Creating Meetings For Different Learning Styles

It’s back-to-school season – a great time for a refresher about how we learn and what meeting planners can do to deliver content that’s effective for all types of learners. Although everyone has a different learning style, well-planned events can engage every individual, spark the group dynamic and assure a great outcome for all. This month, the Kiawah ProMeetings team dons it professor hat and shares a few pointers to liberate the learner in all of us:

Master Learning 101. The science of learning encompasses countless and often complex models, but there are theories that keep learning more understandable and actionable by categorizing it into three major styles:

1. Visual – learn best by seeing pictures and images. These individuals often say: “Let’s take a look at that” or “I see it this way.”

2. Auditory – learn best by hearing, talking and thinking in words. They may say: “Let’s talk about that” or “I hear what you’re saying,”

3. Kinesthetic or tactile – learn best by doing and hands-on experiences. They may say: “Let’s give that a try.”
(Curious to learn more about these styles? Here’s an at-a-glance lesson from academia.)

Create multi sensory sessions. For meetings that engage everyone, it’s important to accommodate all learning styles. Here at Kiawah, we help our clients plan dynamic sessions and work closely with JSAV, our A/V partners, to optimize technology and create innovative presentations that capture attention and involve all participants. Here’s a quick checklist to ensure you tap into each attendee’s learning style:

• Show them. Satisfy visual learners with features like flow charts, colorful diagrams, compelling PowerPoint presentations, videos and opportunities to capture images. If you are presenting, remember this group is engaged by expressive body language and facial expressions.

• Tell them. Keep auditory learners engaged with panel discussions, videos with a soundtrack and opportunities to record key information. Presenters that connect best with this group have polished speaking skills and wrap up with a Q&A session.

• Give them an experience. Involve kinesthetic learners with team activities such as brainstorming sessions, interactive discussions and role-playing. Presenters can involve this group by asking for opinions and answers from their audience.

Keep everyone engaged. No matter how people learn, everyone retains more when they feel connected and involved. To accomplish this for our clients, the Kiawah ProMeetings team can set up novel room configurations to energize presentations, arrange special seating or cafe-style formats to encourage free-flowing discussions or design customized formats for those hands-on sessions. And because learning science tells us that engaged participants stay alert, we also have ways to help groups stay attentive (and have fun) with mini-puzzles, stress balls and colorful markers and paper for doodling. (This Huffington Post article explains why doodling helps everything from learning to creativity).

Let the Kiawah ProMeetings team help you take your meeting, and your group’s satisfaction, to the top of the class. Your attendees can maximize learning in a focused destination that’s won Successful Meetings’ Pinnacle Award fifteen times. Your team will also enjoy the best playground ever in this gorgeous island setting, with amenities that include five championship golf courses, two tennis complexes and endless recreation and eco-adventures.

To find out more about hosting your event at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, contact our Director of Group Sales Marty Couch and his team at 800.576.1585. We’re offering special rates for fall and winter meetings:

The Sanctuary from $199/night on most midweek dates from December 3, 2016 – March 1, 2017.

Villas from $99/night on most dates from November 20, 2016 – March 15, 2017.