This quiz may help you gain a little more insight into your typical approach to learning and which strategies may work well for you in maximizing your strengths. This is not a researched and tested instrument; it is meant to provide you with an avenue for self exploration in preparation for learning. Your approach to learning is changeable and takes into account your interests, motivations and tendencies which may influence learning.
You seem to have a reflective approach to learning: you likely enjoy discussion, online or otherwise. To extend your learning and hone the "habits of mind" you are developing, review our Critical Thinking section.
You seem to have a reflective approach to learning: you likely enjoy discussion, online or otherwise. It might be helpful for you to set up a file on your computer where you can keep some notes based on what you read, and then refer to them during discussions. Have a look at our note-taking section for tips. In addition, consider the 6 Questions a Critical Thinker Asks from our Critical Thinking section:" How to start thinking critically".
You seem to have an active approach to learning. Make sure you use your energy wisely. It may be helpful for you to set up a file on your computer, to keep track of your ideas, as you build on them through active discussion with others. It may help you to cultivate skills for critical reflection and clarifying your thinking. Work through our Critical Thinking section for a great start to your reflective practice.
A reflective or theoretical approach to group work is often valuable. Consider offering to summarize discussions, or pull together the idea the group generates. Have a look at our note-taking section for some note-taking templates. You might also want to review our group work section for suggestions about how you can be most effective in groups.
A practical approach to organization is useful in group work. You might offer to be the person who keeps the group on track. Review our thoughts on the working in groups section for tips.
It may be easier for you to work alone, but you'll often benefit from incorporating the ideas of others into your thinking. Offer to take on some of the writing or editing for the group - these are relatively solitary activities that can contribute to the collaborative effort. Review our thoughts on the working in groups section for tips.
You probably appreciate structure and specific guidelines. If you find that your teachers isn't providing what you need, get in touch with them early in the term, and keep communicating! Office hours and email are great for this. It might also be wise to keep a list of your content-related questions, so you can bring them up in a single conversation.
You appear to be self-directed in your approach to learning. You'll want to decide on some personal learning objectives and project themes early on in the course, then run them by your teacher to make sure you're on the right track.
You appear to be self-directed in your approach to learning. Early in the course, you'll want to decide on some personal learning objectives or project themes that you're interested in, and run them by your teacher to make sure you're on the right track. You may want to review our section on Working Your Brain in the Learning and Memory’s topic to help you with practical suggestions for enhancing your learning, based on research evidence.
Group work can be challenging, especially if there are large differences in opinion or disagreements. Make sure you have strategies and processes for handling conflict and disagreements. Review our tips for resolving conflicts.
One of the greatest benefits of online group work is the potential for a diverse range of experiences within a group. Your peers might live across campus, or on the other side of the world. The fact that you appreciate diversity will help you have great group experiences.
Group work can be challenging, especially if there are large differences in opinion or disagreements. Make sure you have strategies and processes for handling conflict and disagreements. Review our tips for resolving conflicts.
Conscientiously taking verbatim notes or re-reading content over and over, if it is done in a passive way, is not an efficient way to learn. Being an active participant in the learning process requires interpreting, connecting, interrelating, and elaborating, not simply recording. Review the section on Learning and memory to learn why and review the Myths about Learning to help you work smarter not harder.
This will get you off to a good start at being an active participant in the learning process which requires interpreting, connecting, interrelating, and elaborating. Refer to the Learning and Memory section of the site to learn more about what you can do to make connections between what you know and what you are learning.
This will get you off to a good start at being an active participant in the learning process which requires interpreting, connecting, interrelating, and elaborating. Identifying questions helps you direct your own learning and investigation. Refer to the Learning and Memory section of the site to learn more about what you can do to make connections between what you know and what you are learning.
Right now, your motivation for learning is largely driven by assessments. This is a pragmatic approach. You should try to be clear about the specific expectations for the courses you're in, and add time to your study schedule for self assessment. This will help you make sure you're learning what you need to learn in order to achieve your goals. You might want to review our section on Why am I studying? to help you figure out what steps you need to take to reach your goals.
