Learning Styles & Career Success:Part 1: Why Learning Styles Matter

Kathleen E. High, M.Ed., GCDF Adjunct Career CounselorCareer Planning Center, Cypress Collegehttp://www.cypresscollege.edu/services/cpc

Workshop Overview

There are many ways to teach and learn, and several things that affect the learning process. Learning is required throughout life, and a person’s ability to learn will impact his/her academic and career success. This workshop introduces participants to three types of theories related to how people take in, process, and apply new knowledge. Individuals will take an assessment to identify their preferred sensory style of receiving new information, and will receive many tips for utilizing those preferred ways of learning. Tips and tricks for adapting to different teaching styles will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives for this Workshop (Slide 1 of 2)

Participants will be able to:• Identify why it is important to know about learning

styles• Associate life transitions with a need for learning• Register that there is a difference between teaching

and learning• Recognize multiple styles available for teaching,

learning, and studying• Identify how personality affects learning

preferences

Learning Objectives for this Workshop (Slide 2 of 2)

Participants will also be able to:• Recognize three categories that most learning styles

theories will fit into• Acquire tips for adapting to teacher’s whose style is

different from theirs• Receive tips for improving their learning efforts• Develop adaptive skills for dealing with different

teaching styles• Identify helpful resources for adapting to different

teaching styles

Let’s Begin . . .

Why is it important to know about learning styles?• Mastering learning styles leads to academic and

career success• Exploring why people learn differently leads to

deeper understanding of themselves.• People are different• Students prefer different learning styles• Teachers prefer different teaching styles

Let’s Explore these important factors in greater depth . . .

Before going further, it is important to remember that there is no right or wrong learning style.

Each style has advantages and disadvantages.

Knowing your learning style is not meant to limit you, but to expand you – by helping you to work, learn and live more efficiently.

• gives you a head start and maximizes your learning potential

• enables you to succeed in college• gives you customized techniques to score better

on tests and exams• allows you to learn “your way” – through your

own best strategies

Mastering Learning Styles Leads to Academic Success

• shows you how to overcome the limitations of poor instructors

• reduces the stress and frustration of learning experiences

• expands your existing learning and studying strategies

Mastering Learning Styles Leads to Academic Success (Continued)

Mastering Learning Styles Leads to Career Success (Slide 1 of 4)

Need for Lifelong Learning• The world is changing very fast• Institutions and individuals need to adapt to

survive• Adapting means constantly learning new things

Effective Learning Starts With “Why?”• Most people need to know why before they are

motivated to learnClear Career Goal Identifies the “Why”• Career goal determines education required

Mastering Learning Styles Leads to Career Success (Slide 2 of 4)

New Career = New Employee• New employees need to learn their new job

Advancement• Need to learn new skills to get promotions

Changing Jobs• Changing employers and/or jobs requires learning

new jobContinuing Education Units• Many professions require ‘Continuing Education

Units’ (CEUs) to maintain licensing/certification

Mastering Learning Styles Leads to Career Success (Slide 3 of 4)

Industry’s training styles• Different industries (business, law enforcement,

health care, etc.) have different training styles (hands-on vs. formal education, directive vs, open-ended, etc.)

Employer’s training styles• Within an industry, different employers have

different ways of training employees• Emphasize higher education, on-the-job

training, outside seminars, informal mentoring, on-site professional development training sessions, etc.

Mastering Learning Styles Leads to Career Success (Slide 4 of 4)

Formal Education Required for Many Careers• Different degree/certificate majors may have

different teaching styles• Law Enforcement, Business = directive• The Arts, English, Philosophy = open-ended

Must Succeed in College to Achieve Career• At the college level, most teachers are experts in

their subjects (chemistry, math, English, etc.) – not in teaching / learning• Many teachers tend to teach the way they learn or

were taught

Why Do People Learn Differently? (Slide 1 of 5)

• Genetics• Personality• Experience• How they have been taught

Why Do People Learn Differently? (Slide 2 of 5)

Genetics• Multiple Intelligences

and natural talents mean that some tasks are naturally easier for some people to do than others

Why Do People Learn Differently? (Slide 3 of 5)

Personality• We have inborn preferences for how we• Take in information • Process that information

• We want to have new information presented the way we want to receive it

Why Do People Learn Differently? (Slide 4 of 5)

Experience• What you have been exposed to through: • Home life• Hobbies• Culture• School• Work

• Provides opportunities to learn new things and in new ways

Why Do People Learn Differently? (Slide 5 of 5)

How You Have Been Taught• Different eras or generations emphasized

different learning/teaching styles• How did parents, culture, prior teachers,

bosses, etc. teach you things?• Hands-on Activity• Lecture• Demonstration, etc.

