College of Arts and Sciences Advising

Learning Styles

Which style are you and why should you care?

Have you ever noticed that you learn better from some teachers than others?  The reason behind this may not be all about the instructor, but more about what kind of learner you are combined with how information during class is delivered.

• Visual learners learn through seeing 

• Students who need to see the teacher’s body language as he or she teaches
• They are assisted greatly by the use of diagrams and videos
• Handouts and illustrations in the text book that they are reading help them understand better what the words are saying
• It is often best for visual learners to sit in the front of a classroom where they won’t be distracted by people’s heads or other activities going on
• Visual learners also usually benefit greatly from taking detailed notes during a presentation

• Auditory Learners learn through listening

• Discussions, special speakers, and lectures from the teacher - by listening, they understand
• Usually, auditory learners interpret the speaker’s meaning by focusing on their tones of voice, speed, and other nuances of speech
• Auditory learners are the kinds of learners that often benefit from reading the text aloud, since written information does not have much meaning until it has been spoken and heard.

• Kinesthetic Learners learn through doing

• Also called Tactile learners, kinesthetic people need the hands-on approach
• Touching things, trying them out, and moving around while discussing an issue – these are all ways that kinesthetic learners are able to actively explore the subject at hand and discover its meaning
• This is why kinesthetic learners may have a hard time sitting still for long periods of time and simply listening to lecture
• Kinesthetic learners are likely to relate experiences with strong feelings and know that they have truly grasped something once they feel it inside

Learning Styles Self-test

Circle which answer best describes you:

Scenario:       The semester is almost over and your grades on tests and assignment in all of your courses have been consistently low despite your best efforts to do well. You are apprehensive about talking to your professor because she has assisted you on several occasions.  You are now at a point of “no return” because there is a threat of academic suspension if you receive less than a “C” grade in any course.  Suspension will have all kinds of negative impacts on you, such as, your insurance rates will increase, you will lose your financial aid and you will have to work full-time just to pay for any future classes.   Earning a bachelor’s degree has always been your dream but now you have gotten discouraged.  

Think about this scenario and list three approaches you can use to salvage your academic situation. 

According to studies on motivation and achievement ¹,  there are several modes of success.  They include:  self-efficacy,  mastery, knowledge, skills, effort,  and ability. Envision these attributes as you would needs matrix, such as, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.   You will see that each attribute links appropriately to the next.  They are, in effect, interchangeable.  Advancing from one stage without achieving the preceding stages can lead to voids and negative results. 

Self-Efficacy

Mastery

                                                                   KNOWLEDGE                                               

                                                                    SKILLS

                                                                      EFFORT

ABILITY & ENERGY

Can you really achieve a hierarchy of self-efficacy?  To answer this question, let us first examine the lower stages.

First and foremost, you must possess the ability and energy to succeed.  Ability helps us to concentrate.  If your thinking is clouded by stress, drugs or alcohol, personal or social crises, lack of esteem or any number of negative factors, your ability to comprehend and retain will likely be impacted.  Your level of energy may also suffer. 

How does one acquire ability?   Well first we must understand that our abilities are the things we are capable of doing.  They are the resources we use to accomplish what is needed.  They are also the talents and qualities that make us worthwhile.  If you view ability from a holistic perspective, you would see a collective force of energy.  This same energy fortifies and guides our abilities.

So what is the formula for ability?   It’s a collection of our resources, talents, qualities, worthiness and capabilities.

ACTIVITY:      List some of your abilities.  Think of your resources, talents, qualities, worthiness and capabilities to help you develop your list.  The list can be as long or short as you desire. 

But what about our energy level?  After spending hours attending classes, studying, working, cooking, cleaning, caring for family or self, is there any energy left?  Many people find energy through artificial means, cigarettes, supplements, caffeine, alcohol or even drugs.  However, such habits can reduce energy levels and lead to more serious problems.  There are many approaches to help build energy and alleviate stress.   And, it is extremely important to eliminate as much stress out of our lives as possible.  How can stress be eliminated when our multi-faceted lifestyles keep us constantly on the go?   How can we prevent our energies from being stripped by stress-producing factors?