You seem to be taking a pragmatic approach to your learning right now. You should try to stay clear about exactly what you want to learn (while staying open to the unexpected) and how you feel this could benefit you in the future. This approach should give you a focus for your learning. You might want to review our section on Why am I studying? to help you figure out what steps you need to take to reach your goals.
You seem to be taking a reflective approach to your learning. You're probably less concerned with the practical aspects, like grades and assessment, and more interested in the impact of what you're learning has on you. Plan time for reflection and self assessment into your study schedule. Try expanding your learning beyond the classroom to get the most out of your OP experience. You might try to gain some work experience in your field of interest looking for a student job or volunteer job. The experience that you might get out of it will put you ahead of the game once you’ve graduated.
You probably approach new learning from a diverging point of view: considering the options. You'll benefit from the use of models, frameworks and diagrams which can help you organize your thoughts and ideas visually. Mind mapping approaches and tools might be of interest to you.
You probably approach new learning from an active perspective. You'll benefit from the use of real time chat or instant messaging to communicate with your peers or instructor on collaborative projects. This lends itself to a speedy sharing of ideas and brainstorming.
Your reflective approach to brainstorming suggests that you might find it useful to offer to record the thoughts of others, in addition to your own, during brainstorming sessions, online, via telephone, or in person. Refer to our note taking section for some tips.
You probably appreciate structure and guidelines when it comes to coursework and discussions. Asking for clarification is a great strategy for getting what you need.
You probably choose to reflect on what you're learning, observe others, and gather your data before starting your project. It might be helpful to develop strategies for organizing your research and observations so that you can share them with others as the need arises. You might want to review some strategies for reading, reflecting and organizing to help with this. See the Learning Support resources.
You're probably action-oriented in your approach to learning, and will benefit with involvement in collaborative learning situations and other group projects. Have a look at our tips for working effectively in groups!
You'll benefit from giving yourself enough time to problem-solve on your own, but remember to ask for help when you need it. It might be a good idea to review some of our tips on coping with stress.
You'll benefit from giving yourself enough time to problem-solve on your own, but remember to ask for help when you need it. It might be a good idea to review some of our tips on coping with stress.
You're very practical in your approach to learning. The upside is that you're probably highly productive, but the downside is that you might get impatient and try to rush projects through. You might benefit from taking a step back, and looking at the problem again when you can devote some time to thinking about it and talking with other people. Have a look at some of our tips for coping with stress when things get rough.
Grounding your learning in practice is probably important to you. You'll benefit from finding ways to implement what you're learning in your community: look into club and volunteering.
It seems like you approach learning from a more abstract or theoretical perspective. Try to get involved in learning activities or projects which challenge your current ways of thinking, and encourage you to discuss your thoughts with others who disagree with you. Check out some options for club involvement, or community service learning, to get the most out of your university experience.
You'll benefit from exploring concrete strategies for organizing what you read and discuss. You'll want to create and find diagrams and models to illustrate concepts discussed in your courses. Refer to our note taking toolkit for some ideas.
'Thinkers' tend to be described as people who observe and reflect. Your friends and associates probably value your observations very highly - provided you share them.
Doers are people who "get things done". You probably prefer a practical approach to learning, and prefer to have a clear direction and benefit from asking for clarification when needed. Doers benefit from taking a more patient and thoughtful approach to projects, rather than rushing to get them done.
Talkers need social interaction and learn best through discussion with others, whether online, or in person. Discussions or study groups are great resources for talkers. You might also benefit from practising listening and observation skills: if you can master those, you'll make a great teacher, professor, or facilitator.
This work includes material from the following sources:
Approach To Learning. UBC Learning Commons. Retrieved from: http://learningcommons.ubc.ca/tutoring-studying/selfassessment/ Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.