I adore understanding my own and other people's preferred learning styles. (Latest research shows we really learn and integrate best when we receive information through as many different methods as possible; i.e. reading and writing, and doing, and playing, and listening, and watching, and creating with what we've learned, etc).
Personally, my favourite and default when I'm learning new things is to listen to recorded videos. Then I can look at the screen if there's a visual that makes more sense than the verbal explanation, and I can speed it up or slow it down depending on how fast the person speaks. If I know I need to then TEACH what I've just learned to someone else I am not only far more motivated to take it in but I also understand it and retain it much better.
By employing a few different methods of learning a person can accelerate their progress and, I believe, the depth the information penetrates to; the understanding. Unfortunately school these days is more about teaching conformity than anything else and certainly no effort is put into teaching children how to learn more effectively. Just my observation though, I'm sure a school teacher would disagree.
I sometimes dream of running a school where I get to help the kids understand their own strengths and natural ways of learning and being, and supporting them to fly in ways that astound all of us. Maybe one day, when I feel sufficiently adult to do such a thing :P
This is a good thing, if only it was happening.
Well, I guess what is within our control is to do those same things for ourselves and share (as you have and I do) these same lessons with those around us willing to learn. In that way, @galenkp, we already make a difference.
Hopefully it sinks in huh?
We can only hope :)