Learning preferences (styles)

• The following are the most commonly referenced learning preferences (styles):
• Visual learners: Learn by observing things. Visual learners understand information best when presented with pictures, images, and diagrams. They can easily visualize information, have a good sense of direction, and usually like to draw out processes or create concept maps.
• Auditory learners: Learn by hearing sound / music / rhythm. Auditory learners understand information best when listening only, sometimes requiring them to close their eyes while listening. They often learn best by presenting / explaining the information verbally to someone else. 
• Reading / Writing learners: Learn by reading information and then writing it down. Reading / writing learners understand information best when they hand write what they have read and/or summarize the information with handwriting. They often do best by taking lots of notes during lectures / recorded lectures.
• Kinesthetic learners: Learn though a hands-on approach that often uses multiple senses at the same time (touch, vision, hearing) and by doing something (such as solving problems or a lab experiment). Kinesthetic learners understand information best when doing something, such as an activity. They often learn best through activities and answering questions after doing something, such as an online activity.
• In the past 10-20 years there has been a lot of focus on learning styles in all levels of education. However, there really is little data to suggest that matching a learning style to each student actually improves their grades or what they retain.
• It is better to think of learning styles more as learning preferences. For example, you may prefer to watch a news show on TV rather than read the news from an app or a newspaper. Just because you prefer to watch the news on TV does not mean you wouldn’t understand the news in a newspaper. Both ways would create the same outcome, you learned something in the news. Just because you have a preference does not mean it is the only way you learn, or even the best way. Perhaps reading the newspaper helps you understand the issue better than passively watching it on TV, even though you prefer to watch it on TV.
• We have discovered enough about how the brain learns information to be better learners. The following is very much a summary and presented in a simplified way.
• Information initially goes into a temporary buffer in your cerebral cortex. Your brain then sifts through this and transfers some of it to your short-term memory.
• Your temporary buffer can only hold so much, which is why you should take breaks every 15-30 minutes while studying. Your temporary buffer is also emptied during REM sleep so you can refill it the next day. If you don’t get enough sleep, then you do not empty your temporary buffer, and cannot add as much the next day.
• Learning requires you to transfer information from your short-term memory to long-term memory. What aids transfer of information from short-term memory to long-term memory is excitement, rehearsal, and association of old and new information.
• Excitement: If you have an interest in something you are more likely to learn it. If you have no interest in the topic you find it very hard to learn that information. When you are interested in something, your adrenalin (epinephrine) levels increase. This hormone not only works in the extreme of the fight-or-flight response, but aids in memory transfer. There are simple ways to increase adrenalin levels before studying, such as taking a 5-minute walk around the house. The slightly higher adrenalin levels, in theory, help with that memory transfer. Another option would be to read while working out on a treadmill or stationary bike at a gym.
• Rehearsal: This requires a time commitment to go over everything multiple times. The more often you access a memory, the easier it is for your brain to find it, process it, and integrate it with other information. Accessing information (memories) more frequently results in more long-term potentiation in your neurons (see below).
• Association of old and new information: It is easier to continue something than start from scratch. With learning it is the same. It is easier to tie new information to old information then to create entirely separate pieces of information (memories). This requires you to connect information between chapters of a course for example, rather than just study one chapter at a time and not see how they relate to each other. Linking information together results in a greater level of long-term potentiation in and between neurons (see below).
• Memories are stored in our brains, and neurons change when information is stored in them. What actually occurs is long-term potentiation. The neuronal RNA content changes, novel proteins are produced, dendrites and axon terminals change shape, make new contacts, and/or increase in numbers. More neurotransmitters are synthesized and released when you access that memory. More receptors are embedded in the post-synaptic membranes. All of this allows your brain to make stronger and more numerous connections, which results in your being able to remember that information more easily and have a better understanding and application of that information.
• Everyone is also somewhat unique with how they learn, and what works for one person may not work for another person. Only you can work out what helps you learn. Try different ways. If one way is not helping, then try something else. If something does not work for you, then there is no point wasting your time in continuing to try to learn that way. Also, do not immediately rule out a method of learning because it is not what you prefer. You may find a method that you think is tedious (such as the time-consuming method of handwriting notes) helps you learn even though you find it tedious.