Learning styles are a popular concept in educational psychology. For students, identifying how they learn best can help them to study more effectively and enjoy their studies more. The VARK model suggests there are four main types of learners. Visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinaesthetic.
Visual learners learn best by seeing. Helpful learning tools for visual learners include; graphs, charts, diagrams, illustrations, or videos. Visual learners would rather see information presented as an illustration rather than in a written form. If you are a visual learner studying from online videos is a great option. You can even create your own diagrams in your notes. Turning information you have been told in a lecture or read in a textbook into an illustration may help you to remember it easier.
Auditory learners learn best by hearing information. They enjoy lectures and are very good at remembering what was said. Auditory learners can find reading a textbook arduous but may find if they try reading it out loud, they remember the information a lot better. Looking for podcasts or listening to recordings of lectures is another effective way for auditory learners to study. Some students even create songs to better remember information.
Reading and writing learners prefer to learn through written word. Learning materials that are mostly textual are strongly preferred. For reading and writing learners it is best to read through your textbook and lecture notes when studying. Many students find they take a lot of notes during class and while reading through course material. A great study tool for reading/writing learners is to create lists, handouts, and presentations on paper. The act of writing notes out on paper and presenting the information in a neat and organised way is an effective study technique.
Kinaesthetic learners learn best through practical exercises. They prefer to work with their hands and be able to touch and do things. Kinaesthetic learners may find it difficult to sit still for a long period of time studying and may find they cannot recall information easily after doing so. Kinaesthetic learners learn from doing. They are good at applied activities such as drawing or cooking.
eCampus NZ has been designed with these learning styles in mind. We understand that there is no one size fits all approach to learning and have created a multimedia learning portal to cater to all four styles. Our range of digital resources include recordings, videos, demonstrations, and written material. If you would like to find out more about which learning style may be best for you then you can take the quiz below.