I hypothesized that students who learn by seeing (visual learners) will remember more information, both immediately and over time, compared to auditory or textual learners. This is because visual memory processing is often more effective for recall.

October: 

10/03/24l

– Visual Learning –

What is Visual learning

• When a student refers to images, colours, maps, and diagrams connected to thoughts and ideas
• Visual aids help learners remember and recall information better
• These people probably have close to a photographic memory 
• They benefit when teachers draw diagrams on whiteboards 
• Visual learners can easily visualize objects
• Learn best by colour-coding their notes, making to-do lists and using concept maps to organize their thoughts.

Benefits of Visual Learning:

• Enhanced Memory Retention: Visual aids help learners remember and recall information better.

• Improved Comprehension: Diagrams and videos make complex concepts easier to understand.
• Increased Engagement: Interactive visuals capture attention and motivate participation.

Strategies for Visual Learning

• Using Diagrams: Represent complex processes visually for better comprehension and retention.
• Creating Mind Maps: Show relationships between concepts visually, aiding understanding.

Top Hat. (2019, September 16). Visual Learning Definition and Meaning | Top hat. 

https://tophat.com/glossary/v/visual-learning/#:~:text=Visual%20learning%20is%20a%20type,i

Olson, J. (2024, September 11). Visual Learning: A Definitive Guide to the V in VARK. Continue

https://www.continu.com/blog/visual-learning   

10/06/24

– Auditory Learning –

What is Auditory Learning

• Learners who process information best through listening.
• Prefer lectures, verbal instructions, and auditory inputs over hands-on or visual methods.

 

How to Teach Auditory Learners:

• Repetition: Repeat key points to reinforce learning.
• Verbal discourse: Use discussions and conversations to facilitate learning.
• Multiple learning outlets: Offer various methods, such as listening, reading, and - watching instructions.
• Help identify learning styles: Encourage students to recognize their preferred learning styles.
• Social learning: Incorporate group projects and collaborative assignments to enhance learning through conversation.

 

Auditory Learning Strategies:

• Utilize podcasts: Provide auditory materials like podcasts for learning.
• Record lectures: Let students listen to recorded lectures for better retention.
• Q&A sessions: Encourage verbal questions and answers to clarify concepts.
• Call on auditory learners: Engage them by having them answer questions verbally.
• Reward participation: Motivate students to speak and engage in discussions.
• Play background music: Soft music during quiet times can help auditory learners focus.
• Read aloud: Incorporate reading aloud in lessons to cater to auditory processing.

 

Advantages 

• Multi-tasking
• Increased information retention
• Availability

•  

Auditory learning style explained. (2022, October 25). Western Governors University. 

https://www.wgu.edu/blog/2020/08/auditory-learning-style.html 

The Auditory learning style explained: Advantages & Strategies. (2024, March 26). https://www.crawfordinternational.co.za/blog/auditory-learning-style#:~:text=Advantages%20include%3A,rate%20than%20other%20learning%20styles. 

 

10/08/24

– Textual Learning –

What is Textual learning

• Related to reading and writing 
• Either on a screen or physical book and writing helps them learn best 

 

Advantages of Textual Learning

• Accessibility - Easy to access and consume at one's own pace.

• Cost-effective - Minimal resources are required, making it affordable.

• Retention-  Encourages deeper cognitive processing, improving memory retention.

• Flexibility - Learners can review material repeatedly for better understanding.

 

Strategies for Effective Textual Learning

• Chunking information - Break down text into smaller, digestible sections.
• Active reading - Encouraging note-taking, summarizing, and questioning.
• Contextual examples - Use real-world examples to illustrate abstract concepts.
• Supplemental materials - Incorporate diagrams, summaries, and quizzes to enhance understanding.

 

Learning styles. (n.d.). https://www.csum.edu/tutoring/learning-styles.html#:~:text=Textual,to%20get%20your%20brain%20flowing. 

Gragg, M. (2023, July 13). The power of Text-Based learning. eLearning Industry https://elearningindustry.com/the-power-of-text-based-learning 

 

10/22/24

Learning Styles Overview 

• Learning styles are the way a person gets information 
• Different learning styles can increase understanding and academic success 
• There is no best learning style - everybody has a different method that is best for them 

 

Emotional Factors Impacting Learning Styles

• Emotional factors like motivation and self-esteem connect with different learning styles
• People with high confidence and motivation willingly try different learning styles, and people with lower confidence/self-esteem might not 
• Things like noise level, lighting, and physical comfort can impact  openness to different learning styles 

 

Bay Atlantic University. (2024, March 7). 8 Types of Learning Styles | The Definitive Guide. Bay Atlantic University - Washington, D.C. https://bau.edu/blog/types-of-learning-styles/#:~:text=No%2C%20there%20is%20no%20single,most%20effectively%20for%20each%20student. 

 

02/14/25

Does Gender Relate to Memory Retention?

Episodic Memory (Memory of Events & Facts)

• Females generally outperform males in tasks requiring verbal processing.
• They excel in:
  • Autobiographical memory (recalling personal events)
  • Story and word recall
  • Face recognition
  • Semantic memory (understanding concepts)
• Females recall faster, with more precise dates and more emotional detail.
• This advantage decreases with age.

