If you are one of the many students (or you are the parent of a student) who is looking at different online school options, you may be wondering how different learning styles may impact your experience, and that’s a very valid question!
Your unique learning style has a big impact on your ability to get the most out of any delivery model, education-wise, and knowing what your learning style is can pay off big time! So what is your learning style, and what does that mean when it comes to online learning?
What is your learning style?
While there is a lot more that goes into assessing and applying your personal learning style, we will cover the top three to get you started on the road to better understanding how you learn best and what that means.
You learn best by seeing, and that means that presentations, charts, graphs, pictures, graphics, and other visual displays of information and processes may work the best for you. If you read text, you may be able to recall what the page itself actually looked like, and if you listen to a lecture, it may be helpful for you to write down what you are hearing so that you can “see” it later. Visual learners may be more comfortable quietly studying alone and may find it distracting to try and organize and retain information in their heads in face-to-face learning situations.
If you are an auditory learner, you prefer listening, repeating things out loud, asking questions, and participating. You may recall information by repeating it, and you may enjoy working on group projects and presentations. Auditory learners may enjoy face-to-face experiences more so than visual learners, and they appreciate lectures, recorded sessions, audiobooks, speeches, and listening in order to learn the most efficiently.
If you are a kinesthetic learner, you prefer ‘doing’ to just seeing the information or hearing about it. Kinesthetic learners would prefer to see it demonstrated and then take it on themselves. This type of learner can find lectures and presentations less engaging, but can quickly accel in situations where objects or elements can be manipulated or moved through a process. Virtual simulators and interactive study aids are very helpful to kinesthetic learners.
Can you have more than one learning style?
The answer is, yes! Some people are a mix of all three, some prefer just one learning style, while others may relate to two of the learning styles but not at all to another. There are also complimentary “sub” learning styles that can overlap or nest under the three we have mentioned above, such as aural, verbal, logical, and more. The key is to understand your learning style so that you can embrace or adapt to different learning situations to have the very best educational experience possible.
your personality and preferences can interact with your learning style
There are other unique factors about yourself that you may take advantage of in addition to your learning style. Do you prefer peace and quiet when you study, or do you focus better with a little noise in the background? Do you excel when your schedule is flexible, or does a more regimented routine help you keep on track? Do you need to move around and take frequent breaks, or do you enjoy buckling down for longer periods of time? Studying with friends, or on your own? These are also important questions to ask yourself, that can help you choose which education options are right for you.
Learning styles and online School
So now that we understand more about the different learning styles, how do they impact online learning?
Visual learners may take to online learning with ease, due to the fact that online curriculums often provide information in the form of presentations, graphs, charts, animations, and videos. Visual learners may get more out of online learning by minimizing distractions and creating a space that allows them to focus. Creating your own visuals may also help you succeed if you are this type of learner.
Auditory learners can take advantage of lectures, reading out loud, audio readers, and more. Online learning will almost always have an emphasis on listening, and so auditory learners can excel in this environment. Having headphones and being allowed to turn off your camera during lessons can help auditory learners get even more out of their educational experience.
Kinesthetic learners may feel that online learning may not be the best option for them, but this is simply not the case. Hybrid and virtual learning options, in particular, can be a very good fit for kinesthetic learners, especially when it comes to keeping you engaged, moving around, and assimilating new information. Online learning can give you the option to move around during lectures and apply what you have learned via virtual simulators or in class.
Is online learning right for you?
With all that we know about the different learning styles and online learning, what’s the right choice for you? You are unique, and your education can be too! Learn more about our online public school program today