What Should Federal Employees Know About Different Learning Styles

Understanding different learning styles and using this to determine the best learning style for you can help you in a number of ways. It can help you identify training/educational resources that adhere to your learning style (for maximum positive impact) and make your self-learning and revisions much more potent and impactful.

There are two main types of classifications for different learning styles. A more formalized VARK classification discusses four learning styles, and an expanded classification is used for eight different learning styles. We are going with the latter.

Visual Learners

These types of learners learn best when the learning/course material is partially or fully visualized. This includes numbers and patterns turned into graphs and charts, information accompanied by relevant visual elements; steps turned into flow charts, etc. The basic idea is to anchor the information and ideas that need to be conveyed with visual elements, allowing the learner to relate to them better. These types of learners excel with high-quality infographics, mind maps, concept maps, timelines, labeled diagrams, colorful presentations with clear visuals, and videos with strong visuals.

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners respond well to information, ideas, knowledge, and logic conveyed to them orally. They may retain more information about a story and process its facts and flow better when they listen to it instead of reading it. The process can be external and internal, i.e., they may augment their learning by reading out loud and ingesting the same information auditorily that they are processing visually. Auditory learners thrive with lectures, podcasts, audiobooks, discussions, group learning environments, and mnemonic devices that involve rhythm or rhyme.

Reading/Writing Learners

Then, there are learners who learn best by reading something or writing it down (or writing about it). They are best served with information conveyed via written material, so lecture notes or transcripts, subtitles under educational videos, and writing notes can accelerate and amplify their learning process. Other things they benefit from are textbooks, articles, detailed notes, written instructions, glossaries, and opportunities to write essays or summaries.

Kinesthetic Learners

Kinesthetic learners are more hands-on learners or people who absorb more information (or process it better) when they are physically implementing it or engaged with it. Not all ideas and information can be converted into physical exercises and hands-on training sessions, but almost any form of physical activity might make the learning process more effective for kinesthetic learners. Anything that engages their muscle memory, including activities like building, experimenting, participating, and roleplaying, might help them learn better.

Logical/Analytical Learners

These types of learners learn new things and absorb new information by processing and analyzing it. They like a logical flow, sound reasoning, patterns connecting different bits of information, and coherent conclusions in their learning materials. This also makes them great at problem-solving since they love piecing things together. Facts and figures, more data points, cause and effect/causality, and reasoning (asking why) are some of the things they actively employ (and appreciate) in their learning experiences.

Social/Linguistic Learners

Social learners prefer a learning environment populated with peers and infused with characteristics like collaboration, partnership, debate, etc. They would prefer group training sessions and programs over solo mentorships or self-learning. Group activities, collaborative projects, roleplaying, discussions, and presentations are some of the things that might enhance their learning experience.

Solitary Learners

In stark contrast to social learners, solitary learners prefer learning alone. They might do well in a solo mentorship or when shadowing someone. They are also good at self-learning activities. They like to learn at their own pace, and competitive elements of learning might make the process difficult for them, but a set of personal goals, timelines, and individualized instructions might be highly beneficial.

Nature Learners

It's the least understood, and broadest learner category, and many educators and researchers don't even recognize it as a separate type. However, the basic premise is that these types of learners perform better in natural environments and when their learning is infused with or connected to natural elements.

Final Words

Understanding different kinds of learning styles is just as important for educators as it is for learners themselves. It allows them to tailor their teaching methodology to connect with their students in the best possible way and to ensure that each learning experience yields the best possible results. This is something Management Concept excels at, and our professional educators are adept at developing courses and training programs that are suited to a wide range of learners.