The KSR Learner
You are a learner with a kinesthetic, solitary, and right-brain-dominated learning style. You excel in lab and workshop spaces as they allow you to understand the real-world applications of your studies. You find yourself driven by personal goals and aspirations, and you know when to step back and reflect on the progress of your studies. You have an unrivalled appreciation for everything abstract, allowing you to stay in tune with your creative side.
General Study Tips
1. Use real-world examples and refer to them often in your notes to help you understand abstract ideas.
2. Review previous assessments and exams because it can help you get a grasp of what to expect.
3. Fidget if you cannot sit still and take frequent breaks to move around, but make sure to refocus after.
4. Find a place in your home that is fully dedicated to study as this trains your brain to hyperfocus.
5. Set frequent goals and create a study schedule that is rewarding to give you motivation.
6. Figure out how to explain concepts and definitions in your own words to improve memory capacity.
7. Use mind maps and flowcharts with lots of pictures to help you visualize your thought process.
8. Listen to instrumental or classical music to help you enjoy the process without distracting lyrics.
9. Reflect on the emotions tied to the topics studied to help you get a better understanding of its impact.
Suggested Strategy: Feynman Technique
The Feynman Technique is a memorization method that helps to declutter your mind and affirm your understanding of a subject. First, write down everything you know about the topic on a piece of paper and try and break it down into its essential components. Once you have a grasp of the subject, find a friend or family member and teach them everything you know. Have your audience ask you to clarify certain points or ask probing questions. After this interaction you will most likely notice some holes in your knowledge base, so go back and study what you missed. Once you have a firm understanding of the topic, cut away all the excess information and bring it back to basics. Pretend you are teaching the information to a child. Keep repeating this step until you can confidently teach the information back to someone.
The Feynman Technique challenges your understanding of a topic and forces you to form a cohesive grasp of all fronts of the subject. Furthermore, removing the excess details and difficult words requires a deeper understanding of the topic that goes beyond simple memorization. Overall, the Feynman Technique is an effective study method that forces learners to dig a deep well of information that is certain to stick in their minds for a while.
Why Feynman: Kinesthetic learners benefit from the hands-on teaching aspect of the Feynman Technique. The solitary study allows for deep reflection, and the method’s focus on simplification and creativity aligns with right-brain thinking.