Learning Style

There are multiple different tests out there that purports to measure your “learning style”, even though there is no reliable scientific evidence of these tests measuring anything. Still, like any sort of evidence, they may still be useful to help guide you.

DevBootCamp mandated that I take one “learning style” test (the Gregorc Thinking Style test) before I can formally enter into the program. The Gregorc Thinking Style test classified me as a “Concrete Random” individual.I was not surprised by this result becuase I had already taken a similiar test (“True Colors”) and received the exact same results. The Gregorc Thinking Test defined “Concrete Random” learners as being experimenters who is willing to resort to trial-and error in order to solve a task.

That sounds like what I would usually do to learn a topic, and it does indicate that I need to keep doing that if I want to learn. I have already started several side-projects, and that gave me enough familiarity to perform well with the class material at DevBootCamp.

The biggest challenge for me are the assigned readings, and this makes sense, as the readings are divorced from actually coding. While I do like reading (and in fact, my VARK test reveals me as a Read/Write learner), I still have to take detailed notes and try to associate what is being written to what I am expected to do with the knowledge. Interpreting what I am reading (and applying that in my own coding practices) can be very difficult. I don’t want to misunderstand an author’s point. Ultimately, I only am able to fully understand the author once I complete the author’s exercises and solve the challenge (thereby sastifiying the ‘Concrete Random’ learning style).

The most important thing to realize though is that learning styles can change. They are not ‘fixed’ in stone, and they can grow and adapt to the environment. This is important for me because I need to be able to learn through multiple different ways. If I do not have a book to read, and I cannot tinker with something, I may not learn effectively! I could write down loads of notes and read them constantly, and then try to create a simulation based on those notes so that I can tinker around with that sim…but that seems incredibly inefficent.

Learning how to process information in multiple different ways, rather than in only one or two ways, is the key to success. And so long as you have these tests (however unscientific they are), you can always monitor your progress. I plan on taking some more tests in the future to see how my “learning style” has evolved through my experiences at DevBootCamp!