Knowledge is power and education is the key to knowledge. Various individuals may find it convenient learning in various ways. These learning styles may be classified into two:
- Relationship based and
- Non-relationship based styles.
Relationship-based learning styles are learning styles that are grouped based on the learner's interaction with others. These include the social and solitary styles of learning. In the social style of learning, the learner prefers to learn with other people. On the other hand, in the solitary style of learning, the learner prefers to learn alone or in isolation.
As the name suggests, non-relationship-based learning styles are learning styles that are not grouped based on learner's interaction with others. These include learning styles like aural, verbal, logical, physical and visual learning styles. The aural learning style entails the use of music and sound, while the popular verbal learning style involves the use of speech, reading and writing. Logical learners prefer reasoning, systems and logic. Physical learners prefer the use of body while visual learners prefer using graphic representations, pictures, images and spatial understanding.
Understanding learning preferences could significantly improve the ease and efficiency of learning. The more commonplace styles, verbal and logical, are often applied in citadels of learning and students are tested based on the result of such learning. However, other learning styles are quite as effective as these. Indeed, any learning style is just as good as the other, if well applied.
The state of mind of learners could also vary considerably from learner to learner and assimillation could also depend significantly on it. However, in the learning process in modern day education, the commonplace verbal and logical styles will usually be applied. This implies that some will struggle with learning or, at least, would have significantly improved learning with the application of other learning styles.
Understanding oneself and learning to apply a mix of learning styles could help to improve learning in general.
CONCLUSION
In institutions of learning, those who use less favored styles often learn inefficiently and may find themselves struggling. This may even lead to the disputable assumption that one is "dumb" or another is "smart". Understanding one's most suited learning style(s) will, no doubt, improve one's learning rate, depth and abilities.