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Learning Styles 101
By Sean Griffin

Basic Learning Styles

Kolb's Experiential Learning Styles

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

Human beings take in knowledge via three of the five senses: sight, hearing, and touch. Each of us has preference for the sense we use most effectively to learn—a dominant information-receiving sense, so to speak. Interestingly, though some of us learn best using one of these senses in all situations, most of us use some of all three, tending to favor one or the other in various situations.

When preparing training materials, we must consider that not everyone using these materials will learn in the same way. Therefore, training information must be presented to appeal to all three of these basic senses, so that all learners will have equal opportunity to learn, no matter what their preferred style is.

Basic Learning Styles

Auditory Learning

Auditory learners learn best by hearing. They excel in situations where the spoken word is used to communicate information, but may have difficulty with tasks involving reading and writing. Some auditory learners subvocalize (move their lips when reading silently), or prefer to read aloud. Sometimes they talk to themselves.

Since auditory learners prefer to learn by listening, lecturing is the training approach that works best for them. Other ways to integrate the auditory learning style into the learning environment include these:

• Follow the old adage: "Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, then tell it to 'em, then tell 'em what you told 'em!"
  
  
• Ask learners questions to determine what they already know, then fill in the gaps using your expertise.
  
  
• Include auditory activities, like brainstorming or buzz groups.
  
  
• Invite the learners to verbalize their questions.
  
  
• At the end of a training presentation, allow time to debrief. Allow participants to ask questions and offer comments, thus permitting them to make connections with what they have learned and how it applies to their situation.

Visual Learning

Visual learners learn by seeing. Actually, there are two types of visual learning: visual-linguistic and visual-spatial.

Visual-linguistic learners learn best through written language, and prefer reading and writing tasks when learning. They prefer writing down directions, and are more attentive in lecture situations if they take notes while listening. Many of them remember what is written down, even if they read it only once.

Visual-spatial learners sometimes have trouble with written language. They prefer charts, demonstrations, videos, and other similar visual materials.

Visual learners prefer print (or online) material, and learn best by reading or responding to visual cues—such as use of a whiteboard, overhead transparencies or PowerPoint presentations. Other ways to integrate the visual learning style into the learning environment include these:

• Include handouts of outlines, agendas, etc., for reading and taking notes.
  
  
• Include plenty of content in the handouts for visual learners to read or reread after the training session.
  
  
• Leave enough white space in handouts for note taking.
  
  
• Invite questions to help visual learners stay alert in auditory environments.
  
  
• Use flipcharts that show what will be presented and what has been presented.
  
  
• Use illustrations to supplement textual information whenever possible.
  
  
• Show and explain diagrams.

Tactile or Kinesthetic Learners

Tactile or kinesthetic learners learn best when touching (tactile) or moving (kinesthetic). When listening to lectures, they prefer to take notes; when reading, they prefer to get the big picture first by scanning the material, then focusing on details.

Tactile learners like to work with objects they can manipulate. They prefer learning in laboratory or other hands-on settings. Kinesthetic learners learn through experiential activities like simulations, exploratory activities, or problem solving. Other suggestions for integrating the tactile or kinesthetic learning style into the learning environment include these.

• Take advantage of activities that will get the learners up and moving.
  
  
• When appropriate, play music during activities.
  
  
• On flipcharts or whiteboards, use colored markers to emphasize key points.
  
  
• Allow frequent "stretch breaks."
  
  
• Provide hands-on exercises.
  
  
• When highlighting an important point, give them gum or candy or something that provides a cross-link of scent (aroma) to the topic at hand; scent can be a powerful tool for these learners.
  
  
• Provide or encourage the use of colored pens, markers, or highlighters.
  
  
• Guide learners through a visualization (or acting out) of complex tasks.
  
  
• Have learners transfer information from a text or lecture to another medium, such as a keyboard or a tablet.
  
  
• On flipcharts or whiteboards, use colored markers to emphasize key points.