When asked to list as many spontaneous stress busters as possible, a sample of academic advisors indicated the following:

Reading a good book                              Long walk on a cool day                         Jogging or biking

                        A good massage                                  A dip in the pool or Jacuzzi                      The sound of rain

    Soothing music                       Sound of flowing water             Shopping                     Nice vacation

           Hanging out with friends                Intimacy with lover                         Exercise      A good night’s sleep

 Painting                         Cooking                            Game of solitaire                           Turning lights off

            A quick power nap                     A night out on the town                              Talking on the phone to family or friends

    A nice walk on the beach                           Playing with kids                              A good meal                A movie

Of course, an effective way to increase energy is to eat a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, proteins and breads.  We have all heard the saying that “health is wealth.”  It’s true.   Eating healthy foods not only can increase our energy levels but add years to our lives.  So,  bon appetit!

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In the book titled How to Study in College: 2^nd Edition,²   the author lists eleven tension releasers.

1. Talk it out. 

      When you are worried, it is a good idea to talk things over with someone.  It is not a good idea to bottle up your worries.  Instead, talk with a person who can be objective and who you can trust, such as an academic advisor or personal counselor.

2. Escape for a while.

      When problems mount, it is best to get away from the problem or situation for a while or lose yourself in some pleasant activity.  If you are in class, go outside for a fresh breathe of air or a refreshing cold drink.  If at home, take a long and relaxing bath or go to bed early to rest your mind.  The idea is to engage yourself in a more pleasant situation by physically removing yourself from the worry or negative situation.

3. Channel your anger.

            If you find yourself losing control and really letting go of your emotions,  remember that even though the action may give you a sense of power or surge of energy,  it is only temporary.  In the end you will find that the problem or situation still exists.  Instead of lashing out,  a better approach is to take a deep breath, visualize a better way to handle the situation and assert your control in a tactful way.  Instead of “telling a person off” who has stepped over the line,  find a tactful and peaceful way to confront the person without compromising your own dignity and self-control.  It is better to think that what a person says, does not matter to your self-worth and sense of self-esteem, and to tell him so than to spill out profanity.  You will walk away feeling more satisfied that you spoke your mind in a more controlling way.

4. Give in occasionally.

      If you find yourself getting into frequent debates or arguments, try standing your ground only on what you sincerely believe if right, but do so calmly and make allowances for the fact that you could be wrong.  Even if you are absolutely right, it is easier on your system to give in to matters that are fundamentally unimportant.  The result will be a release from tension and frustration.   Surprisingly this modest and subtle approach can lead to discussions instead of arguments.  If the argument persists, it is best to simply walk away which will also give you a sense of control.

5.    Do something for others.   Volunteerism and giving back are values of importance that helps to keep individuals grounded.   Doing for others can be defined in many ways and can have reciprocating rewards.  It can be as simple as helping a neighbor with a chore or helping a school aged child with homework. 

ACTIVITY:      What strategies do you use to reduce stress?  Be realistic about approaches that work for you.

The maintenance of a sense of emotional balance is essential for achieving college success.   Advisors often encounter students who worry too much, criticize too much, get angry often, hold frustration inward, place blame and experience painful events.  Such blend of negative emotions can lead to inefficiency.  Inefficiency can trigger a cycle of negative emotions:  you begin to worry about your probation and the need to earn a “B” or better in each course.  You worry about the amount of assignments and tests that must be completed for your courses.  You worry about whether you can fit in enough time to study.  You worry about what will happen if you don’t get the work done which triggers even more worrying.  

            The “worry circle” below demonstrates how our emotional state can enter into our daily lives. 

                                                 EXAMPLE OF A CYCLE OF EMOTIONS

College success forces students to place their lives into perspective.  Professional counseling services are available to help students clarify their emotions and to develop approaches towards better balance in managing life’s unexpectancies.

College Success

• What motivates you?

• When you decided on your major, what were the reasons behind it? Was it because you were interested in the subject, or do you see it as a means to an end (such as getting the particular job you want or getting into law school)? The motivation behind your choice of major can play a big part of success in that major.

