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What is Learning Style – and How Can it Help Your Online Education?

Written by Mara Hyman on Wednesday, 15 June 2022. Posted in Life Hacks

A learner taking an online course.

Every person learns information differently based on the style of learning that works best for them. Knowing what your learning style is can help you approach online learning with confidence and help you perform better.

Read on to discover your learning style and how you can use it to help find academic success.

The 3 Learning Styles

Here are three of the most common categories of learning styles and the types of learning tools that are helpful for each:

1. Visual

If you learn best by seeing images, you might be a visual learner. Examples of visual aids in a course can include charts, graphs, and maps. These visual tools help a person connect what they learned to an example that they can see right in front of them. Visual learners might have a hard time understanding concepts by reading a lot of text, so it can be helpful to imagine what that concept might look like in front of them.

2. Auditory

If you like to hear information spoken out loud, you might be an auditory learner. Repetition of course material and hearing other people talk about it can help you understand what you’re learning rather than reading text once to yourself. Examples of tools that can help auditory learners include recorded lectures that they can listen to again later, podcasts, and group discussions.

3. Kinesthetic

If you learn best by doing, you are likely a kinesthetic learner. Whether a teacher demonstrates a concept or you’re able to do an activity hands-on, this style lets you practice a skill you’ve learned. Examples of technology that can help kinesthetic learners includes interactive learning aids, simulations, and videos.

How to use your learning style to your advantage

Reading through the different kinds of learning styles, you might think you lean strongly towards one or two depending on what you’re learning. With this in mind, here are some tips for making the most of each learning style:

1. Visual learners should take notes, look for graphics

Since visual learners can struggle with lectures, taking notes can help you remember what is being said and you can review them after. You can also make flashcards with visual cues to link a word to an image in your mind. If a course isn’t visual-friendly, you can make your own by drawing pictures or diagrams or highlighting your notes in different colors.

2. Auditory learners should record lectures and play them back later

You’ll want to rely on lecture recordings, or if they’re not available, to record them on your computer to hear back later. When you study your notes afterward, read them out loud. Outside of lectures, being an active participant in group chats or discussions can help to see how your classmates understand a concept.

3. Kinesthetic learners should find ways to get on-the-job training

Like for visual learners, flashcards can be helpful because you’re learning by creating something based on the course material. You can also create models of the information or bring something to life by seeing it in person, such as at a museum or even by looking at pictures of it online. If you have an optional or required externship available to you, make the most of it because it can help you understand what a job might look like day-to-day.

How to be successful with different learning styles as an online student

At first glance, online learning might seem best for visual learners. The reality is that regardless of your learning style, you could find success as a student in an online program. Generally, programs will have something to appeal to different types of learning, even if some are more dominant than others.

An effective online program incorporates parts of each of these learning styles so that every student can understand the material. When you study at Ashworth, you can experience a variety of learning tools in action including digital textbooks, written assignments, externships, student community discussion boards, and more. You can also find help in the Ashworth College Library, Guidance Center, and Writing Lab.

Embrace your learning style at Ashworth College

Regardless of your learning style, you can make the most of it through flexible, online learning at Ashworth to help you meet your goals.

To learn more about Ashworth College’s online education programs and how they can fit your needs, contact an Admissions Specialist today at .

Let's talk about your educational goals. Call 1-800-957-5412