General Learning Style (ISFP)

Students with this learning style learn best by experiencing, doing and memorising, and they are interested in the practical use to which they can put ideas. They enjoy learning and perfecting skills and can recall sensory data (pictures, sounds, textures etc.) in detail.

New experiences excite them and consequently they tend to plunge in to a subject, learning as they go. Variety, sensory stimulation and active participation maintain their interest, and they therefore benefit from short presentations; 'on-the-job' training that has immediate applications; and practical, experiential workshops. Demonstrations and practical examples are of more use to them than theory, discussion or reading.

As learners, they:

• are less interested in theories than in practical facts
• prefer loose, unstructured teaching in which they can make their own discoveries
• enjoy personal involvement and participation
• prefer 'hands-on' training
• are stimulated by multi-sensory teaching
• need frequent breaks that allow for physical movement
• learn by doing

They learn best when:

• emotionally engaged by a subject, or can relate it to their personal interests and values
• ideas are presented imaginatively or in an multi-sensory manner, for example using dramatisation or presentations that include music, video, handling objects and tools, movement etc.
• there is an open and lively atmosphere
• there is plenty of 'hands-on' training or examples, and that they can put into practice what they have learnt
• learning is experienced as fun, e.g. it includes games, role-playing, plenty of stimulation and interaction
• there is plenty of 'free time' for reviewing, reflecting upon and assimilating ideas
• listening and observing, e.g. watching how other people do things, listening to a lecture or presentation, taking notes, appreciating, describing their reactions to things etc.
• encouraged to research, explore, investigate and collect information
• allowed to absorb ideas at their own pace and to digest them thoroughly before acting on them or making decisions

They are challenged when:

• the focus is on theory, analysis, facts and figures
• having to collate large amounts of data
• leadership, initiative and decision-making are valued above skill, artistry, ingenuity and dedication
• having to take centre stage or being put 'under the spotlight'
• the focus is on academic competition or achieving set goals or standards
• involved in situations which require forward planning, delegation and marshalling resources
• there is too much theory, generalisation or ambiguity
• there is little or no personal feedback from their tutor or teacher

College Learning Style

Students with this learning style are both friendly and quiet. They usually do not care to lead but are loyal followers. They enjoy the present moment and don't want to spoil it with overexertion. They enjoy relaxing and have a quiet sense of humour. They are modest about their abilities, seek to please others, and avoid disagreements whenever possible.

Choosing a Major Subject

• Prefer to keep major and career options open
• Like majors and careers where they can serve others, work with their hands, or express their love of nature
• Often major in health care, fields demanding craftsmanship or working with animals, or any area requiring immediate service or performance

Learning Preferences

• Like lecturers to be clear but flexible
• Believe that school did not adequately prepare them for college
• See the goal of college as acquiring a basic general education
• May feel they have less potential than their test scores indicate
• May experience difficulty in classrooms because few college lecturers are their type

Reading, Writing, Study

• Prefer to show what they've learned through quiet action rather than words
• Will study better with quiet for concentration
• Report they engage in no non-required serious reading
• Writing comes easier when they care about the topic
• May need to revise final drafts by adding a firm conclusion and taking out excessive facts or stories

Playing

• Tend to join campus service groups and are good at gently persuading people to co-operate
• Usually easy to get along with as a roommate; may play practical jokes
• Usually more hesitant than other types to initiate dates
• Want work to be more than a job; must have personal commitment

Possible Causes of Stress

• May find it hard to talk about their feelings, even though they care deeply about things
• May take for granted what they do well
• May tend to undervalue themselves and understate their gifts
• Report feeling inferior academically

Dealing With Stress

• Naturally enjoy the present moment
• Discuss feelings with close friend
• May need to learn time management and study skills
• May need to learn to appreciate and reward own accomplishments
• May need to learn to act more assertively