TDTU: Learning preferences and habits Using technology to personalise learning 2024

Etienne

I prefer to spend my time browsing

interesting facts on the Internet, especially

late at night, and then assembling these into

some sort of order for my assignments. My

learning style is 'Global chatter', as I work best

when I get a sense of the overall subject from

discussing it with others. It took me a long time

to realise this as I don't really enjoy working

that way.

Claire

I get my best grades when I start early,

am methodical, make a lot of notes, and work on

a draft over several sessions. I call that my All

Method No Madness learning style. In stark

contrast, my learning preference could be

characterised as High Pressure High Intensity.

When I studied to my preferences, I used the

approach of 'get in, do it, and get out quickly'.

This meant reading whatever I could get my

hands on fast, ignoring any material unavailable

on that day, and rushing out a rapid piece of

work with no drafting or proof-reading.

Nita By preference, I am very competitive and

enjoy studying on my own, using every minute

effectively. I don't like groupwork as I don't

really want to share my ideas and it can feel

like a waste of time, a bit slow. Overall, my

learning preferences and style match each

other, as I do get good grades. However, even

though I find collaborative work annoying, I

have found that I get my very best grades

from this: the range of ideas and perspectives

stimulates me to come up with richer answers.

Study habits

What study habits haveyou developed overthe

years? How far do these equate with each of the

following:

1 your learning style (what helps you learn

best)?

2 your learning preferences (whatyou like

doing)?

3 yourearly learning experiences ratherthan

what you need now?

4 the attitude, or mind-set, that you bring to

your study?

Which study habits might it be useful to

change?

Activity

Identify yoi|r learning preference

Identify your personal learning

style. This time, highlight in a bright colour

those factors that you prefer when studying -

that is, those factors which you think help you

to engage with study and enjoy it.

Personalise your learning

Example 3

Prefer learning through listening

Use any podcasts that are provided. Record

lectures extracts from books, your notes, ideas, lists of key points, formulae or quotations -

or make a podcast of these. Listen to them whilst travelling. Look for computer-voiced

text you can download as a podcast and other information that can be downloaded

to a portable device such as your MP3 player. Investigate assistive technologies such as screen

readers, and software such as Texthelp! that enables you to listen to words, sentences or

paragraphs of text as you type or highlights

them as you listen. Form a study group - to

learn via discussion.