• Intrinsic motivation = you do something because you want to
• Example: taking a psychology class because you are interested in Sigmund Freud’s theories.
• Extrinsic motivation = you do something because feel you have to, either to earn an award or to avoid a punishment.
• Example: majoring in biology because your parents told you to be a doctor and you want to make lots of money.

• The more interesting you find a subject, the more motivated you will be to learn that subject. The more you learn, the better you will do and will receive positive feedback (high grades). This reinforces your interest/motivation and raises self-esteem.

• It is possible to succeed in a subject that you may find boring/uninteresting, as long as you acknowledge the subject is important to you or your long-term goals.
• Example: You may find Organic Chemistry the most boring course in the world, but if you acknowledge that you need this course in order to obtain your goal of going to med school, it makes it easier to study and learn the material. 

• A New Approach to Learning

• Along with lack of motivation, frustration and confusion with teachers, assignments, and university polices can have detrimental affects to your academic performance.

• It is important to remember that college success demands independence and autonomy (being in control of your life’s direction). For example, in high school your parents probably made sure you made it to class (at least most days), in college it is up to you whether you go to class or not.

• We understand that sometimes things happen outside your control that makes it hard to stay on top of your classes. Part of having autonomy is recognizing when you are in over your head, and going to appropriate campus resource (i.e. professor, advisor, counseling center, student ombudsman, etc) to ask about what options are available.

• There should be no “authority figures” having to stand over you, telling you what to do and when, whether it be your parents, teachers or university administrators. You should be the one in control of your education and therefore the one making the decisions, being aware of deadlines and university policies. The more in control you feel the more motivated you will be to do well. This is easier if you view the people who work at the university as resources there to help YOU succeed.

• Having the same attitude and study skills you had in high school will not work well at a university. College courses required more than mere memorization and regurgitation, since they usually build upon each other within a particular major. Professors teaching upper-level courses expect you to be familiar with the basic concepts that were taught at the lower-level. If you did not internalize this information, it is easy to become lost.  

• Critical Thinking Skills
•  
• What you learn in your courses should go beyond what is written in a book. You should be developing problem solving skills and mental habits that will be used in whatever career you choose. For example, being able to make connections across disciplines (seeing how businesses could use social psychology to increase sales) is just as, if not more, important as understanding the material in a college algebra course.

• Critical thinking = evaluating your own logic and reasoning behind the ideas you have and decisions you make.

• Thinking about your thinking is an important skill to have not only in college, but in the “real world” as well. Recognizing blatant commercialism, finding a way to keep a room full of kindergarteners focused and questioning politician’s motives are all examples of where critical thinking is required.

• Edward de Bono, an expert on thinking, defines two types of effective thinking, lateral and vertical. Both are important skills that college courses help shape.

• Lateral thinking = take what you already know, and broaden the ideas, finding connections
• i.e. brainstorming
• Vertical thinking = evaluate one idea fully, looking at its significance, purpose, and accuracy
• i.e. writing an essay

• Of course we cannot analysis every aspect of our lives every minute of every day; there just isn’t enough time for that to be possible. That is why people relay on their assumptions to make everyday decisions. Unfortunately, not questioning our assumptions (using vertical and lateral thinking) can lead to thinking errors. These not only affect performance at school and work, but lead to stereotypes and prejudice.

• Recognizing Thinking Errors

• Jean Reynolds outlines seven common thinking errors in her book, Succeeding in College: Study Skills and Strategies           

• Seven common thinking errors:
• False choice
• Mistakenly assuming you must choose between only two possibilities
• Oversimplification
• Failing to see how complex an issue is
• Mind reading
• Guessing, instead of trying to figure out, what others are thinking
• Ignoring or misreading evidence
• Evaluating information improperly
• Mistaken priorities
• Failing to determine what is most important
• Manipulative language
• Using words to confuse or mislead
• Errors in thinking about time
• Misunderstanding the effects of time

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES ADVISING

SUSPENSION REASONS