Am I a visual learner, or something else?

Question

I was wondering if you guys could help with something. I am a maths student at university, and all my life I considered myself to be a visual learner. Whenever I write notes in class, I use various colors to highlight between theorems, proofs and examples.

What I find interesting is that with this, I find it very hard to do two things. I often tune out of people's conversations, and do not always get the gist of what people are saying, or understand them. Also, I find reading passages of text hard. I often will read a newspaper article, and not remember what I read well. Also, I used to read many books when I was younger, but now I can't get through one.

Curiously too, whenever I watch the television, I always have subtitles- in my opinion hearing it and seeing it and reading it helps my understanding. Also in a psychology experiment, apparently i was 87% visual, 6% auditory, and 7% kinesthetic.

What do people make of this? Is this just a case of visual learning? Or something more?

Answer 1

We are all a combination of the different types. But, most of us lean more heavily on one than the others.

If you talk to yourself when you are working problems. If you like to discuss what you are learning, and if you learn best while explaining things to others, then you are probably an auditory learner.

If you tend to miss a lot of what is being said when you take notes, then you may actually be more of an auditory learner than you realize.. or, maybe you are just not remembering what is said because you are unable to process the information through hearing alone.

I would do a simple little test. Try a lesson one day.. where you take NO notes in class. Just listen (perhaps you can have a classmate help you out with copies later).. then after class write a summary of what was learned in class. Then try a class where you take meticulous notes and then after class (without referring to your notes), write a summary of what you learned. If you can see a marked difference in your level of recall, that should give you a much better understanding of your learning style.

I was shocked to figure out. that I was an auditory learner, about 15 years after I got my first degree. I quit taking notes in class altogether (when I got my masters).. and I've never made less than an A. It was remarkable how much better I was able to focus and learn when I wasn't trying to take notes (which essentially shut off my understanding.. until I could pause in my writing).

The fact that you are seeing the actual words when you listen may mean you are just the opposite.. that you are a very visual learner and you actually are not able to process and understand when people are talking. If this is the case, reading the text, taking good notes, perhaps even taping the lectures (so you can listen again and again and record in writing what is being said) will be of great use.

Good luck in your quest. Understanding how we learn is a very complex process.

Answer 2

What you're describing is normal if you haven't had years of training. Being able to just hear the words for the dance steps and then do them is an advanced skill. It is the level of skill you would need as a professional to audition for and work with choreographers who will expect you to pick up new combinations very quickly with very little demonstration. At many auditions, there can easily be over 100 dancers trying out, so you may not be able to pick where you stand. Furthermore, there may not be a mirror (as some auditions are on a stage) and it can be hard to see the dance coach. So making the dance terminology connect instantly to your muscle memory is not just a learning style, but an advanced survival skill for working dancers.

Answer 3

visual learner