Learning Styles and Strategies
Studying for Continuing Education and Certification Exams
Sep 24, 2009
College has become, or is starting to be a distant memory? For many professionals, once they have received a diploma, there is a perception that academia has little to do with their ongoing career. Specifically, the interest of their institution to measure success through preparation for and completion of structured examinations. This is far from the truth.
Studying and Testing are for Life
Almost every day in every profession one is tested. Success is measured in performance reviews using metrics of abilities at managing and communicating with stakeholders. The focus of this article is on a less abstract notion of testing: On the method of study used to prepare for and to pass professional certification exams as well as meeting the demands of continuing education requirements.
Many employers use assessments for development of their human resources. One popular method is application of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The indicator resulting from this standardized questionnaire may then be used by the employer and employee to optimize performance and job satisfaction.
The MBTI is considered by many to be a good indicator and predictor of an individual's attitude, including how they make decisions. Although helpful in determining how best to study, there are further dimensions beyond the MBTI that need to be examined if one wants to minimize study time for continuing education and optimize ones scoring potential on certification exams.
The Felder Definition of Learning Styles and Strategies
According to Richard M. Felder (Hoechst Celanese Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University), there are at least 30 to 40 different models of learning styles, including parts of the MBTI, which share many common ideas and concepts. He defines learning styles as the different ways students take in and process information.
Dr. Felder consolidated the various models he studied into four dimensional categories:
- Active or Reflective
- Sensing or Intuitive
- Visual or Verbal
- Sequential or Global
Clearly very few people would be expected to be one extreme or the other in each of these dimensions. However, many would find themselves leaning towards one or the other. Knowing how one lies in each of these four scales can help fine tune and optimize ones study time.
The first step to determining how someone studies best is for them to take the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire (ILSQ).
Interpreting the Results of a Learning Styles Questionnaire
Once a person has completed the 44 question ILSQ, he will have a score report showing his weighting in each of the four categories. The report provides four scales showing separate scores for each category. The tester is scored between 1 and 11 in the four categories. For example, a score of 9 on the Reflective side of the Active or Reflective scale indicates a very strong preference for a reflective learning style. Whereas a score of 9 on the Active side of the Active or Reflective scale indicates a very strong preference for an active learning style.
Using the Results of a Learning Styles Questionnaire
How well professionals can optimize their learning and studying based on the results of the ILSQ depends not only on their score in each category, but how far they lean towards one end of the category scale or another. One has to focus on the category where they have scored more than 3 to achieve the most benefit. To breakdown the lessons learned to improve study techniques, the person completing the ILSQ needs an understanding of the dimensions:
1. Active versus Reflective
- Active learners can benefit from group study. They need to focus on reviewing topics with other group members and try and predict what questions would be asked on a test covering these topics.
- Reflective learners benefit from not only reading and memorizing facts: they need to review the material as they study and to rewrite notes and provide summaries.
2. Sensing versus Intuitive
- Sensing learners (or sensors) benefit from connecting information to practical applications. They need to see examples of what they are studying and how they apply in the real world.
- Intuitive learners prefer grasping theories, rather than facts. They can become impatient with memorizing detail. When answering questions, it is beneficial for them to double check the question and their answers.
3. Visual versus Verbal
- Visual learners benefit from course materials presented with diagrams, charts, video etc. Notes taken using mind mapping techniques and color coding are highly advantageous.
- Verbal learners benefit from writing summaries and outlines of the material they are studying. Working in groups to share explanations is also beneficial.
4. Sequential versus Global
- Sequential learners benefit from organizing notes into logical order. As new material is presented to the student, it should be linked in a logical relation to material already covered.
- Global learners need to grasp the big picture before all the elements come together. They benefit from skimming through the contents of an entire course before focusing on the details.
Benefiting the Most From a Learning Styles Questionnaire
Practically speaking, busy professionals will benefit the most from applying the lessons learned from the ILSQ if they find a significant weighting towards a specific side of the scale on one or more of the four dimensions. If it is found that they fall in the middle of the scale on one or more of these dimensions, then an understanding of the categories may help them customize their own optimal study technique.
The important factor is for busy professionals to make the most of their study time and study smart, not hard.
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