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Kolb's Experiential Learning Styles

With this understanding of the three basic means of learning, we can move on to more sophisticated models. David Kolb suggests that there are four processes to learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.

Concrete experience—feeling or sensing; learning through direct involvement in a new experience. This learning process relies heavily on feeling-based judgments. For the concrete experiencer, theoretical approaches are unhelpful, and each situation is unique. They learn best when involved in specific examples, and tend to relate to peers rather than to authority. Concrete experiencers are people persons; they want to get along with others and not be bossed around.

In learning situations, group activities and peer feedback are often successful. Planned activities for concrete experiencers should allow them to apply the skills they have learned or are learning. Since they are self-directed, autonomous learners, instructors of concrete experiencers should act as a coach or helper.

Reflective observation—watching; learning through watching others, or through thinking about their own experiences or the experiences of others. Reflective observers rely heavily on careful observation when making judgments. They reflect on how what they learn will affect some aspect of their life.

Reflective observers prefer lectures and similar learning situations, situations in which they can play the role of an impartial, objective observer. They tend to be introverted, and to be visual or auditory learners. They want their instructor to provide expert instruction, and they look for an instructor who is a taskmaster as well as a guide. Reflective observers prefer that their performance be measured by external criteria.

Abstract generalization or conceptualization—thinking; learning by creating concepts and theories to describe and explain observations. Abstract generalizers/conceptualizers decide how what is being learned fits into their own experiences. They are oriented toward concepts and symbols rather than toward other people.

Authority-directed, impersonal learning situations that emphasize theory and systematic analysis work best for them; they become frustrated with and gain little from unstructured approaches like exercises and simulations. Appropriate learning strategies for abstract generalizers/conceptualizers include case studies, theoretical readings, and reflective thinking exercises.

Active experimentation—doing; learning by using the theories and concepts that have been derived to solve problems and make decisions. Active experimenters consider how the information being learned offers new ways for them to act.

They learn best from activities like projects and group discussions; they don't do well in passive learning situations like lectures. Active experimenters are usually extroverts. Successful training strategies for active experimenters are problem solving, small group discussions or, better yet, games, peer feedback, and self-directed work assignments. Active experimenters like to see everything, then determine their own criteria for the relevance of the materials being studied.

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Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner postulates that there are eight different and distinct intelligences, and that each of us uses one or two of these for the most effective learning. Unfortunately, our culture tends to teach, test, reinforce, and reward only two kinds of intelligence: verbal/linguistic and logical/mathematical (think back to your own school days!).

Following are four kinds of intelligences relevant to training.

Verbal/linguistic intelligence. People in whom this intelligence is dominant are sensitive to the meaning and order of words. In training situations, use activities that involve hearing, listening to impromptu or formal speaking, tongue twisters, humor, oral or silent reading, documentation, creative writing, spelling, journals, or poetry.

Logical/mathematical intelligence. If this intelligence is dominant, one is able to handle chains of reasoning and to recognize patterns and orders. When training, use activities involving abstract symbols or formulas, outlining, graphic organizers, numeric sequences, calculation, deciphering codes, or problem solving.

Interpersonal intelligence. Those with this dominant intelligence understand people and relationships. Oftentimes they think by bouncing ideas off each other. While training, use activities involving group projects, division of labor, sensing others' motives, receiving or giving feedback, or collaboration skills.

Intrapersonal intelligence. People for whom the intrapersonal intelligence is dominant possess access to their own emotional life as a means to understand themselves and others. For training, use activities like emotional processing, silent reflection methods, thinking strategies, concentration skills, higher-order reasoning, or metacognitive techniques.

Conclusion

We've only scratched the surface of learning in this article. If you thought learning was a simple process, well—maybe it is, when compared with pharmacology or the intricacies of the telecommunications industry. But if you are tasked with developing or delivering training, you would do well to study the several methods and degrees of learning and design programs to appeal to the style of every kind of learner.

As usual, know your audience!

Bibliography

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books, 1993.

Kolb, David A. Experiential Learning: Experience As the Source of Learning and Development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1984.