Family Centered Health Promotion: VARK Learning Style
Running Head: VARK LEARNING STYLE PAPER
VARK Learning Style Paper
Presented to Professor
By
Grand Canyon University: NRS-429-0102 Family Centered Health Promotion
December 2, 2012
VARK Learning Style Paper
Being able to communicate with each other in this global diverse world, we all need to understand our preferred learning styles to contribute to our learning abilities and society. We all have unique learning styles established from childhood through adulthood. Our learning style is essential to performing better in the classrooms while enhancing our study habits. The preferred methods of our learning style allow us to gather, and use knowledge gained in a specific manner. Several methods are used in determining one’s learning style. “A learning style is descriptive process, or of preferences. Any inventory that encourages a learner to think about the way that he or she learns is a useful step towards understanding, and hence improves learning.” (Fleming, …show more content…
N., & Baume, D., 2006, p4).
All individuals learn in different ways and knowing their particular learning style can help enhance their strength to better understand and process information. Knowing a student’s preferred learning style will enable the instructor to assist the student in the learning process. This paper will discuss this author learning style using Neil Fleming’s VARK questionnaires, compare preferred learning styles, and any changes in study habits identified will be adjusted. The most common learning style model used today is the Fleming VARK model. The VARK model is a tool used to measure the learning style of an individual. The VARK model acronym stands for visual, auditory, reading, writing, and kinesthetic learners and was created by Neil Fleming and Colleen Mills. The different categories of learning styles identified are sensory modalities that people use to teach (Fleming & Mills, 2011). There are 16 questionnaires used to help each individuals identify what category of learning style they belong. After answering these questions one may see a dominant learning style in one area, as well as an overlap in another area of learning. Visual learner process information presented to them effectively through written communication, notes, diagrams, flow chart. They are not happy with power-point presentation because they are unable to take notes. Visual learner learn best learn if they can see the lecture being presented in such a way of using graphs, flow chart, and pictures are beneficial to them. They are usually the learners who sit at the front of the class, and are able to describe everything in terms of appearance. (Fleming & Mills, 2011). They also make up 65 percentage of the population. (Learning Styles and Assessment, 2012) Auditory Learners relate well to spoken words and are very good listener. They like lectures, discussion with others and repeating information to themselves. They learn best in groups and will organize their information for better understanding. They are easily distracted, and learn by memorization (Fleming, 2011). Auditory learners accounts for 30 percent of the population. (Learning Styles and Assessment, 2012) Read/write learners best learn through written words and take notes in which they read them over and over for later recall. They also like to read texts (Fleming, 2011).
Kinesthetic Learners takes an “hands-on approach” to solving things when learning and all of the five senses are used such as sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing (Fleming, 2011). Kinesthetic learners do best with laboratories, field trips, field tours, and lecturers who give real-life examples, do learning through trial and error, speak with their hands and gestures. These learners do not learn well with limited activity or when lectures are given with no physical movement allowed. “Kinesthetic learners remember what they experience with their bodies” (Favre, 2009). These learners make up to 5 percentage of the population. (Learning Styles and Assessment, 2012)
Before taking the VARK questionnaire this author believed the preferred learning style was visual and Kinesthetic. The author was able to receive new information by seeing the material (graphs, diagram, etc.,) in order to understand . The kinesthetic side of the author refer to the ability to absorb information by experiencing, touching, moving and being active in some manner. This type of learner is quite in tune with their own feelings. As part of the Family Centered Health Promotion curriculum set forth by Grand Canyon University the author will participate in the learning exercise by the Neil Fleming involving the VARK questionnaires which measures different learning styles.
This assignment helps the learner of this class to discover their type of learning style. For this author, the result revealed the multimodal method of visual, auditory, read/write, and then kinesthetic was the preferred method (VARK, 2011). The learning style used by this author when studying is making sure that important points in the notes are highlighted, and by reading the materials and listening to lecture, given by the instructor. Communication stimulates the process of learning. In order to structure learning the lecture notes are written down verbatim by the author. The last learning style is kinesthetic which the author learned is the hands on approach with return demonstration and using the five
senses. The VARK exercise provided the author with several key learning styles; the highest score was noted to be the Kinesthetic (8); Visual (4); Auditory (3); and Reading/Writing (3). The preferred method of learning for the author is the Kinesthetic and Visual. The author learned best by repetition, seeing, looking, and doing by touching. (VARK, 2011)
A written guide of the author’s preferred method of learning style was provided by VARK after completion of the questionnaire. This only reinforced what the author already knew, that the preferred learning style is kinesthetic and visual. In conclusion knowing ones preferred method of learning style will enhance understanding and improve learning. The author will close with this “tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” (Conferus, 450 bc.)
References
Confucius Quotes (450 b.c.). Retrieved on November 28, 2012 from: http://quotes.Liberty_tree/quotes_by confucious.
Favre, L. R. (2009). Kinesthetic Instructional Strategies: Moving at Risk Learner to higher level. Insight on Learning Disabilities, 6(1), 29-35.
Fleming, N. (2011). VARK: A guide to learning. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://www.VARK-learn.com/english/page asp?-questionnaire.
Fleming, N., & Baume D. (2006). Learning Style Again: VARKing up the right tree!
Educational Development, SEDA. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://www.VARK-learn.com/document/education.
Learning Styles and Assessement. (2012). Retrieved on November 28, 2012:
Retrieved from: Library.rpcc.edu/docs/learning Style Assessment.
