Being a visual learner has its own advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, visual learners can go through the process of learning while having more fun as compared to other types of individuals. This is because visual learners not only prefer but are strongly inclined to learn when presented with graphics and other images such as charts, graphs, maps, etc. However, visual learners could also be disadvantageous for other cases especially when they are required to study hard data. This is more particularly true for pieces of information which are presented in long lists and/or numbers which are not accompanied by any other info graphics. Following from this, what is apparent is that in order to become an effective learner one must know which channels and methods are most effective for him/her, and work based on that method. In my case, learning should be by the use of graphical tools, and, if ever data is presented in a very rigid manner, I believe that it would be best if I transform these data in a way that my mind could easily comprehend, which are graphs and other visual aids.
However, not all data could be converted into visual aids and must either be memorized together with the entire enormity of the data that it contains. One example is the study of law. In studying law, one must be able not to only memorize the constitution and each and every section that it has but also comprehend it. For visual learners like me, being able to master this kind of the profession is possible, but surely it would take a long time before one gets the hang of it. Thus, I believe that in order to both enjoy and have a clear mastery of one’s profession, an individual must be able to assess himself and choose a career based on this assessment. For people who are considered visual learners, I believe that there are professions which are better suited to them such as arts, engineering, architecture, and other careers which are not too focused on hard data but also requires a degree of imaginative skills.
Another term for a visual learner is “spatial learner”, this is because people who are inclined to spatial learning are also those who are good with imaginative reasoning. In other words, these people could think better by imagining something and its outcomes through simulating them either within or outside their own subconscious. This is also an observation that I’ve found for myself. Most of the time, I find it fun and exciting to try and think about what would happen if I do something out of a convention, or imagine what would happen in particular circumstances. For visual learners, these tasks are more enjoyable rather than being a mentally taxing challenge.
Now, what one might ask is what makes the difference between visual learners and not? According to studies, one of the major differences between visual and non-visual learners is their attention towards the validity of the logic in everyday life. As systems and diagrams are more important for the learning of visual learners, these visual aids provide the kind of “connection” or “logic” that they are trying to establish between two or more facts which are given. This attention to detail is what makes visual learners invaluable especially for critical professions which require an immense amount of visualization such as architecture, engineering, and medicine. Therefore, this is why most of the visual learners could be found within these professions. And, just like me, these visual learners could prove to be an invaluable asset for the further advancement of trades like this.
