Adult Learning
Styles that Work
There are three important styles of learning–audio, visual and kinesthetic. Audio learners must hear what they are supposed to learn, visual learners must see what they are to learn, and kinesthetic learners must be able to try and do what they are to learn in a hands-on environment. Each person learns differently and has the ability to learn with all three styles, however will learn more strongly in one setting than another. In order to increase the learning in your environment, it’s best to employ all three methods.
Everyone processes information in different ways as well, and will likely depend on the style of learning that they are most comfortable with. Some people, such as kinesthetic learners, will need to work with the data in a hands on environment. Audio learners need to engage in conversation about the data they have been presented in order to work through it verbally. Some people need to just think about the data and put the pieces together in their own minds. The types of learning and processing of information also depend on personality types between extroverted and introverted.
When you have a group of adults that you need to teach something, the learning and processing preferences will vary across the board. You have to allow for all three kinds of learning and different information processing, and allowing for all of them will ensure a well-taught group of adults. You should deliver each of your sessions using varieties of methods and allowing for alternatives at key points–allow for quiet reading time, group discussion and hands on activities so you can ensure that you are hitting all the personality and learning types in your class.
Understanding the concepts of learning styles is one of the key points to being an instructor of adults. Allowing the information to be processed and taken in with a variety of methods will ensure that you are covering everyone under your instruction.
