My Experience with Learning Tactically
March 8, 2015
Academic and Career Success
Professor Richard Lorgus
CTU Online

When I was a child about the age of 9, I experienced my first lesson on electricity: electrocution. I had an old television, something that looked like it was from the 70’s that was sitting in my room but belonged to my grandfather. I decided to see if it works, not knowing what curiosity had in store for me, and something instantly ticked in my mind to plug it up. Upon inspection of the power cord, I discovered there wasn’t an adapter on the end, just bare wire. Like the unsuspecting child I was, I divided the cables and attempted to stuff them into the wall outlet and the next thing you know. Pop goes the socket! My mother and stepfather at the time heard the pop and rushed to my room, opened my door, and smelled the charred stench, and saw the black mark in the middle of my forehead from the electricity. That was my first tactical experience with electricity, and it paved the way for my curiosity today. Not everyone has the same experiences, but some are more connected than others. We have those that learn through sound whom are known as auditory learners. Also, those that learn by sight are visual learners. Lastly, you have those that would rather get their hands dirty, the tactile learners. I fit right in the tactile learner range since I prefer to do and learn as I go something of being efficient and getting more done in time. What’s your learning style? Assessment (Planner, 2015) scored me as having a 50% in tactile, 25% in both the visual and auditory learner category. Although I do not completely agree with the rating, I see it as 60/30/10 due to my hearing impairment, so I’m not too keen to auditory instructions. The hands-on approach, in conjunction to visual instructions is the ideal approach most taken. The hands-on approach offers the chance to experience a feel for completing and discovering the requirements and instructions for the task at hands. Not only mentally would you be learning how to approach the task as well as similar ones, you will be physically training yourself to endure the task to perfection next time. Being a tactile learner is fun depending on how you approach it, it is best to start with a curious and positive mindset, and being as comfortable as possible. Not everyone has the same level of comfort requirements but for me, it is dynamic. I prefer playing my favorite music through my headset, cool environment, and ambient lightning, sometimes more than ideal depending on circumstances. For example, when I’m working on computers, I typically am already primed to go seeing most of the time I am already set. All I have to do is get my tools, find a clear surface, a suitable jam, slap on my gloves, and these hands will get to work. In the case of a difficult task, I typically refer to the manufacturer of the item for instructions or if all else fail, my personal favorite, YouTube. No learning style is perfect but it takes a lot of practicing and studying to get it down correctly. There may be a detail or two that can put a wrench in the process but with experience come knowledge. Most times, when dealing with technology, you will run into new parts, boards, equipment, and so many things packed inside. It does not hurt to tackle something new, it just gives you more to put under your belt and combined with everything else you learned up until then. One important thing about being a tactile learner, there is a strong emphasis on variety. You need to vary your tasks, so that you can keep your drive going. Staying on the same series too long will become boring, dull and degrade your learning experience. Working with technology is easy but then again it can be challenging. Most people stray away from it due to the strenuous amount of patience required, honestly usually more than you would have to exert for a toddler. One takeaway that I have from the assessment is the need for taking periodic breaks. When working with technology, you are often engulfing yourself so deeply into the task that personal care would fall as a low priority on your list. Overall from the assignment, I discovered a need for auditory improvement when possible, although it is disadvantage due to the impairment, it could be helped in the future. Overall all of the learning styles are great but are not for everyone. It will be great to assess yourself and determine where you stand. If you are a tactile learner like me, spread your wings and go for it. You have a curiosity to satisfy, but do it in a safe and delicate manner.

Works Cited
Planner, E. (2015, March 2). What's your learning style? Retrieved from Education Planner: http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles.shtml