Use the Learning Styles to Develop Quality Training Modules
Now that you are aware of the different learning styles, what can you do with that information?
If you’re a teacher or trainer, your natural tendency will be to play to your own learning style. For example: If you are a kinesthetic learner, the chance are you will plan lots of hands on exercises, throw in a little role play, and end the day with group presentations. Sounds good – for those who are also kinesthetic learners. But if you’re a visual learner, this experience will make you feel like a fish out of water.
Learning should be an inclusive process, so you’ll want to find a way to incorporate learning modules and techniques that reach all three learning styles. This is one time when you need to have something for everyone.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- To reach visual learners: Include handouts and visual aids whenever possible. If the hand out has sections for the participant to fill out, you also reach the kinesthetic learner as well.
- To reach auditory learners: Some oral presentation, while avoiding a strict lecture mode, will do the trick. Combined with a handout, or used as a narrative for a video, would allow you to reach visual learners as well.
- To reach kinesthetic learners: A hands on project, or role-play, is good. Make sure to allow those who recoil from those exercises a safe alternative. If a participant doesn’t want to role-play, they could take notes, write a report of how the exercise went, read off instructions, etc.
Try to identify what teaching techniques have worked for you, or that you naturally gravitate to. What works? What doesn’t? What totally turns you off?
After answering these questions, practice designing learning modules that will reach each of these styles. When you’re comfortable with the basics, try incorporating a variety of techniques, and designing modules that will reach more than one style.
Although this information may seem to only be important in a training environment, the information has great applicability in working with a team, managing a group, and conflict resolution.
NEXT UP: So what? I’m not a trainer.
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2 opinions for Use the Learning Styles to Develop Quality Training Modules
Dan Dawson
Aug 10, 2006 at 8:41 am
there is some interesting research on leadership and interpersonal compatibiity - combined with sensory preferences (visual, auditory, tactile) at personality100 — i think the interesting part there is that you can test yourself in an indirect way to find out your own preferences. in case you are interested, the link is
http://www.personality100.com (or - not sure if this works: personality test )
Mary Jo Manzanares
Aug 10, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Thanks for the tip, Dan.
Although the full report is a fee-based service, this site does provide a nice little over view. I think you’ll find it worthwhile to spend a few minutes of your time filling out the profile.
Here are the highlights of what it said aboaut me:
I have a High Curiosity Level; a Low Emotional Reactivity Level, and a High Assertiveness Level. All true!
I am an extrovert(true),
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