Unlock Your Learning Potential

Understanding Learning: Preferences, Styles, and Retention

• People learn in different ways and adapt their behavior as a result of learning something new.
• Learning preferences or styles are not supported by valid research, but it is up to the individual to decide whether to use them or not.
• The old Chinese proverb "I hear - I forget, I see - I remember, I do - I understand" highlights the importance of hands-on learning.
• Learners can take a short learning preferences test to identify their preferred style, but it is important to teach in a way that suits the learners, not just the teacher.
• Fleming's VARK model groups learners into four styles: visual, aural, read/write, and kinaesthetic.
• Honey and Mumford's model suggests learners are a mixture of four styles: activist, pragmatist, theorist, and reflector.
• Pike's research shows that learners retain 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, 50% of what they see and hear, 70% of what they say, and 90% of what they say and do.
• Using different activities that cover reading, hearing, seeing, and doing can increase learner retention.
• Most healthy teenagers and adults can sustain attention on one thing for about 20 minutes, but other factors such as motivation, ability, tiredness, and hunger can affect concentration.
• Using short tasks and breaks can help learners stay focused during longer sessions.
• As a teacher, it is important to understand and accommodate different learning styles and preferences to create an effective learning environment.
• Understanding how learners retain information can help teachers design more effective teaching strategies.