The wonderful thing about the world is that there are no two people who are alike. We each possess unique and wonderful characteristics. We also differ in the way we absorb information. For years psychologists have researched how adults learn new skills and retain information. Most will divide adult learners into three basic categories:
Visual: Those who learn by seeing
Auditory: Learning through hearing
Kinesthetic: Learning through activity
Unless your meeting is extremely small it will be very difficult to determine the learning style of every participant. Therefore it is a good idea to include elements from each learning style in your program design as a way of achieving your learner outcomes.
Visual learners make up approximately 65% of the population. The inclusion of Power Point presentations, hands-on demonstrations and videos are just some of the ways to reach your visual learners. Handouts are also effective. However, before you start making tons of copies, consider some environmentally friendly ways that you can make handouts available to those who need them.
A general lecture is not the only way to reach your auditory learners. Roundtable and small group discussions are also great techniques. Opportunities to have conversation and talk through concepts are important aspects of auditory learning.
Kinesthetic learners are also known as tactile learners. The implementation of a physical activity helps these learners retain information. Group projects and activities that allow hands-on participation are ideal. A kinesthetic learner will often remember concepts by recalling what their body was doing while learning the information.
It does not matter if you are planning a business meeting for three or a conference for 3,000; you want to take into consideration the uniqueness of individuals. Help ensure that your meeting fulfills its purpose and construct an inclusive program design.
