Optimize Your Learning by Knowing Your Learning Style

(A Self-Study)

Prepared by:Benjamin Fairs

Ed MijangosTony Cortes

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Is this self-study for you?

This self-study is designed for all who would like to better understand their learning style and leverage effective study techniques that work uniquely for them.

For optimum learning, we recommend that you start and finish the self-study in one sitting, which would take 30-60 minutes to complete.

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Learning outcomes

By the end of this self-study, you will: Understand the Felder-Soloman learning styles. Know your Felder-Soloman learning style. Identify learning activities and opportunities that

speak to your style. Identify coping strategies for when the learning

opportunity does not match your style. Create an action plan to optimize your learning.

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What you will need for this self-study

An internet connection A printer A pen Your action plan template (provided to you later) 30-60 minutes of uninterrupted time – please turn

off your smartphone An insatiable desire to learn!

Let’s begin!

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Introduction to Felder-Soloman Index of Learning Styles*

There are four scales in the Felder-Soloman index of learning styles: Active (ACT) – Reflective (REF) Scale Sensing (SEN) – Intuitive (INT) Scale Visual (VIS) – Verbal (VRB) Scale Sequential (SEQ) – Global (GLB) Scale

*Felder, R.M., and Soloman, B.A. (n.d.). Index of Learning Styles. Retrieved from this website. Links to related websites are provided at the end of the self-study.

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Let’s take a closer look at the styles

Active Active learners learn best by doing something active with the information they are learning.

Reflective Reflective learners prefer to think about the information first.

Sensing Sensing learners like learning facts.

Intuitive Intuitive learners prefer discovering possibilities and relationships.

Visual Visual learners remember best what they see.

Verbal Verbal learners get more out of written and spoken information.

Sequential Sequential learners gain understanding in linear, logical steps.

Global Global learners tend to absorb material almost randomly without seeing connections.

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Let’s see the styles in action

Active Jump right into assembling the furniture.

Reflective Think about the process first.Sensing Try to find out information about the furniture.Intuitive Determine how the furniture would fit in and relate to other items in

the house.

Visual Feast at the diagrams that come with the assembly manual.Verbal Go to YouTube and look for a video with instructions.Sequential Arrange all the parts on the floor in sequence before assembling it.Global Start with the biggest part of the furniture and start from there.

If we bought furniture from Ikea™, how would people assemble it using their learning styles?

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Your learning style

While we all use the styles in the four scales in our learning, more commonly we lean towards a moderate or strong preference for a style, although some people may be balanced across the scales.

Let’s take a look at your learning style now.

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Index of Learning Styles

Select the link below to be directed to the inventory of 44 questions. Follow the instructions on the website.

Remember to print your results before you exit the survey. (Note: You need to use the print command of your browser; the results page does not have a print button.)

Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire

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Interpret your style

If your score on a scale is 1-3, you are fairly well balanced on the two dimensions of that scale.

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Interpret your style

If your score on a scale is 5-7, you have a moderate preference for one dimension of the scale and will learn more easily in a teaching environment which favors that dimension.

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Interpret your style

If your score on a scale is 9-11, you have a very strong preference for one dimension of the scale. You may have real difficulty learning in an environment which does not support that preference.

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Learning strategies:Active-Reflective Scale

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Active, think of the strategies below to enhance your Reflective learning

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Reflective, think of the strategies below to enhance your Active learning

• Study in a group in which the members take turns explaining different topics to each other.

• Work with others to guess what you will be asked on the next test and figure out how you will answer.

• Don't simply read or memorize the material; stop periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications.

• Write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words.

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Learning strategies:Sensing-Intuitive Scale

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Sensing, think of the strategies below to enhance your Intuitive learning

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Intuitive, think of the strategies below to enhance your Sensing learning

• Ask your instructor for specific examples of concepts and procedures, and find out how the concepts apply in practice.

• If the teacher does not provide enough specifics, try to find some in your course text or other references or by brainstorming with friends or classmates.

• Ask your instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections yourself.

• You may also be prone to careless mistakes on test because you are impatient with details and don't like repetition (as in checking your completed solutions). Take time to read the entire question before you start answering and be sure to check your results.

