What's your learning style?

Welcome to the new University year! Many are students starting their first year of their degree others are continuing students. Whichever you are - are you prepared? By now you will have enrolled in your units, received your textbooks or just waiting on the final couple to arrive in the post and begun looking through unit information to see what assignments you will have to do over the semester.

Do you know your learning style?

A popular theory into learning styles is Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Professor Gardner suggests that there are eight kinds of intelligences. These are Logical, Visual, Kinaesthetic, Musical, Naturalist, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Verbal. Think about which category you most likely would fall in to by reading the attributes of each intelligence below. You will find that you will have strengths in most areas, however you will most likely be more prominent in one or two of the intelligences.

Logical people are usually good at:
-computer games
-problem solving
-can compute number in your head
-patterns and sequences
-conducting experiments
You learning style will most likely include doing all your work using the computer and using diagrams to structure your assignments.

Visual people are usually good at:
-see clear images when you close your eyes
-like to use a camera or video camera
- puzzles and other visual games
-creating web page and powerpoint presentations
-using colour and shape
Your learning style will most likely include designing mind maps and online lectures with video.

Kinaesthetic people are usually good at:
-engaging in sport or physical activity
-making things with their hands
-thinking of ideas during physical activity
-using body gestures
-role playing
Your learning style will most likely include constructing models and using pen and paper or the keyboard.

Musical people are usually good at:
-holding a tune
-knowing if a musical note is off-key
-listening to music regularly
-playing an instrument
-remembering jingles
Your learning style will most likely include listening to music whilst you study and using music to remember unit content.

Naturalistic people are usually good at:
-backpacking, hiking or walking in nature
-volunteering for nature related groups
-looking after animals
-finding and researching local and global environmental concerns
-collecting natural objects
Your learning style will most likely include a serene study space including as alternative study setting close to nature.

Interpersonal people are usually good at:
-intuiting other’s feelings
-person-to-person communication
-group sports
-getting involved in social activities
-being surrounded by people
Your learning style will most likely include using forums, chat rooms and wikis as the main mode of studying.

Intrapersonal people are usually good at:
-meditating on their own
-keeping a journal or diary
-creating their own schedule for completing work
-setting short term and long term goals
-carrying out an independent project
Your learning style will most likely include a blog and an well-organised diary system.

Verbal people are usually good at:
-reading books regularly
-listening to the radio or to spoken words
-word games like Scrabble and Boggle
-leading an oral discussion or debate
-giving an oral presentation
Your learning style will most likely include using forums to lead a discussion of interest and word processors to type notes.

So, what's your learning style?

This has been excerpted from Jilly Stansfields book 'eDegree' due to be released in December 2010.