Learning styles are particular preferences for learning that are unique to each individual. For example, one person might prefer to read instructional materials to understand how something works, whereas another might prefer to use a “hands-on” approach. There are many ways of thinking about and describing learning styles. Some learning styles will make a lot of sense to you; others might seem confusing at first. Some learning style theories are very simple, and some are complex. You will notice at least a little overlap between the different theories and tools; using more than one of them might help you do a better job of discovering your own learning style. If you are interested in reading more about learning styles, the library and your campus learning center will have many resources on this topic.
Disappointed in My Classes
Have you found that some of your classes aren’t as interesting and engaging as you expected? Is one of the problems a mismatch between the way you like to learn and the instructor’s teaching method? Perhaps you’re a visual learner but are forced to sit through mostly lecture classes, or perhaps you really don’t enjoy working with others even though your chemistry course requires you to complete lab assignments with a partner. This chapter will help you understand your own learning style and adapt it to any classroom situation.
Learning happens all the time, especially in a college or university setting. Some, but not all, of what students learn happens in the classroom, organized by an instructor or other students. If you had been a student in the Middle Ages (500 AD–1500 AD), your instructor, most likely a monk, would have taught you entirely through lecture. Only a few handwritten books existed at that time, and if you wanted a book, you would most likely have had to write it yourself, if you even knew how to write. The invention of the printing press (credited to Johannes Gutenberg in 1440) and the availability of books made reading another option for learning. Even today, listening and reading remain the primary learning methods students are expected to use in college.
Over time, however, instructors have realized that not all students learn best through listening and reading. New technology offers visual tools such as PowerPoint, graphics, video, and online resources that help many students learn. And we also know that powerful learning results when students take charge of their own learning through “experiential,” kinesthetic, or hands-on methods.