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Learning strategies:Visual-Verbal Scale

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Visual, think of the strategies below to enhance your Verbal learning

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Verbal, think of the strategies below to enhance your Visual learning

• Write summaries or outlines of course material in your own words.

• Working in groups can be particularly effective: you gain understanding of material by hearing classmates' explanations and you learn even more when you do the explaining.

• Practise by doing verbal tests to remember course material.

• Organize information by making mental lists and using acronyms.

• Try to find diagrams, sketches, schematics, photographs, flow charts, or any other visual representation of course material.

• See if there are any videos online about the course material.

• Prepare a concept map by listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, and drawing lines with arrows between concepts to show connections.

• Color-code your notes with a highlighter so that everything relating to one topic is the same color.

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Learning strategies:Sequential-Global Scale

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Sequential, think of the strategies below to enhance your Global learning

If you scored 5-7 or 9-11 on Global, think of the strategies below to enhance your Sequential learning

• Before you begin to study the first section of a chapter in a text, skim through the entire chapter to get an overview.

• Strengthen your global thinking skills by relating each new topic you study to things you already know. The more you can do so, the deeper your understanding of the topic is likely to be.

• Practise by doing verbal tests to remember course material.

• When you are studying, take the time to outline the lecture material for yourself in logical order.

• Ask the instructor to fill in the skipped steps, or fill them in yourself by consulting references.

• Try mind mapping to organize course material.

• Organize information by making mental lists and using numbers.

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What’s next?

Now that you’ve determined your learning style and read the recommended learning strategies, let’s identify an action plan for your moderate to very strong learning preference(s).

Before we begin, we’ll review a sample case study to help you better understand how this can be applied, including a learning styles report and action plan.

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Let’s meet Ben

Ben is a call center representative who struggled with his work which was primarily verbal, and did not have the visual representations that he preferred. Additionally, the job aids were written in sequential format which did not resonate with him.

After taking the assessment and determining his learning style, he devised coping strategies that enabled him to adapt at work, and became more productive.

Check out Ben’s learning styles report and action plan.

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Ben’s learning styles report

Active-Reflective ScaleScored 3 towards Active = he is fairly balanced on this scaleSensing-Intuitive ScaleScored 1 towards Intuitive = he is fairly balanced on this scaleVisual-Verbal ScaleScored 7 towards Visual = he has a moderate preference for Visual learningSequential-Global ScaleScored 7 towards Global = he has a moderate preference for Global learning

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Ben’s action plan

Active-Reflective Ι Score: 3-Active Sensing-Intuitive Ι Score: 1-Intuitive

Since Ben is balanced on this scale, he doesn’t need an action plan.

Since Ben is balanced on this scale, he doesn’t need an action plan.

Visual-Verbal Ι Score: 7-Visual Sequential-Global Ι Score: 7-Global

• Create visual representations of common tasks at work.

• Create associations between client requests and mental pictures.

• Match job aids with pictures for better understanding.

• Request the training department to add pictures to training materials and job aids.

• Create mind maps to mirror the job aids - the mind maps will have customer at centre with “branches” reflecting the various ways a customer’s request can be handled.

• Consult colleagues or supervisor to ask for clarity on the steps he might be missing when performing a task.

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Write your action plan

Now that you’ve seen what Ben’s action plan looks like, let’s create yours.

You will need your (1) learning styles report and (2) the action plan template (last slide in this presentation). It may be helpful to think of a learning challenge at work while you devise your action plan.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who is balanced on all four scales (score of 1-3), then you don’t need to create an action plan.

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Don’t forget

To refer to the strategies on slides 13 to 16. That your action plan should provide you with action

items when you are faced with a learning situation that does not speak to your style.

To keep your action plan handy to optimize learning in any situation.

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Congratulations!

You’ve just helped yourself create a better understanding of your learning style and now have an action plan to help you optimize your learning.

Have a fabulous day!

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Want more?

If you would like to learn more about the Felder-Soloman learning styles, please visit the following links: Learning Styles & Strategies Richard Felder’s video Richard Felder’s home page FAQ’s on the learning styles

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Action plan template

Active-Reflective Ι Score: Sensing-Intuitive Ι Score:

Visual-Verbal Ι Score: Sequential-Global Ι Score: