Reminding her listeners that learning theory is an ancient concept, Junion-Metz sketched an outline of its history from Hippocrates to the present. She also discussed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and recommended that her listeners take it or a similar personality inventory. Auditory learners prefer linear, highly structured instruction. Such persons weigh concrete, discrete details before forming their own concepts. They favor accurate, clear lectures.
Visual learners favor visual signals.
Kinesthetic learners bask in an environment that other learners find disorderly. These energetic students prefer hands-on assignments that allow them to learn actively. She responded that instructors should mix teaching methods within each class to cater to all three. A short lecture targets auditory students, handouts and overheads serve visual learners, and a hands-on period facilitates kinesthetic learning. In outlining the design of the new undergraduate library at Wayne State University, Lynn Sutton depicted to the audience how an appreciation of learning styles can inform sound facility planning.