Learning Style Comparison Essay

For years, there have been many theorists who have shared their views on how individuals learn. Such research has determined that individuals have different learning styles. It is important for teacher to understand the learning styles of both themselves and their students because it helps them to relay the subject knowledge to the students. The teacher is in a position where they must be able to assess the learning styles of their students. This means that the students and teachers are both in a process of learning.

There are several factors that have and still do influence on my own individual learning process. However some have impacted greater than others and they are as followed:

It is practical to assume that students will do better in tasks that reflect their particular style of learning, so knowledge of students’ learning styles, including a variety of tasks will make teaching more inclusive. A learning style questionnaire could be handed out at the start of a course which, once completed will inform the teacher about the learning styles of the students.

From an early age I found learning hard and in my early educational years I

“Just as students have different personalities, they also have different ways of learing (Slavin, 107).” Learning styles are another important factor to incorporate when implementing the best learning environment. Learning styles are defined as an individual's mode of gaining knowledge. The most common learning styles addressed are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory leaners understand information through hearing. Visual learners need more visual aids in the learning process, such as diagrams, webs, or pictures. Kinesthetic learners learn better by using manipulatives or by being physically involved in the learning process. Learning styles is a piece of the “backbone” of differentiated learning. Both are used to individualize instruction to help students achieve the most success.

We all learn in different ways, influenced by the combination of our past educational experiences, study practices and personal approach to specific tasks. This can be described as our learning style, defined as ‘particular ways of gathering, processing and storing information and experiences’ (Cuthbert, P.F., 2005).

There are four main types of learning styles: auditory, kinaesthetic, reading and writing, and visual. Each of these theories describes how learning occurs and has its own terminology, perceptions on learning and generalities about teaching and learning. My personal learning style uses a combination of visual, reading, writing and auditory. I prefer using pictures,

Learning styles and barriers to learning can be by the VARK to give a profile of learning preferences of how a person takes in and gives out information or Tidwell and Rodgers Practical learning styles Questionnaire. The VARK learning styles determines if the person learns by being a theorist, reflector, activist and/or pragmatist. The practical learning styles questionnaire looks at how people learn by their orientation, whether they are a realistic or creative, by their interaction, are they a doer or a thinker, by how they represent things, either by words or pictures, and how they process information, whether they are a surface or deep processor. There are many other

In the past psychology class we were assigned various website assignment that helped depict which learning styles work best for the students personal preference. Throughout the multiple websites my overall results were that I personally use all three types almost equally. Although I do favor other learning styles more than the other, it was overall equal. You may ask, “What are learning styles?” There are three main types of learning styles which are Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic learning.

Personal learning styles are highly complex and unique to specific individuals. It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact learning style. Though there are different categories, we often fine tune them to our own abilities. By examining our traits and tendencies we create a clearer understanding of how we process and learn information. With careful review, I have developed a specific analysis of my learning characteristics, including an evaluation of skill levels. Based on what I have recently learned and know from experience, I have also devised a structured plan for improvement of time management and study skills.

Learning is a multifaceted perception unique to each individual. In looking to address the intricacies of learning, there have been a multitude of learning theories established over the centuries. To this day new theories are developed and traditional theories continue to be developed and expanded upon. (Swinburne Online, 2016)

This paper will identify which of the Kolb learning styles best suits me and why I think so. It will also give some examples from my past and present to support these findings. After determining, the learning styles that best fit me and completing an inventory exercise, I have concluded that I learn best using audio and visual techniques in the learning process. I agree with everything this exercise has brought to light. I never knew that these styles were the meaning by which I learned. I have also included examples as to how I see the use and benefits of these learning styles in my career.

Looking at these learning styles, I am a Multimodal learner according to my VARK result test. With several methods of learning, this employs diverse ways to help me memorize and understand what I’ve learned much better by changing between different learning styles that any teacher might use to teach because, I like numerous ways of absorbing information.

Many learning theories, developments and techniques have been created, adjusted and disseminated throughout the years. Throughout history, psychologists, scientists, and other professionals have attempted to understand and explain the unexplainable. Others have tried to reason their own personal beliefs into existence as the status quo.

41). There are three learning style: Auditory: prefer to learn by hearing; Visual: prefer to learn by seeing; and Kinesthetic: prefer to learn by doing. According to Dunn, Denig, and Lovelace (2001) learners are influenced by twenty one elements although not all learners are affected by all 21, most are affected by six to fourteen elements. These twenty one elements that affect learners are classified into five different variables: Psychological: perceptual, intake, time and mobility; Environmental: sound, light, temperature and design; Emotional: motivation, persistence, responsibility and structure; Sociological: self, pair, peers, team, adult and varied and Physiological: global/analytic, hemisphericity, and impulsive/reflective. By identifying each learners learning style teachers and learners can capitalize on the learner’s strengths and weaknesses. Most learners have a primary learning style however it may not be the only learning style that learner has. Some learners have a secondary learning style which can be used to reinforce initial learning.