If someone asks you for directions, do you tend to draw them a map? Do you typically find that you have a "good sense of direction?" Can you easily remember where you parked your car in a large parking lot? Do you often find yourself "doodling" while taking notes? If these ideas seem to describe you, then you are likely a visual learner.
A person with a visual learning style may often say these phrases:
- Let me show you.
- I can picture it in my mind.
- I can see his face, but I can't remember his name.
- I don't look at it that way.
Implications for learning
What does being a "visual" person like this mean to you as you attempt to learn new things? With the evolution of the Internet, there has never been a better time to be a visual learner. Using a search engine, one can easily locate images and diagrams for most concepts covered in a course. Take advantage of these resources.
In addition to the visual resources which you can find online, there is benefit to drawing things out for yourself and/or visualizing things in your mind. You may find it benefical to draw concept maps to illustrate related ideas. Make use of your impulse to scribble by producing items that are related to the course content.
Organizing information using colors may be especially beneficial for you. As you take notes, underline or highlight items using colors.