Sociological Learning
Preferences

Preference for Learning in Groups, in pairs, or alone - Highly social individuals prefer learning with others. Learning with others helps them formulate ideas by sharing or discussing concepts. Some learners are solitary in nature, and prefer to think and contemplate individually. Students who prefer to learn in groups will benefit from learning co-ops, hybrid homeschools, or other learning environments where they can learn with others. Students who prefer to learn alone will do well learning at home by themselves.

Preference for Authority Figure Presence - Having an authority figure present gives some learners comfort and a feeling of being protected in their learning. It enables the learner to seek confirmation of being on task, or to clarify areas of confusion by asking questions, without delays in their learning tasks. Other learners prefer not to have an authority figure around, as they may feel uncomfortable if they think they may make a noticeable mistake or have a watchful eye upon them all the time. Having the needed level of "proximity" to your learner can help with their comfort level in completing their learning assignments.

In another sense, some learners like learning from "experts" in the area of study. They glean a lot from first-person experiences, being able to ask questions, and having them answered immediately. The immediacy of information sharing enables the learner to feel as though they have individually experienced the knowledge of the authority figure.

Need for Variety versus Routines - This is very similar to a learner's emotional need for structure. The learner's need for predictability on a daily basis versus a need for change can be strong factors in a learners ability to engage in learning tasks. Some learners must have highly structured environments and are aided by daily checklists for assignments, consistency in time and location for learning, as well as predictability in how learning tasks will be accomplished. Learners with a need for variety flourish when provided with spontaneous learning activities. Learners who like variety may become 'bored' with learning in the same place, in the same way, day after day. Establishing a level of routine or variability suitable to the learner can enable the learner to engage in learning activities more easily, without being either bored or confused by changes.