• Previously-adopted learning styles can become a familiar, comfortable habit

People are Different (Slide 1 of 4)

• People are different, and learn differently• Teachers teach differently•Majors and classes emphasize different

learning styles• Different Personalities = Different Preferred

Learning Styles

Personality affects learning styles• Some people prefer:• Immediate, active, useful hands-on applications

for learning• Clear instructions and expectations, detailed,

fact-based information, opportunity to practice by doing, and practical applications for learning• Small number of complex and challenging theory-

based, multi-faceted projects• Cooperative, helpful, non-competitive

environments allowing multiple viewpoints

People are Different (Slide 2 of 4)

• Some people prefer:• Learning with others• Learning alone• Focusing on specific facts with practical

application• Focusing on theories, ideas and models

People are Different (Slide 3 of 4)

• Some people prefer: • Emphasizing cause-and-effect relationship• Emphasizing how material affects people• A structured, well-organized learning

environment with clear expectations• Learning in an open-ended, flexible way that

allows for changes along the journey as the unexpected affects things

People are Different (Slide 4 of 4)

In Workshop #1Mentioned Three Types of Learning Theories:

There are many different theories about how learning works. Most fit into one of the following categories:

1. Taking Information In: Information Gathering & Processing

2. Thinking About Information: Mental Processing

3. Processing Information Together: Collaborative Learning

So, What are Those TheoriesAbout Learning Styles?There are several theories about how people teach and learn. This workshop is Part 1: “Why Learning Styles are Important.” To delve deeper into important theories, three additional workshops are available to you:

Learning Styles & Career Success Series• Part 2 “Taking In Information”

Information Gathering & Processing• Part 3 “Thinking About Information”

Mental Processing• Part 4 “Processing Information Together”

Collaborative Learning

What is YOUR Learning Style?Take the following assessment to identify your preferred sensory learning (take information in) style :• Career Cruising• http://public.careercruising.com/en/• User Name: cypress• Password: 90630

• Click “Assessments” tab on the menu• Click “Learning Styles Inventory”• Create a user name and password• Take the assessment

Now, Let’s Apply This To YOU!• How do you best learn?• How can you improve your learning efforts?• How do you adapt to different teaching styles?• Are assignment instructions confusing?• Still want more help?

How Do You Best Learn? (Slide 1 of 3)

What were the results of the Sensory Learning Style Inventory you just took?

http://www.slideshare.net/mwinfield1/an-overview-of-visual-auditory-and-kinesthetic-learners

How Do You Best Learn? (Slide 2 of 3)

Other assessments to identify learning preferences:Kolb Learning Style Inventory (Phases of Learning) How do you find out?• Take other assessments that relate as well: (also reveal

learning style preferences)• Myers Briggs Personality Assessment (MBTI) • Strong Interest Inventory (SII)• StrengthsFinder (StrengthsQuest)

• If you wish to take any of these optional fee-based assessments, please call the Career Planning Center to schedule an appointment with a career counselor (714) 484-7015

How Do You Best Learn? (Slide 3 of 3)

How do you find out?• Ask:

What styles do you enjoy using?

• Identify Prior Learning Successes

What helped you learn?• Identify Prior Learning Challenges

What interfered with your prior learning?

How Can You Improve Your Learning Efforts?

Identify: • Your learning style

preferences•What you want to learn•Why you want to learn it• How you will learn it• How you will determine if

you learned it

How Can You Improve Your Learning Efforts? (Continued)

• Find alternative learning options if the situation isn’t working for you• Adapt to the situation to develop

your learning skills• Consider joining a

learning community:• Puente• Legacy• Honors

How Do You Adapt to Different Teaching Styles? (Slide 1 of 5)

How Do I Adapt to Different Teaching Styles? (Slide 2 of 5)

• Use your own preferences for your study and review time• Review additional resources suggested by

instructors and/or textbooks• Some resources may

appeal to your preferences

• Ask the teacher if they know of additionalresources for your preferred style

How Do I Adapt to Different Teaching Styles? (Slide 3 of 5)

Be sure to go through the three other Online Learning Style Workshops to fully understand and use these styles.

• Taking In Information (Part 2)• Information Gathering & Processing

• Thinking About Information (Part 3)• Mental Processing

• Working Together (Part 4)• Collaborative Work

How Do I Adapt to Different Teaching Styles? (Slide 4 of 5)

• Review additional resources suggested by instructors and/or textbooks. Check the following for options:• Assignment Rubric (List of guidelines for

grading criteria)• Class syllabus• Teacher’s website• Textbook chapters • Works Cited List

How Do I Adapt to Different Teaching Styles? (Slide 5 of 5)

• Review additional resources suggested by instructors and/or textbooks. Check the following for options:• Examples/Samples from prior students’ work• Assignment/Instructions sheets• Additional Readings List• Academic Major’s Website

Are Assignment Instructions Confusing? (Slide 1 of 4)

Sometimes instructors get impatient when they think the student doesn’t understand because they weren’t paying attention in class, reading instructions, or doing homework.

