Let's Learn Right the First Time

By: Noah H.
Learning styles are the fingerprints of the mind; they are as unique as the person using them and as varying as all the people in the world. There are several generalized categories of learning styles, and all influence how a student learns. Understanding them is the best way for a student to pass a class. Knowing about your learning style can help you know how to study for an online class.
A learning style is the way in which a person learns, for example whether or not they learn more from a video or a book. There are several different theories as to how learning styles work but the most common is divided into 4 categories: visual, auditory, reading/writing-preference learners and kinesthetic/tactile learners (hands on).
The most common learning style is visual. This learning style focuses on pictures, diagrams, movies, and other forms of visual media, even visual demonstrations are helpful. The next most common learning style is auditory. These people benefit from someone talking to them to help them learn, and they benefit from lectures and video/audio setups. Reading/Writing-preference learners are most comfortable learning from books and texts, these students have no trouble reading chapters of a textbook, and may prefer to read a book about a subject than watch a movie about it. Lastly, kinesthetic/tactile learners are people who learn by “hands-on” experience.
One thing to keep in mind is that all people have parts of every learning style in them: no one is 100% one way or the other. You may be 10% reading, 10% visual, 50% auditory and 30% kinesthetic; however you should try to study the best way for you. So the person above would most likely want to get auditory help in a subject because that is their greatest strength. Another thing to keep in mind is that your learning style can change over time usually babies start out with learning through touch (tactile) but as they grow they will learn to use visual and auditory learning more and more.
Knowing your learning style is important, because as soon as an individual discovers which type they are they can begin to attempt to adjust their studying to their strengths. For example, if a student knows they learn very well from videos then they should look for tutorials on YouTube or some other video site rather than trying to decipher a wiki. Another way they can try to help themselves is in the way they ask for help. An auditory student may want to call the teacher over the phone for assistance while a reading/writing-preference learner will want to send an e-mail. All these factors lead to an easier online class experience.
To find out your learning style go here: Learning Style Analysis

Organizational Skills!!

Organizational Skills

Many students sign up for online classes and then they can’t keep track of their work since there are no teachers in person to help them keep a notebook. Whenever one takes an online class, a notebook is essential. Online does not mean paperless. Printing off notes can make it a lot easier to complete the assignments. Not only will having a notebook and a few organizational skills help, but keeping a calendar is also suggested. Now, let’s break down the notebook and look at a few key points to becoming organized.

Becoming organized can be time consuming, but once it’s done, all is needed is a little maintenance here and there. One doesn’t need a large notebook to hold everything throughout the semester, but an average size should do (about an inch and a half.) One can adjust to his/her needs of course, but it is what goes inside it that it is most important. I recommend that it has a clear protective sleeve on the front, but it doesn’t need to have one, however it will come in handy later down the road. I suggest that tab dividers are used; they can be made or bought at the local dollar store. There should be at least four tabs designated Notes, Assignments, Review, and Paper. Under the Notes section, place anything that is printed off that may be beneficial to an assignment and keep it by date and lesson, dating work is very important! Under the Assignment tab, keep every assignment that has been printed off, once again, date everything! The Review tab should hold any information and assignments that are for test prep. The Paper tab is, of course, for loose leaf notebook paper and miscellaneous items.

Now that the notebook is organized, let’s make a calendar to help keep track of maintenance in an easier fashion and make meeting those dreadful deadlines more approachable and possible. The internet has many calendars that can be printed off. I generally use www.free-printable-calendars.com, because they give important dates such as Easter already labeled. Write down all of the due dates and other things that are of significance. Denoting different classes with different colors of high lighters and such forth is also a good organizational tool. As deadlines are reached, cross it out and take a minute to breathe! Calendar organization is very personal and optional, but I highly recommend it.

Another useful tip is to keep a daily planner in along with the calendar. The daily planner is a great tool because it can be changed, rearranged, and it’s always there. Write down everything that needs to be completed by the end of the day and work down the list. In addition, including such things as church events, sporting events, club meetings, birthdays and/or daily reminders of the upcoming weeks is also very important. Think of the planner as a personal assistant and use it as often as needed. Make sure to not over-plan, there is nothing worse than being over-scheduled. When the unexpected events arise, check with your “personal assistant.” Is there time to fit it in? If yes, then there is a decision to be made. If the answer is no, then simply say, “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” Of course there are exceptions to the rules, but use them as general guidelines.

Now that the hassle of organizing is over, how much time is left in the day that hasn’t been spent? I offer a challenge. Make a chart and write down everything that goes on during the day. How much time is being wasted? Can the schedule be rearranged so that productivity is maximized? Questions such as these are dependent upon the schedule, but I bet there will be at least two hours in the day that could be spent doing something enjoyable.

So, one may ask, “Why is organization important?” Simply stated, organization is the key to success and meeting deadlines. It is critical to passing any online class. Keeping everything “up top” is great, but remembering everything is impossible, so start organizing!

In conclusion, all of the things mentioned are completely optional, but are very helpful. Remember to keep a notebook, calendar, daily planner, and maximize productivity! Happy organizing!

-Felicia B.