Most people combine the styles of learning
Here are some everyday problems you might want to learn about. How would you learn more? Think about them - no way of learning is better than the others. Remember, the way you learn is perfect for you.
Problem #1:
You need to paint a room.
How much paint and what supplies do you need?
Listening Learners might: Call a painter, a friend, or paint store, and ask them for instructions before starting. Might attend a course on painting at the paint store.
Seeing Learners might: Look online for answers, read several websites. Go to a bookstore and find books and magazines about home improvement and painting. Go to the paint store and read the back of paint cans. Watch a course at the paint store.
Experience Learners might: Go buy a can of paint, a brush, and start painting. If there's not enough paint or you have the wrong brush, you just buy more. Eventually you learn how much paint and what supplies are required.
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Problem #2:
Your boss wants you to plan a summer barbecue for 25 coworkers and their spouses/partners.
You've never planned anything before. How would you learn what to do?
Listening Learners might: Call a friend who throws great parties, and cry HELP! Attend an upcoming party, and ask the host lots of questions. Call a party planner in the phone book and try to squeeze some tips out of them. Attend a class on event planning.
Seeing Learners might: Search for "party planning tips" through Internet search engines. Look for books about catering, event planning, and party games at the library.
Experience Learners might: Dive right in-walk around to coworkers' desks to ask them how many people are coming. Find a place to hold the event, buy lots of food at the local deli and determine in your head if it's enough. Hire a country band you heard at the bar last week, and learn by experience that alcohol melts through paper cups!
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Problem #3:
You need to certify in First Aid so you can become leader of a Scout Troop.
You haven't studied First Aid since you were a child. You decide to take a course at the YMCA.
Listening Learners might: You find yourself at the front of the class with a pen and paper, writing notes about everything the teacher says. You might be nervous about actually doing mouth-to-mouth on the dummy.
Seeing Learners might: You get a book about First Aid from the library and do some online research before ever attending the class, and immediately start reading the classroom handouts before the instructor even calls roll.
Experience Learners might: You walk in, see the dummies, bandages, splints, and other equipment and can't wait to try it all - the lecture might be dull and boring to you.