Spatial Memory (Memory of  Locations & Navigation)

• Males usually perform better in tasks like spatial rotation.
• Strategy differences:
  • Females: Use landmarks to navigate (egocentric strategy).
  • Males: Use a mental spatial map (allocentric strategy).
• When clear landmarks are available, females can perform as well or better than males.

Why Do These Differences Exist?

Psychological Factors:

• Affect Intensity Hypothesis: Females' stronger emotional responses enhance memory.
• Cognitive Style Hypothesis:
  • Females: Focus on detailed encoding.
  • Males: Remember the gist of events.

Biological Factors:

• Brain Differences: Females have a larger hippocampus (important for memory).
• Hormones: Estrogen may enhance memory in females.

Conclusion:

• Yes, gender relates to memory retention.
• Females: Stronger verbal episodic memory.
• Males: Often better at spatial memory.
• Differences come from a mix of brain structure, hormones, and cognitive styles.

 

Loprinzi, Paul, and Emily Frith. “The Role of Sex in Memory Function: Considerations and Recommendations in the Context of Exercise.” Journal of Clinical Medicine, vol. 7, no. 6, 31 May 2018, p. 132, https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7060132. 

‌

 

Variables:

• Independent Variable: The learning style (visual, auditory, or textual).
• Dependent Variable: The amount of information participants remember (memory retention).
• Controlled Variables: The passage of information, time spent on the learning session, the environment in which participants learn, and the timing of the memory test.

1. Start with the seventh graders, then the eighth-grade then ninth grade 
   1. A group of ten (five girls and five boys) 
   2. Give them the content and allocate ten minus to study/look over it 
   3. Test them right after they look over the information (ten-point scale)
   4. Test them again 24 hours after

Project Plan:

1. Complete background research 
2. Make the content that my participants will be studying & make the ten-point scale they will be graded on 
3. Get my project approved by CYSF & get participant forms and give them out 
4. Do the tests 
5. Collect/analyze my data and draw a conclusion
6. See if my data matches my hypothesis 

 

Performance Trends & Retention Patterns (7.1, 7.2, and 7.3)​

Overall Performance​

• Textual (7.1): 68% → 73% (gradual improvement).​

• Auditory (7.2): 79% (best short-term).​

• Visual (7.3): 84% → 74% (strong start, but declined).​

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Retention​

• Textual: Improves with note-taking (72% → 77%).​

• Auditory: Best short-term (79%) due to repetition.​

• Visual: Declines over time (84% → 74%) unless reinforced.​

​Group 7: Gender-Based Performance

Textual Learning (7.1):​

Boys outperformed girls:​

• 80% → 86% (Boys)​

• 56% → 60% (Girls)​

Auditory Learning (7.2):​

Girls performed better:​

• 80% (Girls) vs. 78% (Boys)​

Visual Learning (7.3):​

Girls had slightly higher scores:​

• Day One: 86% (Girls) vs. 82% (Boys)​

• Day Two: 76% (Girls) vs. 72% (Boys)​

 

​Performance Trends & Retention Patterns (8.1, 8.2, and 8.3)​

Overall Performance​

• Textual (8.1): 72% → 76% (improved with note-taking).​

• Auditory (8.2): 70% (slightly lower than textual but improved with active listening).​

• Visual (8.3): 70% → 80% (significant improvement with sketching/annotating).​

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Retention​

• Textual: Improves with note-taking (75% → 80%).​

• Auditory: Improves with note-taking (74% → 78%).​

• Visual: Strongest improvement (70% → 80%), best when paired with active strategies (80% → 90% for sketching/annotating).

Gender-Based Performance​

• Textual (8.1): Boys outperformed (79% → 84%) vs. girls (65% → 68%).​

• Auditory (8.2): Boys performed better (78% → 82%) vs. girls (62% → 66%).​

• Visual (8.3): Boys excelled (80% → 90%) vs. girls (60% → 70%).

 

Performance Trends & Retention Patterns (9.1, 9.2, and 9.3)​

Overall Performance Trends​

• Textual Learning (9.1): 73% → 80% improvement​

• Auditory Learning (9.2): 83% on Day One but dropped to 75%​

• Visual Learning (9.3): 90% → 80% (highest short-term, but declined)​

Retention Patterns: Short-Term vs. Long-Term​

• Textual Learning: Improves long-term with note-taking (80% vs. 50%).​

• Auditory Learning: Strong short-term (83%), but 8% drop overnight.​

• Visual Learning: Best short-term recall (90%), but needs reinforcement.​

​Group 9: Gender-Based Performance ​

Textual Learning (9.1):​

• Males: 82% → 90%​

• Females: 64% → 60%​

Auditory Learning (9.2):​

• Males: 81% → 74%​

• Females: 85% → 77%​

Visual Learning (9.3):​

• Males: 80% → 70%​

• Females 90% → 80%

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Retention​

Textual Learning:​

• Best long-term when paired with note-taking (Group 9 performed best).​

• Passive readers had much lower retention across all groups.​

​

Auditory Learning:​

• Strongest short-term recall, but biggest drop over time (Groups 7 & 9).​

• Note-taking & verbal summarization helped memory (Group 8).​

​

Visual Learning:​

• Best for immediate recall (Group 9 had the highest Day One score).​

• Engaged learners (sketching, annotating, discussing) retained information better (Groups 8 & 9).​

