Sequential and Global

Do you want your information one piece at a time, or would you rather have the whole enchilada? 

Sequential Learners

• Need logical steps
• May not fully understand the entire concept, but they can pass a test based on the information they gathered.
• Must fill in any steps missed in class

Help Yourself

• Rework notes soon after lecture
• Outline material
• Try to relate each topic to things that you already know (become more global)
• Break everything into smaller pieces

 Global Learners

• Take large steps and may not always see the connections between things
• Absorb random bits of information
• Difficulty explaining how they did a problem, even though it may be correct

Help Yourself

• Study in large chunks of time, rather than small bits
• Always relate information back to what you already know
• Relate things to what you already know
• Immerse yourself in a subject
• Study for larger blocks of time
• Get an overview of the text before you read it
• Never lose faith!  You will eventually understand, and when you do, you will connect the information better than those around you will.

Many people who read these descriptions may conclude incorrectly that they are global, since everyone has experienced bewilderment followed by a sudden flash of understanding. What makes you global or not is what happens before the light bulb goes on. Sequential learners may not fully understand the material but they can nevertheless do something with it (like solve the homework problems or pass the test) since the pieces they have absorbed are logically connected. Strongly global learners who lack good sequential thinking abilities may have serious difficulties until they have the big picture. Even after they have it, they may be fuzzy about the details of the subject, while sequential learners may know a lot about specific aspects of a subject but may have trouble relating them to different aspects of the same subject or to different subjects.

Not sure which one you are?  Find out using the Integrated Learning Styles Module.

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