Do you have a specific study strategy that works? Many students claim they study, but do they really follow a system that is efficient, effective and focused?

One of the first tips students are given when they start to ask questions about effective study habits is; Identify your learning style

 The most commonly identifiable leaning styles are;

• Visual – see
• Auditory – hear
• Kinaesthetic – do

 In simple terms,

Visual learners encode (or learn) more effectively when they;

• Read, view pictures, charts and graphs etc
• Visualise ideas and concepts as images within their mind
• Use imagination and creativity

Auditory Learners encode (or learn) more effectively when they;

• Hear information aloud
• Discuss information

 Kinaesthetic Learners encode (or learn) more effectively when they;

• Physically engage or actively manipulate the information
• Take notes or draw while learning
• Physically move while learning

 You can assess your preferred learning style by doing online tests such as the ones found at http://www.metamath.com/multiple/multiple_choice_questions.html

 BUT!!!!!

 In real terms, even though it is useful to be aware of the existence of learning styles, and to have an idea about the ones you feel most comfortable with, to truly be an effective learner, you need to use strategies from each style when learning and encoding new ideas, information and skills.

 It has been suggested that the more learners integrate and develop the skills favoured by each learning style, the more information they will retain.

 WHY!!!

1. Information is more easily retrieved when the environment in which that information was encoded matches the environment in which the information is decoded. In other words, if you need to produce material in an examination situation (quiet, seated on a chair behind a desk) you should also study in an environment that is quiet, while seated on a chair, behind a desk.
2. Recall is usually improved if information is heard out aloud, particularly when we say it ourselves.
3. Similarly, we tend remember things we have done.

So it can be very useful to;

• Teach someone else the skill or information (do)
• Read your notes and record them, then play them back (see & hear & speak)
• Complete practice or past papers (do)

 Carefully consider what you have just read,

 Did you see that learning and encoding theories require a combination of visual, audial and kinaesthetic skills? And did you hear how improving the efficiency of your learning involves utilising visual, audial and kinaesthetic skills. So, do you feel more confident knowing that blending visual, audial and kinaesthetic skills can improve your recall ability?    

Now, have you noticed the techniques used to help you encode information?

• Repetition
• Using each learning style
• Questioning

 Repetition feeds Recall

 The KEY point here is that when each learning style is activated, you are learning. You are encoding and cementing new information because you are actively involved in the learning process.

 THE MORE ACTIVELY YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE LEARNING PROCESS, AND THE MORE ACTIVELY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH THE MATERIAL THE MORE YOU WILL LEARN!!!