Learning Styles

I have always been fascinated by the fact that something that is self evident to me is often an arcane puzzle to someone else or vice versa.

There is obviously something that each one of us has that enables us to see things from different perspectives and so appreciate something in a way that differs from someone else.

The more I read the more convinced I am that this has to do with learning styles. If presented with some material in a given way I am more likely to understand and absorb it than if it is presented in a different way.

The good part of this is over time I learn about how I like to learn and thrive in an environment where the appropriate learning environment is available to me and feel desperate and despondent in an environment where this is unavailable to me.

I have always wondered about my specific learning style and finally found an interesting 'test' available from the University of North Carolina on line that provides immediate feedback.

Called the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire it is a set of 44 questions that when completed and submitted to the organisation (it is anonymous) produces a set of results quickly. These can then be printed out for information.

In combination with the explanation of the scores it can assist the individual with an understanding of his/her learning style and what if anything he/she can do to maximise the benefits of that learning style and minimise the non beneficial aspects.

The site provided for the explanation of the scale and the results can be found at http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSdir/styles.htm