eLearning’s success in the corporate training field can be attributed to its power to engage with 6 different learning styles. This article discusses what those learning styles are how to utilize eLearning to engage employees who retain information best using that particular learning style.
Corporate eLearning is swiftly growing as more and more organizations transition from traditional classroom training to corporate eLearning for their employee learning and development needs. But what is the reason behind corporate eLearning’s swift growth? A lot of things actually, if we get down to it, but most of all it is eLearning’s versatility, adaptability as well as its ability to cater to all known learning styles that make it the learning methodology of choice, not just for corporate training, but academic training as well.
What are Learning Styles, you ask? Let us understand. It’s a fact proven by scientific studies that each individual learns differently. Some people learn better when instructions are provided verbally to them, some by watching others do something, some by reading instructions, some through images and pictures, some on their own in seclusion, while others learn better in groups. A person’s learning style, thus, can be defined as the way they absorb, process, understand and retain information. Every person is different, and eLearning is considered an advanced learning methodology because it covers all of these learning styles. In this article, we’ll learn about these learning styles, while understanding how eLearning helps individuals with different learning styles acquire knowledge.
- Visual
Visual learners are those individuals that are able to better process and understand information presented to them in conjunction with images and videos. Thus, corporate eLearning modules for such learners should be optimized to include plenty of colorful visual stimuli. Make sure learners first see what they’re expected to learn, and keep verbal instructions to a minimum.
- Auditory
Auditory learners are those individuals that learn best when information is presented in audio cues. For example, they are comfortable with large pieces of information (such as lectures) as long as its recorded speech they can hear. For such learners, eLearning modules with voice-overs, as well as videos where an instructor delivers a lecture or presents information through speech work best. In case an organization uses a Blended Learning program, auditory learners respond better to traditional classroom training.
- Verbal
Verbal learners may sound similar to auditory learners but are not. Although verbal learners do learn better when information is presented in the form of speech, they also learn better when the information presented is textual or in writing. Such learners are also proficient in using written or spoken word to communicate, and learn better when they can communicate to and fro with their instructor or lecturer. The crux here is that verbal learners grasp ‘words’ better, and that is what an eLearning module designed for them should consist of. Blended Learning works wonders for such learners.
- Logical
Logical learners are creatures of reason, and will grasp concepts better if presented with logic and if they can easily recognize patterns in them. They like to learn through reasoning, solving problems, and understanding the cause and effect relationships of phenomena. To make sure logical learners learn better, the eLearning module given to them must contain problems, graphs, equations, formulae as well as infographics, as they can wrap their heads around such forms of information with ease.
- Social
Social learners, as is evident from their name, learn best in groups. Although traditional classroom learning springs to mind, modern eLearning programs utilize features like social sharing, team-based eLearning modules as well as Blended Learning to cater to social learners. One-on-one sessions with trainers too, have been shown to help social learners learn better.
- Solitary
Solitary learners learn best when left to their own devices in seclusion. Such learners need to be provided with mobile eLearning modules that they can complete at any time, any place if maximum learning is desired. Freedom, peace and quiet is what such learners require the most, and thus dislike learning in groups. Their learning program needs to be largely mobile eLearning modules, coupled with one-on-one training sessions with an instructor or trainer to clarify doubts.
Corporate organizations are quickly realizing the fact that they need personalized, custom eLearning programs that can cater to each individual employee in their organization. eLearning is the future of learning, that much is clear. What remains to be seen is that which organizations capitalize on it and motor ahead, and which get left in the dust.
Here is an opposing view about learning styles that critical thinkers should read after this blog post.
I may be wrong but I did read articles that were telling that those ‘learning styles’ are much less important than when those theories appeared years ago. Personally have a lot of experience teaching and coaching on many levels/ages. Rarely did I meet a student/trainee constrained to one learning style….
As many theoreticians claim exactly the opposite. It depends not only on the individual but as much on the topic treated and the learning methods. I really have decades of experience, ranging from training flute over very technical topics, project management and software applications. I have always been sceptical towards theories, and this theory about ‘learning styles’ has disappeared almost completely after some years of hype. Maybe the geolocation is important as well, and the learning career of the learner.
Malay, what you are describing is merely your preference. When we learn about learning styles for the first time, it makes sense because we all have preferences in how we learn. For example, I prefer watching videos when learning. I enjoy it, and I might even believe that I can learn better or this is the only way I learn.
In college, my adult learning class conducted an experiment where we identified what we believed our learning styles to be. We broke into groups of like learning styles and attempted to learn two things, one with our learning styles and one using a different learning style. We discovered that all of us were capable of learning in each method that wasn’t our preferred learning style.
When someone continues to hold up the belief in learning styles, I ask them to show me the study that scientifically proves that learning styles exist in the way the theory suggests. The conversation always ends at that point because no such scientific study exits.
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