How to Utilize your Learning Style to Enhance your Online Education

A comprehensive understanding of the different learning styles, and essentially a good grasp of which learning style category that you fall under, can greatly enhance your leaning experience while you endeavor the distance learning program of your choice.

Various studies have been conducted about these styles and how they affect learning by an array of educational facilities, agencies and associations, and even prospective teachers for the elementary level of education are now learning in their college teaching programs how to instruct effectively in classrooms where several diverse learning styles are present.

This is certainly not a new concept, however the fact that people comprehend information in different ways has only recently become a more prominent thought to consider as a teacher, professor, and especially as a student. Many prospective students are now analyzing their learning styles and choosing colleges, programs and courses that cater to their particular style, in addition to reorganizing the way that they study in order to optimize their learning experience.

Some individuals learn best utilizing a combination of two or three of the learning styles and may be fairly flexible in how they learn, while others find it difficult to understand any new information unless it is taught by using techniques that compliment their specific learning style.

Learning styles and how to take advantage of them:

Visual or spatial learners

Most individuals will learn best with visual stimulation, like PowerPoint presentations, graphs, images, videos, diagrams, maps and charts. Transforming textbook or online information into flashcards or any other visual stimulus can assist visual learners with retaining the ideals and concepts.

Visual learners who are pursuing their college education online can ask the prospective online college the type and color of font and what kind of graphics and visuals that are used for the courses, as the presence or lack of these qualities can either help or impede learning. The more visual stimulus, like graphics and videos, the better the recall rate and, ultimately, the overall distance learning experience, will be for the spatial learner.

Verbal or linguistic learners

Verbal learners do not necessarily require talking, but they basically have a tendency to process information better with language or communication, whether the information is incorporated into writing or speech. Linguistic learners may find that distance learning is right up their alley, as they excel in reading and writing.

Verbally expressing important concepts out loud, re-writing the information that is presented in the online courses, or creating acronyms and mnemonics could improve the ability to remember the content. Taking advantage of social media, email and forums that are available for the verbal learning e-student will enhance the online learning experience.

Aural or auditory-musical-rhythmic learners

Young children are often taught with aural teaching techniques, including the Alphabet Song and nursery rhymes, in the preschool and elementary setting. Aural learners process information better when they physically hear it, and many of these individuals may commit content to memory better by listening to music while they are studying. Like the verbal or linguistic learners, people who learn best with the aural learning style may want to read information out loud and voice record it to playback during later study sessions or create a song to help to remember the information from their online courses.

Additionally, online students can boost their experience, similar to the linguistic style learners, by interacting on social media network platforms to connect and communicate with other students and discuss course material for alternative study measures.

Physical or tactile/kinesthetic learners

These are the well-known hands-on learners that love to attend chemistry or home economics courses in which students are encouraged to physically participate by concocting chemical mixtures or baking delicious recipes. Logically speaking, how exactly do the physical or the tactile/kinesthetic learners make their learning style mesh well with online learning? These learners will find that they will excel if they seek online programs with courses that are interactive in some way, including courses that require students to view PowerPoint presentations, watch Flash videos or utilize drag-and-drop type of programs.

Logical or mathematical learners

Concrete evidence that ties everything together to make it bear some kind of logical reasoning, like statistics, pleases the logical or mathematical learner. The logical style of learning does not depend solely on numbers and statistics, but it definitely requires a rather systematic style of teaching. This type of online student will engage the best with well-organized information presentations that are numbered or utilize outlines, graphs and charts.

Social Learners vs. Solitary Learners

It might seem to be an obvious fact that solitary learners would thrive more in the online learning environment than social learners. In truth, both styles of learning can thrive in a distance learning program as long as they understand their learning style and how to enhance their experience. Social learners who choose to pursue their degree online can get involved in forums, blogs, social networking sites and online study groups to keep their minds active and motivated throughout their education.

Some of the categories of learning styles overlap in qualities, so the main idea for each student would be to determine a general idea of which different learning styles they fall under and which strategies will work the best for them. Although distance learning programs might present new obstacles to climb over for certain styles of learning, each type of student can cater to their learning style and enhance their e-learning experience with a bit of creativity.

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