copyright © wadsworth/thomson learning inc. permission required for reproduction or display....

Copyright © Wadsworth/Thomson Learning Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Chapter Two

Diversify Your Learning Style


Know How You Learn

• Your Intelligence Profile

• Sensory Preferences

• Experiential Learning Preferences

• Personality Factors


Your Intelligence Profile

• Howard Gardner formulated a theory of “multiple intelligences”, suggesting abilities seem to cluster in eight different areas:• Verbal-linguistic Skills• Logical-Mathematical Skills• Musical Abilities• Bodily Awareness• Spatial Skills• Interpersonal Abilities• Naturalist Abilities


Gardner’s Theory of “Multiple Intelligences”

• Domains are independent of one another.

• Humans can be highly developed in one area and not highly developed in others.

• Most college courses tend to emphasis Verbal-linguistic and Logical-Mathematic intelligences.

• Assess your strengths and weaknesses to determine areas in which you should seek help to develop further.


Sensory PreferencesYour learning style is based on your sensory preference for receiving information.

•Auditory Learning

•Visual Learning

•Tactile or Kinesthetic Learning


Auditory Learners

• Prefer to hear information spoken

• Can absorb a lecture with little effort

• May not need careful notes to learn.

• Often avoid eye contact in order to concentrate


Visual Learners

• Prefer to see information such as pictures, diagrams, cartoons, demonstrations

• Picture words and concepts they hear as images• Easily distracted in lecture with no visual aids• Overwhelmed with intense visuals accompanied

by lecture• Benefit from using charts, maps, notes, and flash

cards when studying


Tactile or Kinesthetic Learners

• Prefer touch as their primary mode for taking in information

• In traditional auditory learning situations, they should write out important facts

• Create study sheets connected to vivid examples

• Role-playing can help the learn and remember important ideas


Experiential Learning Preferences

David Kolb identified four different way in which people like to learn about and work with ideas.

•Learn by Doing

•Learn by Reflecting

•Learn by Critical Thinking

•Learn by Creative Thinking


Learn by Doing

• Learning through problems or games and simulations

• Applying principles through field work, lab activities, projects, or discussions

• Usually preferred by visual and tactile learners

• Appeals to people high in Spatial skills and Bodily awareness intelligences


Learn by Reflecting

• Provides an opportunity to compare incoming information to personal experience

• Observation is preferred over active participation, along with journal writing, project logs, and film critques

• Usually preferred by auditory learners• Appeals to people high in Intrapersonal

intelligence


Learn by Critical Thinking

• Learning through manipulation of symbols, problem-solving, and making predictions

• Involves analyzing relationships, creating and defending arguments, and making judgements

• Primarily relies on auditory learning, although is effective in other learning situations

• Appeals to those with Verbal-linguistic, Logical-mathematical, and Naturalist intelligences


Learn by Creative Thinking

• Learning through unique personal expression• Involves writing stories, brainstorming, original

problem-solving, and designing research• Is more holistic and encourages breaking the rules• Appeals to both auditory and visual learners• Can be present in all domains of multiple

intelligence


Just Do It

• Compose your learning profile.• Where do your strengths lie with regards to

• multiple intelligences?• sensory preferences?• experiential learning?

• Now list your classes and briefly highlight which modes of learning they make use of.

• Note the classes that will challenge you more.


Personality Factors

• Big Five Personality Theory

• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator


Big Five Personality Theory

• O = Open to experience

• C = Conscientiousness

• E = Extraversion

• A = Agreeableness

• N = Neuroticism


A Look at Type O

• High • Adventurous, imaginative, and unconventional.

• Students will enjoy classes where they can experiment with new ideas.

• Low

• Conventional, conservative, and rigid.

• Students need to seek highly structured situations to fare best.


A Look Type C

• High• Hard-working, ambitious, and driven.

• Students have developed work habits that will place them on the Dean’s List

• Low• Pleasure-seeking, negligent, irresponsible.

• Students’ work habits make them more vulnerable to being placed on probation or suspension.


A Look at Type E

• High• High-spirited and energetic (extroverts)• Students thrive on the continuous

opportunity that college provides to meet and work with different people.

• Low• Reserved and passive (introverts)• Students need to seek less social

stimulation to do their best work.


A Look at Type A• High

• Good-natured, trusting, and helpful.• Students tend to be well-liked and respected and

may have an easier time negotiating positive outcomes inconflict situations.

• Low• Irritable, suspicious, and vengeful.• Students are less likely to get any breaks when

negotiating because they approach the situation with a hostile attitude and low expectations of others.


A Look at Type N• High

• Suffer a variety of problems related to emotional

instability: anger, depression, impulsiveness.• Students’ emotional instability creates constant

chaotic conditions that can threaten academic survival.

• Low• Adapt well, tolerate frustration, and maintain a more

realistic perspective.• Students have developed personal resources that can

help them garner success and rebound from failure.


Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI)

• Extraversion/Introversion

• Sensing/Intuiting

• Thinking/Feeling

• Judging/Perceiving


Extraversion/Introversion(Social Orientation)

• Extroverts

• Like talking with others and taking action.

