Most people never consciously consider how they learn, but to be an effective learner, you need to know your Preferred Learning Styles and find ways to learn using those methods.

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford identify four distinct learning styles people use while learning.

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These four learning styles are assumed to be acquired preferences that are adaptable, either at will or through changed circumstances, rather than fixed personality characteristics.

Activists learn best from performing activities where they encounter new experiences, problems, or opportunities.

They love to 'have a go' at things and enjoy the stimulus of challenge.

Being thrown in at the deep end with a difficult task will be viewed as a challenge, not a daunting or overwhelming hurdle.

They are in the here and now and often thrive in short-term crises.

They like change, fast pace, and various diverse activities to tackle.

Reflectors prefer to have more of a 'back seat' role.

They like to stand back on the edge of the activity and observe what is going on from different perspectives.

Reflectors are usually good at data collection and thoroughly analyze their own time before coming to conclusions.

They like to consider the situation from all angles before acting, so they are usually cautious.

They do not like to be pressured or have Tight Deadlines.

Theorists like Concepts, Models, Theory, Systems, and the opportunity to explore Interrelationships and Associations.

They like to be stretched intellectually, they prize logic and rationality, and they tend to have analytical minds.

Theorists prefer to work from a detached position rather than be involved.

The Pragmatist's motto is "If it works, it's good."

Pragmatists look for the earliest opportunity to implement what has been offered.

Pragmatists are practical, down-to-earth individuals who enjoy problem-solving and making sensible decisions.

Their focus is very strongly on implementation and output.

To help people understand which styles work best for them individually, they developed the Honey and Mumford Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ), which has been used extensively for over 35 years.

Knowing your Preferred Learning Styles will help you become a more productive learner.