How you learn

[CaNz]

I have been doing a lot of skill training and memorization for my new job, and I was wondering what you guys do when you try to learn new things. Everyone has a method, and though people typically like to learn in an auditory, visual, or tactile fashion, some people like myself like to learn using a mix of the learning styles.

 

For me, I definitely mix auditory and visual constantly. I will talk to myself while reading the same lines over and over, and I will picture doing something in my mind. I'd say I primarily am an auditory learner though I do often just use the voice in my head if its something simple. I always want to back up my memory with visual information though. Charts are very helpful, and I will be able to preform an action far better if I watch it first. 

 

So what do you do when you need to learn something new?

[Petie]

I very much prefer hands-on experience when it comes to learning. I reference things constantly but the examples I'm reading tend to really stick once I've had a chance to apply them. That was my approach while learning to program for the web and was also my inadvertent approach to learning how to set up a Linux server when we had an emergency and had to rebuild it from scratch. So, I guess to put it concisely, reference material with practical application is how I learn best, though this method obviously isn't necessarily applicable to everything.

[Japan]

When it comes to new things I'm a lot better at physically seeing someone do it and then do it myself. I absolutely can't read instructions on a new thing and be able to understand it. Same with being told. So I suppose I'm very visual and hands on.

[Kiki]

There are two aspects of learning new things for me; one would be just in general. When I want to learn something new or being taught; I am a hands on and visual learner. When people decide to give lectures; honestly only a few things have been absorbed into my learning. Verbal is rather useless when it comes to language barriers; accent; a way of speaking and only giving certain information. 

 

When it comes to a new job; I always get nervous and say "What if I miss up?!?!?". But I learn best when it is hands-on, with someone showing me the ropes first day only. I begin to have a set mind of "We can do anything our mind is put to; just a matter of how often you use it or use to.". 

[Maully]

I'm mostly an auditory learner, followed by visual. Lecture classes were always my best in college, and I memorize all my theatre scripts by reading them aloud. 

[James]

For me, it has to be practical application/workshop or at least some interactive discussion/Q&A. I can learn just by watching/listening to a lecture and taking notes, but that's not ideal. If I do have to learn that way, I'll always go back and re-write/summarise my notes afterwards - this helps a lot with comprehension for me.

[Srdjan]

I'm still trying to learn Japanese, but I couldn't find yet the most effective learning method.

[Boo]

I never learn.  : (

[Magus]

I'm a hands on kind of guy. When it comes to lectures I tend to drift off. When it comes to reading I have to read it about 4-5 times before it finally starts to click. So I prefer to just be shown and jump right in there.

[Charles]

I teach 12th grade Language Arts so learning styles are of constant interest to me. I enjoy implementing "game-based" learning because one is able to easily touch upon multiple learning styles at once.  I also like to set up different stations that require students to do different things--because it's important to leave your comfort zone and sample other styles.

I learn best by watching and trying. I hate reading instructions and working independently. I'm very visual--so I often need to remind myself not to tailor my lessons to tilt too heavily on that side of things.

[JCBaggee]

Personally, I've got to learn hands on. I can watch someone do it or listen to them for hours, but until I do it, I just can't pick it up.

[SaiyanPrincessX]

Im a visual learner, and a very slow learner. I have to be shown something multiple times, or doing the activity multiple times before it sticks.

In regards to reading, I will read over something over and over before it makes any sense, which was not helpful while in school. Reading a loud was horrifying to me as a kid because if I read something out loud the words are coming out but my mind isn't comprehending what I had just read at all. So if the teacher asked me about what I read I couldn't answer, I had absolutely no idea.

It's terrible and annoying.

[Vicky]

In general I learn pretty well in lectures and by reading. It's a difficult question the answer, though. An example of how I work when I study is to attend lectures or read my material, then write about it in my own words. If I struggle I know I need to go back and go over certain concepts. When I speak about topics, there is a huge difference between the things I have written about and things I remember. I'm more confident with the former because I've been able to synthesise the information and adapt to different scenarios; the depth of what I learn depends on how I've used the information. I retain information quite well, but it's useless to me unless I learn how to work with it.

On another level, once I write about things I improve by talking about them with people verbally. It's like a three step process; read it/learn it, think about it (writing), talk about it. It has to be in that order. I don't know if that's a method of learning, but it's what I'm used to. I usually write everything by hand as well, not typed. I think about things in my head but I find it easier to organise my thoughts when I write by hand.

For other things I can use manuals or written guides to do something (if I need to memorise a process I'll repeat it, or again write down notes). But occasionally, when it's something I'm not comfortable with, I need to watch someone else do it. Those are mainly social things, like managing student workers or talking to a customer when I used to work in retail. Otherwise I'm fine if you just give me a book and say 'learn to do that thing'. 

 

[Allamorph]

I tend to learn by poking things and seeing what happens.

For instance, today I learned I can edit James.

Heh.

[Petie]

And today I learned that, apparently, this version of IPB does not log moderator actions (or much else, for that matter). Fun!

[Allamorph]