• Prefer active learning and group projects.

• Introverts

• Prefer to have others do the talking.

• Prefer lectures and structured tasks.


Sensing/Intuiting(Information Processing)

• Sensers• Are most at home with facts and examples. • Are drawn to realistic and practical applications.• Prefer memorizable facts, and concrete questions.

• Intuiters• Prefer concepts and theories which can give greater

play to imagination and inspiration.• Prefer interpretation and imagination.


Thinking/Feeling(Decision Making)

• Thinkers• Like to take an objective approach and emphasize

logic and analysis in their decisions.• Prefer objective feedback, and thrive when there

is pressure to succeed.

• Feelers• Prefer emotion to logic.• Give greater weight to the impact of relationships

in their decisions.• Prefer positive feedback and individual

recognition.


Judging/Perceiving(Achieving Goals)

• Judgers• Prefer clearly defined strategies to achieve goals.• May jump to closure too quickly.• Prefer orderliness, structure, and deadlines.

• Perceivers• Like to consider all sides to a problem and may

be at some risk for not completing their work.• Prefer spontaneity, and flexibility.


Think Strategically About Your Learning

• Understand How Effort Relates to Learning Style

• Use the Features of This Book


Effort and Learning StyleYou may have some of the following questions:

•How hard do I want to work?

•How should I choose where to work the hardest?

•Is there such a thing as being too reflective?

•What’s wrong with students who don’t get involved in class? I always do.

•How will I survive classes that require group projects?

•Can I get away with being creative?

•What happens if I fail?


How hard do I want to work?

• Every time you are confronted with a learning opportunity, you must make a decision about how deeply you will invest yourself in the assignment to succeed.

• Let your goals and values guide you.


Surface Learning

• Studying the minimum of what needs to be learned

• Relies primarily on rote memorization, often exercised at the last minute

• Motivation comes from grades • Risky

• Much less likely to lead to college success


Deep Learning

• Goal is to truly understand course material

• Involves actively constructing learning experiences

• Leads to better memory retention

• Deep learners enjoy the process of learning for its own sake

• Deep learners use more thinking skills


How Should I Choose Where to Work the Hardest?

• In general, it is a bad idea to do poorly in many classes when you can improve your standing by dropping a class or two.

• Consult with your advisor about dropping classes that will have the least negative impact on your schedule.


I have trouble jumping into class discussions because they seem to take off before I’m ready! Is there

such a thing as being too reflective?

• Rapid responding can produce ill-formed and off-target ideas.• Some reflective individuals may ruminate forever and not

reach a point of closure.• Note the kinds of questions the instructor tends to ask, then

reflect and prepare your contribution.


What’s Wrong With Students Who Don’t Get Involved in Class? I

Always Do?• They may have learned that your willingness to

carry the burden relieves them of sharing the load.

• Fast-responding extroverts are often perceived as “sucking up” to less-involved classmates.

• Practice longer reaction times to give your classmates a chance to get involved.

• You may then develop your ideas more fully.


How Will I Survive Classes That Require Group Projects?

• It is important to master the skills involved in independent work.

• In virtually every career domain, it is becoming more and more common and important for people to work together.

• Consider peers additional resources for learning.

• Be clear as to when your instructor would consider group effort as inappropriate.


I feel stifled by detailed assignments. Can I get away

with being creative?• If you drift from the intended purpose, the

instructor will see your work as deficient and possibly defiant.

• If you stray in a way that enhances the point of the assignment, the instructors may be pleased with your initiative.

• Always check ahead of time with your instructor to verify that your creative approach will work.


How do I decide when to stay safe and when to take a risk?

What happens if I fail?• Going to college isn’t just about acquiring

knowledge - it’s about personal change.

• College should be a safe place in which to take calculated risks.

• You will learn and change from both your successes and your failures.


Use Features of This Book

• Help through improved planning.• Point to Success

• Help from the Learning Portfolio.• Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning

Model.


Build Positive Relationships with Instructors

• Much of college is about interactions with your professors.

• The success of those interactions will have a major impact on your overall college success.

• Don’t let your learning style or personality preferences control your behavior.

• Take responsibility for relating to your instructors in a way that will be most beneficial to you.

• They will be more responsive if you appear to be confident and in control.


Learning Style and Teaching Style

• Research instructors’ teaching styles prior to registration

• Ask seasoned students

• Try to identify instructors whose teaching styles match your learning styles


How to Inquire about Instructors’ Styles

• Don’t ask if an instructor is “good” or “bad”

• Ask how an instructor teaches:• Do they lecture throughout the class?

• Do they involve the class in discussion?

• Do they use active learning strategies?

• Do they offer any note-taking supports?

• Do they show enthusiasm for students?


The Student-Centered Teacher

• Focus on developing their students’ intellectual growth

• Orchestrate their classes with a variety of activities to motivate interest and heighten learning

• They intend to provide activities that appeal to the broad range of learning styles

• Their classes tend to become spontaneous and depart from original plan to explore student interests.


