Learning theories, styles, and preferences

In terms of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory, I am most strongly a verbal-linguistic and interpersonal learner. This means that I learn best by reading or listening to words and am in tune with my inner feelings and thoughts. When seeking information, my preference is to read books or articles or listen to lectures. I also like to take written notes. I have found that I learn best when I re-write concepts in my own words. It is hard for me to verbally explain things I have learned right away to other people, but after I have taken the time to write out some of my ideas, it is very helpful to me to discuss them out loud. Sometimes this helps me discover my own perspective more clearly than when I am thinking in isolation, because it draws out what other points of view may be and where I agree or disagree.

I think I also have some strong elements of existential intelligence, because I like to think about "big questions." This can actually be a big problem for me because it's hard, if not impossible, to ever arrive at a definitive answer and I have trouble finding a stopping point. Sometimes I even take what are not existential questions and over think them until I'm no longer sure what I believe. After following Kuhlthau's ISP for this assignment, I am going to try to focus my questions more closely and hopefully improve in this area.

I work best when I am intrinsically motivated, with a degree of extrinsic motivation to keep me on task.  I am easily distracted, so I need to exert a lot of control over my learning environment. This is a big part of why I have chosen not to get internet access in my home. When I have a lot of reading to do, I stay home where I am the most physically comfortable but have limited options to start reading other things online. Then when I go to the library, I stay more focused because I know I only have a limited amount of time to do internet tasks.

As I noted in an earlier post, I also need time in between reading and writing my own response to process the information. This has been a big change from my undergrad days, when I used to try to do everything at once and at the last minute. Now I realize that I feel less stressed when I read and collect information, take some notes in my own words without trying to put something in its final format, then come back the next day and revise.