Key influences on an individual's learning

Formal learning is impersonal; it is planned learning that derives from activities within a structured learning setting. This structured learning setting includes the hierarchically structured school system that runs from primary school through to university and specific training for a job.

Another influence is sensory learning. There are four sensory learning styles: the first is kinaesthetic learning which is where the individual prefers to work and will work best when able to move and do things. The kinaesthetic learners are the most practical as they have to make and do to produce the work, they tend to manipulate objects, do physical experiments and learn by trying. They enjoy working in small groups to figure out problems.

Another style of sensory learning is the tactual learners or reflective learners who work best when they are able to think things through, to evaluate options and they learn by analysis. This group are often deep thinkers and enjoy figuring out problems on their own.

Also there are the auditory learners that work best when able to hear, speak, discuss and think out loud. This group learn better when they are listening to people teach or when others are talking or discussing. They look for explanations with words and prefer to hear the information.

Finally visual learners are the group who prefer to see, watch, read, and view. Visual learners use their eyes and often enjoy reading information from posters or power points rather than being talked at, they look for graphs, pictures and diagrams and visual representations of information.

Furthermore another influence is Intuitive Learning. The intuitive learners prefer discovering possibilities and relationships, like innovation and dislike repetition, may be better at grasping new concepts and are more comfortable with abstract material and mathematical formulations, tend to work faster and are more innovative but may be careless, do not like courses that involve a lot of memorisation and routine calculations. These learners are quick learners and can easily adapt and understand new information; they don’t enjoy subjects like maths and physics.

Another key influence is the sequential learners who prefer to have information presented linearly and in an orderly manner. They put details together in order to understand the big picture. They want to follow step by step instructions or logical stepwise paths in order to find logical solutions or to complete a task.

Linking in with sequential learners are the global learners who prefer a holistic and systematic approach. This group often learn in large jumps, absorbing material almost randomly without seeing connections, and then suddenly understanding it. Most are able to solve complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big picture, but they may have difficulty explaining how they did it.

In conclusion many people learn in different ways and find it easier to concentrate doing different activities. Personally I occasionally identify will all of these learning styles but mostly I fall into the kinaesthetic learning category because I like to be doing something while learning and learn best by practical activities. I also fall into the Visual learner category because I often learn by having things written down for me and I learn by reading and studying graphs and written information.