The Content-Centered Teacher

• The learning climate tends to be highly structured.

• Instructors expect students to take careful notes to prepare for exams covering the material.

• Auditory learners who fare best in lectures, thrive with these instructors.


Build Strengths across the Styles

• Make use of your learning resources.

• Work harder in skills that don’t come easily to you.

• Choose exercises from the Learning Portfolio that help you stretch and grow in new ways.

• Set realistic goals and plan effective strategies for achieving them.

• Monitor your progress.


Tell It Like It Is

• Share first impressions of your instructors.• Who do you think will be your favorite and why?• Who intimidates you the most and why?• Do your classmates share your views?• What have others’ experiences been?• See if you can gain additional insight from

talking with others.


Create A Good First Impression

• Buy the Right Stuff

• Be Prepared

• Do the Work On Time

• Use the Syllabus

• Play Straight

• Stay Cool

• Be There


Buy the Right Stuff

• You won’t look like a serious student if you don’t have the required books.

• Check new textbooks for edition number and any accompanying materials (such as a CDRom) prior to purchasing books second-hand. Just because it’s sold used, doesn’t mean it’s acceptable or complete.


Be Prepared

• Prepare before class.

• You will ask better questions and impress instructors with your motivation.

• You will get more out of the lecture or discussion.


Do the Work On Time

• Deadlines are serious business in college.

• If you miss a deadline, you may not be able to negotiate an extension.

• Instructors tend to believe to do so is unfair to those who turn assignments in on time.


Use the Syllabus

• Instructors often hold students responsible for knowing all information contained in their syllabus.

• It can include course objectives, reading list, grading policies, and other classroom policies (food, drink, etc.)

• It can also give hints about the instructor’s teaching style and how to study for the exams.


Play Straight

• Your college handbook will outline the code for academic integrity on your campus.

• Follow it or you may face severe consequences.


Stay Cool

• All instructors expect class participation to be civil: calm, polite, and efficient.

• You can challenge or ask questions, just do so in a respectful way.


Be There• Just because an instructor doesn’t take roll,

doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t notice when you’re absent.

• Problems with skipping class include:

• It’s expensive.

• It harms your learning.

• It harms your grades.

• It annoys those who end up lending you their notes to copy.


Connect With Instructors• Instructors respond most positively with students

who show interest and enthusiasm for their courses.

• Instructors tend to give the benefit of the doubt in later cases of borderline grades to students who have been responsive and responsible.

• It is possible to get acquainted with instructors in large classes by asking intelligent questions in class and visiting them during office hours.

• Research indicates that seeking contact with faculty outside the classroom is associated with staying in college and graduating with honors.


Solve Problems with Instructors

• Resolve a Mismatch

• Manage Boundaries

• Keep Copies of Your Work

• Know Your Rights


Resolve a Mismatch• Sometimes the level of teaching conflicts with the

ability level of the students.

• Begin by talking with other students to verify others are experiencing the same thing.

• Request an appointment and present your concerns directly.

• If the issue can’t be resolved, consider withdrawing from the course and taking it another time with a different instructor.


Manage Boundaries• Instructors usually make it clear as to how and

when they can be contacted outside of class.

• Instructors differ in their enthusiasm about being contacted outside of class or office hours.

• Instructors vary in how they view friendships between students and instructors.


Keep Copies of Your Work• If there is a dispute over whether or not

work has been completed, the burden of proof falls on the student.

• Always make copies of your work.

• Keep returned projects in a safe place.

• Once you receive your report card, save the best work for your academic portfolio.


Know Your Rights• First, recognize that the instructor is the authority in

the class.• Ask for an appointment and explain your concerns

directly along with supporting evidence.• If unsuccessful, appeal in writing to the instructor’s

immediate supervisor.• You can continue up the chain of command as long

as you have taken appropriate steps along the way.• Most colleges regard instructors as the final

authority in grading, and rarely overturn their grades.


One Minute Motivator

• Most instructors enjoy getting to know their students, and they appreciate your effort to make contact with them.

• Choose your favorite instructor and visit them during office hours - even if only for 5 minutes.

• You will leave feeling good at making the connection, and chances are you’ll be more motivated to do well in the class!


•Your Major and Your Learning Style

• Target an Intelligent Career

• Find the Right Mix

• Stay Flexible in Your Outlook


•Target an Intelligent Career

• A good starting place for planning your future is linking your natural intellectual talents to possible career options.

• Consider your “intelligence profile” according to Gardner’s theory.


Find the Right Mix• Every major you could consider taking in

college tends to emphasize certain learning styles more than others.

• Review the results of your Self-Assessments to put together your personal mix of learning styles, preferences, and intellectual strengths.

• Identify career paths emphasizing your strength factors.


Keep a Flexible Outlook

• Even after you have committed yourself to a specific major, stay flexible about what the future may bring.

• The career you may ultimately pursue may not even have emerged yet as an option.

• Versatility as a learner will give you more choices about just where you want to go in your major and your career.

copyright © wadsworth/thomson learning inc. permission required for reproduction or display....

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