I’ve recently been trying to reflect on learning strategies that personally work the best for me. After evaluation, I don’t believe I fit into just one specific category of a learner, so I don’t believe I’m just a visual learner or just an auditory learner, but I believe I am a blend of all types of learners. I have realized that I need a specific setting in order to learn effectively. I need to be in a classroom or watching online lecture videos of a professor talking to an audience or a camera while also going through the slides on the module of the day. I need the visual of the powerpoint slides to condense what the professor is saying into concrete notes which I then copy down for my personal notes. I need the physical feeling of writing notes down in order to retain information. I need to hear the professor’s voice, see the lecture, and write it in my own words. No one area of this is necessarily more beneficial than another, but I know that this is what I need in order to successfully retain information.
Taking an actual class on tips to being successful in online learning has helped me tremendously and I believe it has helped me recognize what type of learner I am in general. Online learning is harder for me because it requires a lot of self-discipline and it is harder for me to retain information since there often isn’t a physical professor talking through the lessons, but I’ve been able to recognize that the resources posted in online classes really aren’t optional. I have to take full advantage of all the resources provided in order to be personally successful and reach my full potential. I love the flexibility of online learning, but it is difficult to manage my time wisely in order to succeed. Overall it was a very beneficial class and I enjoyed learning about learning.