),
- aural or audial (learn by hearing),
- read/write (learn by processing text) -- this category is not always listed
- kinesthetic or practical (learn by doing).
Those individuals who do not demonstrate any one or two strong learning style preferences are described as multi-modal learners.
Carl Jung
In the early 1900s, Carl Jung identified personality patterns, including extraversion and introversion. He also said that humans use four psychic functions: thinking/feeling and intuition/sensation.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a popular survey for understanding personality. It considers extroversion and introversion, considering whether learners prefer external interaction of internal concepts and ideas. It also considers sensing and intuition, weighing whether a learner prefers to observe facts or use impressions. The MBTI also looks at thinking and feeling, determining whether a learner prefers logic and analysis or harmony and values. Finally, the MBTI measures a learner's preference for judging and perception, assessing the learner's view of the world as planned or spontaneous.
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner claimed that there are multiple intelligences and that people use one or two for learning. These intelligences include:
- Verbal Linguistic
- Logical-mathematical
- Musical
- Spatial
- Bodily Kinesthetic
- Interpersonal
- Intrapersonal
- Naturalist
- Existentialist
Other Styles
DiSC assessment (Carlson Learning) and the Kolb Learning Inventory (David A. Kolb) are other models for learning styles.
Assessments
Learning styles can be determined using assessment instruments like Harvard trained social psychologist, David A. Kolb's (http://www.learningfromexperience.com/About_Us.htm) Learning Styles Inventory (1974, 1985) (http://www.learningfromexperience.com/Assessment_Tools.htm) or Neil Fleming's (http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=biography) free online VARK Learning Style Test (http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire).
There are also many other theorists who have touched on the topic of learning styles.
Related topics
References
External links
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