• Passive viewers lost retention quickly (Group 7 had the biggest drop).​

 

​Gender-Based Performance​

Group​	Textual 📖​	Auditory 🎧​	Visual 👀​
Group 7​	Boys 80% → 86% ️↑​	Girls 80% → 78% ↓​	Girls 86% → 76% ↓​
Group 8​	Boys 79% → 84% ↑​	Boys 78% → 82% ↑​	Boys 80% → 90% ↑​
Group 9​	Boys 82% → 90% ↑​	Girls 85% → 77% ️↓​	Girls 90% → 80% ↓​

 

Textual Learning: Boys consistently outperformed girls in all groups.​

Auditory Learning: Girls outperformed boys in Groups 7 & 9, while boys did better in Group 8.​

Visual Learning: Girls did better in Groups 7 & 9, while boys excelled in Group 8.

• Through this project, we saw that the way people learn affects how well they remember things. Visual learners remembered the most right away, but their memory faded over time. Auditory learners did well at first but forgot a lot later. Textual learners had the best long-term memory, especially if they took notes.​

• This shows that the best way to learn isn’t just one method—it’s a mix. Using reading, listening, and visuals together can help people remember things better. Teachers can use this to make lessons more effective, and students can use it to study smarter.​

• In the end, what matters most is not just how we get information, but how we use it. Active learning—taking notes, explaining things out loud, or drawing diagrams—makes a big difference.​

Applying this Data In Real Life​

For Teachers:​

• Encourage active note-taking → Improves textual learning retention.​

• Use discussions & verbal recall → Helps auditory learners remember better.​

• Incorporate visuals & interactive elements → Supports deeper comprehension.

For Students:​

• Memorize Quickly? → Auditory Learning (listening, summarizing).​

• Long-Term Retention? → Text-Based Learning (note-taking, highlighting).​

• ​Understanding Complex Ideas? → Visual Learning (diagrams, charts, sketches).​

• ​Best Strategy? Use a mix of all three styles—read, listen, and visualize!​

 

How to Study & Prepare for Tests​

• Short-Term Exams (Quizzes, Unit Tests) → Auditory Learning ​
  Explain concepts out loud, discuss with others, or record & replay information.​

• Long-Term Learning  → Text-Based Learning ​
  Read actively, take notes, highlight key points, and quiz yourself.​

• Difficult or Abstract Subjects? → Visual Learning Helps​
  Use flowcharts, diagrams, concept maps, or color-coded notes to understand ideas.​

• Best Approach? Combine strategies → Read it, say it, and visualize it!​

If I were to do this project again, I would have a larger sample size and a larger age demographic. 

• 1 Top Hat. (2019, September 16). Visual Learning Definition and Meaning | Top hat. ​

https://tophat.com/glossary/v/visual-learning/#:~:text=Visual%20learning%20is%20a%20type,i​

• Olson, J. (2024, September 11). Visual Learning: A Definitive Guide to the V in VARK. Continue​

https://www.continu.com/blog/visual-learning   ​

• 2 Learning styles. (n.d.). https://www.csum.edu/tutoring/learning-styles.html#:~:text=Textual,to%20get%20your%20brain%20flowing. ​

• Gragg, M. (2023, July 13). The power of Text-Based learning. eLearning Industry https://elearningindustry.com/the-power-of-text-based-learning ​

• 3 Bay Atlantic University. (2024, March 7). 8 Types of Learning Styles | The Definitive Guide. Bay Atlantic University - Washington, D.C. https://bau.edu/blog/types-of-learning-styles/#:~:text=No%2C%20there%20is%20no%20single,most%20effectively%20for%20each%20student. ​

• 4 Loprinzi, Paul, and Emily Frith. “The Role of Sex in Memory Function: Considerations and Recommendations in the Context of Exercise.” Journal of Clinical Medicine, vol. 7, no. 6, 31 May 2018, p. 132, https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7060132. ​

• 5 Auditory learning style explained. (2022, October 25). Western Governors University. ​

https://www.wgu.edu/blog/2020/08/auditory-learning-style.html ​

• The Auditory learning style explained: Advantages & Strategies. (2024, March 26). https://www.crawfordinternational.co.za/blog/auditory-learning-style#:~:text=Advantages%20include%3A,rate%20than%20other%20learning%20styles. ​

Lupeanu, D. (2021, May 5). 5 factors influencing memory process. KnowledgeOne.

• https://knowledgeone.ca/5-factors-influencing-memory-process/ 

•  

I want to thank all the participants who helped me with my project because I would not have been able to do any of this without their help, patience, and cooperation. I also have my science fair advisor Ms. Bretner from my school to thank as well, she gave a lot of guidance and helped me navigate my project.