Are Assignment Instructions Confusing? (Slide 2 of 4)

• It is YOUR responsibility to know what you are expected to do!• Be sure you have done your part to read

instructions and pay attention in class.

Are Assignment Instructions Confusing? (Slide 3 of 4)

• These situations are usually a result of ‘communication disconnect’ and not a personal failure on yours or your instructor’s part.• Take time to clarify what is expected of you:

• Respectfully ask: “I’m not sure what you are asking me to do. Can you please clarify this (be as specific if possible)?”

Are Assignment Instructions Confusing? (Slide 4 of 4)

• If you are still confused, then respectfully, but assertively persist.

• Ask a different question. Ask for examples.• Paraphrase (put into your

own words) what you think he/she is saying• Also go back and review the

additional resources mentioned on previous slides for helpful tips

Still Want More Help?

• Take Counseling Classes• Visit the Career Planning Center• See a Career Counselor

Counseling classes to help you learn to succeedCounseling classes:• COUN 150: Academic & Life Success• A great class to help students get to know

themselves and what they want from college. Includes study strategies.

• COUN 140: Educational Planning• If you know what you want to major in, this

class will help you identify and lay out the classes you need to reach that goal. Includes study strategies.

Counseling classes help you learn to succeed (Continued)

• Counseling classes:• COUN 141: Career Exploration• Quickly (in 8 weeks) get to know yourself

and identify potential career options • COUN 151: Career & Life Planning• Get to know yourself and identify potential

career options and how to prepare for that potential career

Visit the Career Planning CenterTalk to a Career Counselor for help Identifying: • Your preferred learning styles• Your personality type • Why you may be struggling with the classes in

your major• A major/career goal that is compatible with your

learning style• Why you don’t like you current major

Visit the Career Planning Center• Talk to a Career Counselor for help

Identifying: (Continued) • Personality, Interests, Values, Preferred Skills,• Preferred Learning Styles

• How to develop your learning strategies and styles• How these traits can translate into major /

career options• Class requirements for specific career options

you are considering

Visit the Career Planning Center

Talk to a career counselor: (Continued)

• To take the additional assessments mentioned earlier• Get a deeper understanding how to use personality

to help with learning• Identify other barriers to success, and get referrals

to appropriate resources

Visit the Career Planning Center

• Talk to our friendly and helpful Career Center staff for help with:• Using the Career Planning Center’s resources• Identifying resources to help with study skills• Identifying resources that reveal preferred

training styles of different industries• Identifying additional campus support offices that

address other concerns you have

Visit the Career Planning Center• Use our resources:• Books or print resources:• Effective study methods• Learning Style preferences• Personality-based learning styles

Visit the Career Planning Center• Use our resources:• Online resources:• Identify industry- or career-based learning

preferences• Career-related minimum education

requirements and options• Career Cruising database offers a sensory

learning styles assessment

Almost done . . . As a result of participating in the Online Workshop, you have:

• Learned why it is important to know your learning styles• Identified many different teaching/learning styles• Acquired a wealth of Tips & Tricks to use when your

style doesn’t match your teacher’s style

Now it is time to learn about a few additional resources and finish this Online Workshop.

Almost done . . . As a result of participating in the Online Workshop, you have: (Continued)

• Identified how personality affects learning preferences• Received tips for improving their learning efforts• Developed adaptive skills for dealing with different

teaching styles• Identified helpful resources for adapting to different

teaching styles

Now it is time to learn about a few additional resources and finish this Online Workshop.

ReferencesLearning Theories:Learning Styles Overview

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles

Personality: Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)https://www.cpp.com/products/mbti/index.aspx

CareerCruising• http://public.careercruising.com/en/• User Name: cypress• Password: 90630

Sources:

California Career Café http://www.cacareercafe.com/experience/

www.Dictionary.com

Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economyhttp://doingwhatmatters.cccco.edu/

Dunning, D. (2008). Introduction to type and learning. Mountain View, CA (CPP, Inc.)

Sources:Dunning, D. (2003). Quick Guide to the Four Temperaments and Learning. Huntington Beach, CA: Telos Publishing.

Ellis, D. (2013). Becoming a Master Student (14th Ed.), Boston: Cengage.

Feldman, R. (2014). POWER learning (6th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Google Imageshttps://images.google.com/

Sources:

Lawrence, G. (1997). Looking at type and learning styles: Using psychological Type to Make learning personally effective. Gainsville, GA: CAPT.

Olson, K. (2009). Wounded by School. New York: Teacher's College Press.

Zachary, L. J. (2000). The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating effective learning relationships. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass