Learning Styles and Study Techniques
Learning Styles
This exercise will help you to identify the way you learn best. To complete it, you will need to do three things:
- Complete the questionnaire
- Transfer the information from the questionnaire to the diagnostic chart
- Relate the results of the diagnostic chart to the types of learner Activist, Reflector, Theorist, Pragmatist described below.
Study Techniques
Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the "here and now" and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. They are open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is "I'll try anything once". They tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards. Their days are filled with activity. They tackle problems by brainstorming. As soon as the excitement from one activity has died down they are busy looking for the next. They tend to thrive on the challenge of new experiences but are bored with implementation and longer term consolidation. They are gregarious people constantly involving themselves with others but, in doing so, they seek to centre all activities around themselves.
Strengths:
Flexible and open minded
Happy to have a go
Happy to be exposed to new situations
Optimistic about anything new and therefore unlikely to resist change
Weaknesses:
Tendency to take the immediately obvious action without thinking
Often take unnecessary risks
Tendency to do too much themselves and hog the limelight
Rush into action without sufficient preparation
Get bored with implementation/consolidation
Reflectors like to stand back to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives. They collect data, both first hand and from others, and prefer to think about it thoroughly before coming to any conclusion. The thorough collection and analysis of data about experiences and events is what counts so they tend to postpone reaching definitive conclusions for as long as possible. Their philosophy is to be cautious. They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before making their own points. They tend to adopt a low profile and have a slightly distant, tolerant unruffled air about them. When they act it is part of a wide picture which includes the past as well as the present and others' observations as well as their own.
Strengths:
Careful
Thorough and methodical
Thoughtful
Good at listening to others and assimilating information
Rarely jump to conclusions
Weaknesses:
Tendency to hold back from direct participation
Slow to make up their minds and reach a decision
Tendency to be too cautious and not take enough risks
Not assertive - they aren't particularly forthcoming and have no "small talk"
Theorists adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They think problems through in a vertical, step by step logical way. They assimilate disparate facts into coherent theories. They tend to be perfectionists who won't rest easy until things are tidy and fit into a rational scheme. They like to analyse and synthesise. They are keen on basic assumptions, principles, theories, models and systems thinking. Their philosophy prizes rationality and logic. "If it's logical, it's good". Questions they frequently ask are "Does it make sense?" "How does this fit with that?" "What are the basic assumptions?" They tend to be detached, analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity rather than anything subjective or ambiguous. Their approach to problems is consistently logical. This is their "mental set" and they rigidly reject anything that doesn't fit with it. They prefer to maximise certainty and feel uncomfortable with subjective judgements, lateral thinking and anything flippant.
Strengths:
Logical "vertical" thinkers
Rational and
Good at asking probing questions
Disciplined approach
Weaknesses:
Restricted in lateral thinking
Low tolerance for uncertainty, disorder and ambiguity
Intolerant of anything subjective or intuitive.
Full of "shoulds, oughts and musts"
Pragmatists are keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in practice. They positively search out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications. They are the sort of people who return from management courses brimming with new ideas that they want to try out in practice. They like to get on with things and act quickly and confidently on ideas that attract them. They tend to be impatient with ruminating and open-ended discussions. They are essentially practical, down to earth people who like making practical decisions and solving problems. They respond to problems and opportunities "as a challenge". Their philosophy is "There is always a better way" and "If it works, it's good".
Strengths:
Keen to test things out in practice
Practical, down to earth, realistic
Businesslike - gets straight to the point
Technique oriented
Weaknesses:
Tendency to reject anything without an obvious application
Not very interested in theory or basic principles
Tendency to seize on the first expedient solution to a problem
Impatient with waffle
On balance, task oriented, not people oriented
CUSU provides confidential, free, non-judgemental support and information to individual students. Contact the CUSU Education Officer, Welfare Officer or Women's Officer by email, phone or by dropping into the office if you would like support or information on any topic.