VARK Learning Style Paper
Presented to Professor
By
Grand Canyon University: NRS-429-0102 Family Centered Health Promotion
December 2, 2012
VARK Learning Style Paper
Being able to communicate with each other in this global diverse world, we all need to understand our preferred learning styles to contribute to our learning abilities and society. We all have unique learning styles established from childhood through adulthood. Our learning style is essential to performing better in the classrooms while enhancing our study habits. The preferred methods of our learning style allow us to gather, and use knowledge gained in a specific manner. Several methods are used in determining one’s learning style. “A learning style is descriptive process, or of preferences. Any inventory that encourages a learner to think about the way that he or she learns is a useful step towards understanding, and hence improves learning.” (Fleming, …show more content…
N., & Baume, D., 2006, p4).
All individuals learn in different ways and knowing their particular learning style can help enhance their strength to better understand and process information. Knowing a student’s preferred learning style will enable the instructor to assist the student in the learning process. This paper will discuss this author learning style using Neil Fleming’s VARK questionnaires, compare preferred learning styles, and any changes in study habits identified will be adjusted. The most common learning style model used today is the Fleming VARK model. The VARK model is a tool used to measure the learning style of an individual. The VARK model acronym stands for visual, auditory, reading, writing, and kinesthetic learners and was created by Neil Fleming and Colleen Mills. The different categories of learning styles identified are sensory modalities that people use to teach (Fleming & Mills, 2011). There are 16 questionnaires used to help each individuals identify what category of learning style they belong. After answering these questions one may see a dominant learning style in one area, as well as an overlap in another area of learning. Visual learner process information presented to them effectively through written communication, notes, diagrams, flow chart. They are not happy with power-point presentation because they are unable to take notes. Visual learner learn best learn if they can see the lecture being presented in such a way of using graphs, flow chart, and pictures are beneficial to them. They are usually the learners who sit at the front of the class, and are able to describe everything in terms of appearance. (Fleming & Mills, 2011). They also make up 65 percentage of the population. (Learning Styles and Assessment, 2012) Auditory Learners relate well to spoken words and are very good listener. They like lectures, discussion with others and repeating information to themselves. They learn best in groups and will organize their information for better understanding. They are easily distracted, and learn by memorization (Fleming, 2011). Auditory learners accounts for 30 percent of the population. (Learning Styles and Assessment, 2012) Read/write learners best learn through written words and take notes in which they read them over and over for later recall. They also like to read texts (Fleming, 2011).
Kinesthetic Learners takes an “hands-on approach” to solving things when learning and all of the five senses are used such as sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing (Fleming, 2011). Kinesthetic learners do best with laboratories, field trips, field tours, and lecturers who give real-life examples, do learning through trial and error, speak with their hands and gestures. These learners do not learn well with limited activity or when lectures are given with no physical movement allowed. “Kinesthetic learners remember what they experience with their bodies” (Favre, 2009). These learners make up to 5 percentage of the population. (Learning Styles and Assessment, 2012)
Before taking the VARK questionnaire this author believed the preferred learning style was visual and Kinesthetic. The author was able to receive new information by seeing the material (graphs, diagram, etc.,) in order to understand . The kinesthetic side of the author refer to the ability to absorb information by experiencing, touching, moving and being active in some manner. This type of learner is quite in tune with their own feelings. As part of the Family Centered Health Promotion curriculum set forth by Grand Canyon University the author will participate in the learning exercise by the Neil Fleming involving the VARK questionnaires which measures different learning styles.
This assignment helps the learner of this class to discover their type of learning style. For this author, the result revealed the multimodal method of visual, auditory, read/write, and then kinesthetic was the preferred method (VARK, 2011). The learning style used by this author when studying is making sure that important points in the notes are highlighted, and by reading the materials and listening to lecture, given by the instructor. Communication stimulates the process of learning. In order to structure learning the lecture notes are written down verbatim by the author. The last learning style is kinesthetic which the author learned is the hands on approach with return demonstration and using the five
senses. The VARK exercise provided the author with several key learning styles; the highest score was noted to be the Kinesthetic (8); Visual (4); Auditory (3); and Reading/Writing (3). The preferred method of learning for the author is the Kinesthetic and Visual. The author learned best by repetition, seeing, looking, and doing by touching. (VARK, 2011)
A written guide of the author’s preferred method of learning style was provided by VARK after completion of the questionnaire. This only reinforced what the author already knew, that the preferred learning style is kinesthetic and visual. In conclusion knowing ones preferred method of learning style will enhance understanding and improve learning. The author will close with this “tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” (Conferus, 450 bc.)
References
Confucius Quotes (450 b.c.). Retrieved on November 28, 2012 from: http://quotes.Liberty_tree/quotes_by confucious.
Favre, L. R. (2009). Kinesthetic Instructional Strategies: Moving at Risk Learner to higher level. Insight on Learning Disabilities, 6(1), 29-35.
Fleming, N. (2011). VARK: A guide to learning. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://www.VARK-learn.com/english/page asp?-questionnaire.
Fleming, N., & Baume D. (2006). Learning Style Again: VARKing up the right tree!
Educational Development, SEDA. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://www.VARK-learn.com/document/education.
Learning Styles and Assessement. (2012). Retrieved on November 28, 2012:
Retrieved from: Library.rpcc.edu/docs/learning Style Assessment.