The Ultimate Guide to Studying Smarter, Not Harder
Debunking the VARK learning style myth and sharing my personal tips
Have you ever been stuck in a classroom, feeling lost and frustrated because the teacher’s explanation just didn’t make sense to you?
I’ve been there too. For a long time, I believed it was because my learning style didn’t match up with traditional teaching methods. But my time at UC Berkeley and some eye-opening research made me rethink this idea.
Surprisingly, the idea of learning styles might not be as reliable as we once believed.
In this blog post, let’s debunk the learning style myth together and take a closer look at the scientific evidence that challenges this widespread belief.
We’ll also talk about the power of self-awareness for personal growth and productivity, and discuss how embracing a holistic learning approach can lead to better problem-solving skills.
Get ready to discover my secret to effective studying!
Debunking Learning Styles: The Evidence
Before we dive into the study, let’s quickly explain what VARK is all about. VARK stands for Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic — the four primary learning styles that people tend to prefer. The idea is that each person has a specific learning style that works best for them.
Visual learners grasp information better through images and diagrams, while auditory learners prefer listening to explanations. Reading/writing learners excel at absorbing written information, and kinesthetic learners learn best through hands-on activities and experiences.
The VARK framework has been widely used in education to help students identify their preferred learning style and tailor their study techniques accordingly. Now, with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the study by Husmann and O’Loughlin.
The study examined 426 undergrad anatomy students to investigate the relationship between their self-reported VARK learning styles, study methods, and grades.
Guess what? Only 34.5% of students said they used study methods that matched their favorite learning style, while the majority (65.5%) did not.
What’s more, the bar chart below shows that students’ claimed learning styles didn’t really line up with how they actually studied.
A lot of students used strategies that didn’t match their so-called preferred learning style, which makes us question whether learning styles really tell us the best way to study or learn new stuff.
Leveling Up Your Learning with Metacognition
Before I spill the beans on my personal study secret, let me tell you about something you might not have heard of: Metacognition.
It’s basically thinking about how you think and learn. With metacognition in your study routine, you can learn more strategically.
Want to improve your learning approach? Just follow these three simple steps:
Step 1: Know Yourself Better in Learning
Being self-aware means knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. It helps you make better choices about learning.
- Think about past learning experiences: What worked for you and what didn’t? Spot patterns in how you learn and tackle any challenges you’ve faced. Don’t just stick to what you know — be open to trying new ways of learning. Remember, the way you’ve always done things might not be the best for you.
- Check your learning environment: Things like noise levels, lighting, and seating arrangements make a big difference in how focused and productive you can be. For me, I turn on my desk light, set my devices to “Do Not Disturb,” and wear headphones without playing any music.
- Ask others for feedback: Get advice from friends, teachers, or mentors to see your learning from a different angle and find areas to improve.
Step 2: Find Your Learning Groove
Even though learning styles aren’t set in stone, it’s still helpful to figure out how you best take in and understand new info. That way, you can adjust your study techniques to work best for you.
- Try different learning methods: Test out visual (like diagrams or videos), auditory (lectures or podcasts), reading/writing (textbooks or articles), and kinesthetic (hands-on activities or simulations) ways to learn and see what clicks with you.
- Mix it up: A fun and engaging learning experience means blending different methods based on the topic. I used to think I wasn’t a visual learner because words stuck with me better. But let’s be real, when you’re studying something like a world map, reading and writing just won’t do the trick. In that case, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? So, don’t be scared to switch things up and use different learning styles. You never know which one might work best for a certain subject
Step 3: Step Up Your Study Game
Lastly, polishing your study habits is key to improving your learning approach. Good study habits help you remember, understand, and succeed in school.
- Make clear goals and priorities: Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals is super important. Figure out what tasks matter most and use your time wisely to make the most of your learning.
- Learn actively: Really get into the material with techniques like summarizing, asking questions, teaching others, or connecting concepts to real life.
- Keep track of your progress: Keep an eye on how you’re doing and what you’ve learned to find areas that need more work or improvement.
My Game-Changing Study Secret
Alright, we’ve talked about the research and steps to better learning. Now, I’ll let you in on the secret strategy that helped me throughout most of my college days.
This trick has been a lifesaver for me, and it’s called learning by teaching (also known as the protégé effect). Before college, I didn’t really teach others what I learned or how I learned, since I’m more of an introvert and was scared of teaching them the wrong thing.
I used to think, “I’ll only teach people something I’m perfect at.” But let’s face it, no one’s perfect at anything.
“When teachers are prepared to teach, they tend to seek key points and structure information in a consistent manner.” — Psychologist John Nestojko
The same goes for us when we try to teach others — we do more research on the topic because we don’t want to teach someone the wrong info.
Plus, when we teach others, we usually have to answer lots of follow-up questions. Sometimes, we haven’t even thought about certain things before, so we end up researching even more and getting a deeper understanding of the topic.
So, starting today, if your friends or classmates need help with something, teach them! If you want to learn even better, become a tutor in a class you’re taking. And if you’re working, share your knowledge online! Answer questions posted on the internet that grab your attention!
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to leave the learning styles myth behind and embrace a holistic approach to growth and learning? By doing this, you’ll unlock your full potential and become a better problem solver.
Why not share this post with your friends, family, and coworkers to spread the word about the power of flexible learning strategies and the awesome benefits of learning by teaching?
Don’t forget to hit the follow button to stay in the loop on the latest insights and tips for personal growth. Share your thoughts and experiences about learning styles, metacognition, and all-round learning methods in the comments below. Let’s learn together and help each other grow!
References:
- Husmann, P. R., & O’Loughlin, V. D. (2018). Another Nail in the Coffin for Learning Styles? Disparities among Undergraduate Anatomy Students’ Study Strategies, Class Performance, and Reported VARK Learning Styles. Anatomical Sciences Education , 11(3), 303–316.
