Perceiving, Processing, and Learning Styles
Now how does knowing your intelligence type help you learn? Remember our friend Arturo? How does he differ from Maggie? How is he like Clarissa? Some people are active learners while others are reflective learners. Some perceive and process ideas in different ways, too.
With regard to perceiving – Concrete perceivers like to experience new ideas directly, acting upon them more immediately, like Arturo and Clarissa. Abstract perceivers like Maggie prefer to take time to observe, think about, and then analyze info before acting.
With regard to processing – Active processors benefit from experiences by using the info right away, like Arturo. Reflective processors do just that – they reflect and think before using info, like Maggie and Clarissa.
Arturo could also be considered an auditory learner, because he relies on lectures and discussions to help him absorb ideas. Maggie is probably a visual learner, relying on rereading to soak up important ideas. And Clarissa is definitely a tactile learner, working, literally, hands-on.
See the handout, Learning Styles and Strategies, by Richard Felder and Barbara Soloman, to learn whether you are an active learner, reflective learner, and how people can sometimes switch, depending on their tasks.
References:
La Farge, Phyllis. “7 Keys to Learning.” Parents. February 1994.
Wilson, Leslie Owen. Eighth Intelligence: Naturalistic Intelligence. 1998
Felder, Richard. Learning Styles.