What Type of Learner Are You?

How best do you learn something new? Are you the type of person who puts that new gadget together without even looking at the instructions, or is it easier for you to grasp a concept when you hear it spoken out loud? If you're considering pursuing higher education, you should take a few minutes to figure out the answers to these questions.

Basic Learning Styles

Traditional methods of education have presented information in very few, limited formats. Those who are able grasp the information have been labeled "smart," while those who do not are often considered "less than." Finally, slowly, educators are beginning to realize that people have different learning styles, and that what might work for some will not work for others. It is also true that one person may have several different learning styles, each dependent upon what is being taught. The recognized learning styles include:

• *Visual* - If you can see pictures of it, you can learn it. A variation of this learning style is being able to read about the subject and learn from what you've read.
• *Auditory* - If someone tells you how to do it, or you can talk about it, you can understand how to do it.
• *Kinesthetic* - A fancy word for "learning by doing."
• *Logic* - You learn best when things make logical sense, or you can reason out the problem.

Two other aspects of learning that are important and closely related are whether you learn better (a) in a group, or (b) by yourself. If you are a visual, logical, or kinesthetic learner who learns best on your own, you will probably find online learning perfectly suited to your needs. If you need to bounce ideas off of other people, or need to hear and talk about the topic in order to learn, you may want to consider attending a college in person. If this is not an option due to an uncooperative schedule, perhaps you should sign up for just one distance learning course in order to "dip your toe" into the learning pool and evaluate whether this type of education will work for you. You may find that others with learning styles similar to your own are also pursuing a higher education online, and you may be able to organize some phone calls where you can discuss the topics and appeal to your auditory learning style.

However you decide to pursue an education, you will find the end results to be well worth the time and effort you put in to obtain that degree. A college degree opens many doors that would otherwise remain closed, and the confidence you gain from completing a course of study can change your entire outlook on life.