ACTIVE AND REFLECTIVE LEARNERS

ACTIVE LEARNERS

REFLECTIVE LEARNERS

Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with it : discussingor applying it or explaining it to others.

‘Let’s try it out and see how it works’

Tend to like group work.

 Reflective learners prefer to think about it quietly first.

‘Let’s think about it first’

Prefer working alone.

Sitting through lectures without getting to do anything physical but take notes is hard for both learning types, but particulary hard for active learners.

Everybody is active sometimes and reflecting sometimes. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate or mild. A balance of the two is desirable. If you always act before reflecting you can jump into things prematurely and get into trouble, while you spend too much time reflecting you may never get anything done.

HOW CAN ACTIVE LEARNERS

HELP THEMSELVES

HOW CAN REFLECTIVE LEARNERS

HELP THEMSELVES

If you are an active learner in a class that allows little or no class time for discussion or problemsolving activities, you should try to compensate for these lacks when you study. Study in a group in which the members take turns in explaining different topics to each other. Work with others to guess what you will be asked on the next test and figure out how you will answer. You will always retain information better if you find ways to do something with it.

If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information, you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don’t simply read or memorize the material. Stop periodically to review what you have read and think of possible questions or applications. You might find it helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time but will enable you to retain the material more effectively