#Tips and Tricks for learning

This article is intended to shed light on how we learn. We go to school to know how to learn. Therefore, learning does not stop when we finish school. Learning is a life-long process and by understanding how it takes place — how you can adapt your mental and physical capabilities to learning — you shall be empowered and emboldened to improve your learning style and enjoy the learning process. There are seven types of learners:

1) Visual (spatial)

If you are a visual learner, you prefer to use pictures, images, and spatial understanding. You remember concepts more when they are expressed in images, pictures, color and other visual media. You use color, layout, and spatial organization to make mental associations and you use many ‘visual words’ when you talk. You use mind maps to remember ideas and concepts. You replace words with pictures, and use color to highlight major and minor links.

2) Aural (auditory-musical)

If you are an aural learner, you prefer using sound and music. You remember concepts more when they are expressed in sound, rhyme, and music. You use sound recordings to provide a background and help you visualize what you are learning. You create mnemonics or acrostics by making the most of rhythm and rhyme and you set them to a jingle or part of a song. You have some particular song that makes you want to ‘take on the world’, which you play back and anchor your emotions and state.

3) Verbal (linguistic)

If you are a verbal learner, you prefer using words, both in speech and writing. You remember concepts more when they are expressed in speech and writing. You make the most o the word-based techniques such as assertions and scripting. You record your scripts using a tape or digital audio recorder (such as an MP3 player), and use it later for reviews. You read content aloud, and make it dramatic and varied. You try working with others and use role-playing to learn verbal exchanges such as negotiations, sales or radio calls.

4) Physical (kinesthetic)

If you are a physical learner, you prefer using your body, hands, and sense of touch. You remember concepts by focusing on sensations you would expect in each scenario. You describe the physical feelings of your actions when you speak and write. You use physical objects as much as possible. You remember concepts more when you write them down or draw diagrams. You use role-playing, either singularly or with someone else, to practice skills and behaviors.

5) Solitary (intrapersonal)

if you are a solitary learner, you prefer to work alone and use self-study. You prefer to learn alone using self-study. You align your goals and objectives with personal beliefs and values and create a personal interest in your topics. You remember concepts more when you associate and visualize by highlighting what you would be thinking and feeling at the time. Your drive comes from within you. You use modeling and are creative with role-playing. Your thoughts have a large influence on your performance and often safety.

6) Social (interpersonal)

If you are a social learner, you prefer to learn in groups or with other people. You aim to work with others as much as possible. You use role-playing to work with other people. You remember concepts more by sharing your key assertions with others. You make mental associations and visualizations with other people.

7) Logical (mathematical)

If you are a logical learner, you prefer using logic, reasoning and systems. You aim to understand the reasons behind your content and skills. You create and use lists by extracting key points from your material. You pick up systems and procedures easily. You use systems thinking to help you understand the bigger picture. You find it hard to change existing behaviors and habits. You often suffer from analysis paralysis.

Tips and techniques for learning

1. The Feynman Technique for learning

1) Write

Write down everything you know about the topic on a notebook page, and add to that page every time you learn something new about it.

2) Explain

Make sure you are able to explain the topic in simple terms.

3) Fill the gaps

The gaps in your knowledge should be obvious. Revisit problem areas until you can explain the topic fully.

4) Simplify

Repeat the process while simplifying your language and connecting facts with analogies to help strengthen your understanding.

2. Challenging experiences — doing work that stretches your mental capabilities helps you learn things in the context.

3. Opportunities to practice — practice feeds high performance.

4. Creative conversations — we learn from others and by teaching others. Conversation is the lubrication of learning and development.

5. Time for reflections — individual reflection and reflecting with others embeds our experiences in our minds hence creating learning that lasts.

TOP 10 LEARNING MOBILE APPS

1. Udemy — online learning platform aimed at professional adults and students. Students take courses largely as a means of improving job-related skills.
2. Khan Academy — a non-profit educational organization that provides free video tutorials and interactive exercises.
3. StudyBlue — an online studying platform for high school and college students. The website allows users to upload class study materials, create electronic flashcards to study and share with others, and practice quizzes.
4. YouTube — Students of all ages can learn something new at YouTube.com/Education
5. Quora — Quora is a question and answer website where people go to find information. Every piece of content on the site is generated by users, meaning it is created, edited, and organized by the same people that use the website.
6. EdX — edX is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider created by Harvard and MIT. It hosts online university-level courses in a wide range of disciplines.
7. Coursera — a world-wide online learning platform founded in 2012 by Stanford computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller that offers massive open online courses (MOOC), specializations, and degrees.
8. LinkedIn Learning — an online learning platform enabling individuals and organizations to achieve their objectives and aspirations. It is a subsidiary of LinkedIn and combines the industry-leading content from Lynda.com with LinkedIn’s professional data and network.
9. PhotoMath — a mobile application described as a “camera calculator”, which utilizes a phone’s camera to recognise mathematical equations and to display the step-by-step solution onscreen.
10. Kahoot — a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share and play learning games or trivia quizzes in minutes.