Learning something new is hard. In college I struggled because much of the focus was on reading textbooks and then taking a test to ensure I understood the content. Textbooks can be a powerful way to learn, and we can elevate our learning with a few small tweaks.
I am a visual learner, roughly 70% of the population consider themselves visual learners, which means learning by textbook alone is not as effective for 70% of us. I draw pictures for my blog to help me process and think through ideas and concepts. I also hope it helps the ideas resonate more.
The more senses we engage in the learning process the better we learn.
Reflect on something you learned in 2022 – what conditions were present when you learned that thing?
Was it text alone? Did you have an image to help you engage with that thing you learned? Maybe it was something you touched, heard, tasted, or smelled? Perhaps there was something you felt that you cannot explain?
My son was in the hospital for a period of time, during that time there were the beeps of the machines, the smell of the medicines, the sights of the rooms and the other patients, the nurses going about doing their jobs, the texture of the bandages we used as we did wound care. And of course, the emotions that surrounded the uncertainty of the situation.
All of these things trigger thoughts and emotions and with that a reminder of what I learned. My learnings are suited best for a different post. My personal experience is the more we ramp up the senses in our experiences, the better we can learn.
Next time you are asked to speak, teach, or even share something in a meeting, consider how you might engage more than one of the senses. Visuals, emotions, physical objects, music, text, and more can all add to the learning experience.
