Have you ever wondered why sometimes you just can't memorize information, or study that well for a test; even though you spent three hours looking over those flashcards and reading that textbook over and over again? Well........ you might not know that this isn't the most efficient way to study. We'll see how you can study smarter but not harder, and see what method of studying might suit you with a quick quiz, and more in this post.
Different types of learners
People tend to stick to their preferred learning style when they discover it. However, research shows that the most effective way to study is to blend different learning styles. There are seven different types of learners and before the new year comes around, I would recommend that you experiment with different methods and learn about new ways to study.
↓ Take this quiz to find out what type of learner you are(you can fit into multiple categories) ↓
Did you get your result? Good. Now we'll look at how you could study -but not how you must study may I remind- depending on what type of learner you are.
Visual learners
Visual learners will enjoy using colors, symbols, charts, graphs, boxes, and all things that are pleasing for the peepers. They can learn better with diagrams, pictures, by reading facts, and when they highlight important information. Visual learners may struggle with listening to directions that have been said rather than written down. If you are a visual learner, I recommend making your study area at home aesthetically pleasing or keeping your desk, stationary, and books neat and tidy at school, using the Pomodoro method(working for a set amount of time and then taking a break and repeating this in sets), looking at teachers in the eye while they speak-for some reason it helps you remember the information and things they're saying.
Verbal learners
Verbal learners are word-lovers unsurprisingly and enjoy things like reading, word puzzles, tongue-twisters, and rhymes; If you like to read and fit most of these loose criterion then you're probably a verbal learner. Verbal learners may find difficulty to interpret things like graphs, data, and perhaps navigate mind-maps. If you're a verbal learner, studies recommend saying information out-loud, rewriting, paraphrasing, and creating mnemonic devices to play into your love of puzzles.
Auditory learners
Aural (or auditory) learners are commonly people who like sound and music. As I write this post with 'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy' blaring in my headphones from our playlist ('thestudentblog's jams on Spotify), I can see that I probably fit into the category of an auditory learner because I relate to the characteristics of an aural learner, which is as follows:
a. always listening to music or a podcast or an audiobook while studying
b. finding that you can remember things better from hearing them rather than reading
If you're an aural learner like me, you might have a minimal struggle with processing visual information so scientists and psychologists recommend working in a quiet place to minimize distractions with some kind of soft music to listen to like lofi, and avoiding areas with an abundance of conversation.
Kinesthetic/physical learners
In physical learning, you use your body and sense of touch to learn. A physical learner learns by touching, moving, building, and is described as a 'hands-on' learner. If you have difficulty sitting still for long periods of time, you might be a physical learner. Kinesthetic learners often struggle learning through traditional means and sedentary activities, like lectures and conferences. If you're a kinesthetic learner, studies recommend finding an unobtrusive way to cope with those urges to move; this could be doing something like getting study putty, which was very popular a few years ago, a fidget ring or fidget pen, or even just finding something to do with your fingers.
Logical learners
If you're a logical learner, you may ask a lot of questions or have a constant desire to understand topics. You'll normally have the attributes of being organized, categorical, systematic, and someone who can easily find patterns and details others may overlook. Logical learners may find group work challenging. During a project, they may find themselves butting heads if they're overly focused on the goal and unwilling to entertain group member ideas. If you're a logical learner, scientists suggest breaking down topics covered in class into smaller segments, then organizing them, then rewriting them to deepen your understanding.
Social learners
Social learners can prefer to learn in groups rather than their own and creating ideas by brainstorming with others. Social learners may struggle with individual work because they're constantly used to working in groups. If you're a social learner, I recommend calling friends over zoom or meeting up somewhere like a library or a café to study. But if you think that you might struggle working alone for essays or tests, then try dedicating less and less study sessions with friends and try to do more studying alone. By no means am I saying that you shouldn't be social, but if you feel that way then do what you must.
Independent/solitary learners
These people are basically the opposite of social learners. I fit into this kind of learner as well because as I said earlier you can fit into multiple of these categories. Solitary learners tend to be more independent and introspective, and spend most of their time on their own, enjoying their own company. Independent learners may struggle with group work, especially because most of the motivation and reason behind a solitary learner is getting good grades and feel that others simply do not match their passion and serious desire for those grades. Some tips for solitary learners are planning what they are going to study, finding a quiet place to study, and making a plan-as independent learners thrive on knowing things.
And, to close.
You might think that you don't really fit into any of these and really, all that I recommend is experimenting with different ways of studying and new study methods. One account and creator I would recommend for doing this is Gohar Khan. I'll link some of his accounts and places where he shares content so you can check it out.
Along with the techniques he will provide you with, some that have worked for me are blurting, mind-mapping, 80/20, the Pomodoro method, active recall, flashcards, the Feynman technique, the Leitner system, and HIGHLIGHTING. Linked below is a website with the explanations of most of these and the others I've mentioned before.
If you need any further clarifications do not hesitate to reach out. Happy studying!
-thestudentsblogger
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