Learning Style Analysis Paper
VARK Analysis Paper
Summary of learning style
Having read many articles pertaining to the Visual Learners, Aural Learners, Reading and Writing Learners, and Kinesthetic Learners (VARK) is a learning style assessment tool used by organizations to help instructors, students and others learn more about their individual learning preferences. As each of us having different curves for comprehending and processing information, this is a valuable tool to ensure the understanding of material that is critical to the advancement of the organization in the global economy. By using these simple steps we can use different training/ teaching models to ensure the greatest amount of information is absorbed by the student/employee.
The following styles …show more content…
are used in the VARK to assess the style of learning to best suit a certain group of individuals.
Visual learners learn best by seeing. Graphic displays such as charts, diagrams, illustrations, handouts, and videos are all helpful learning tools for visual learners. People who prefer this type of learning would rather see information presented in a visual rather than in written form. If you think you might be a visual learner, answer the following questions:
Do you have to see information in order to remember it?
Do you pay close attention to body language?
Is art, beauty, and aesthetics important to you?
Does visualizing information in your mind help you remember it better?
If you can answer yes to most of these questions, chances are good that you have a visual learning style.
Aural Learners
Aural (or auditory) learners learn best by hearing information. They tend to get a great deal out of lectures and are good at remembering things they are told.
Are you an auditory learner? Consider the following questions:
Do you prefer to listen to class lectures rather than reading from the textbook?
Does reading out loud help you remember information better?
Would you prefer to listen to a recording of your class lectures or a podcast rather than going over your class notes?
Do you create songs to help remember information?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then you are probably an auditory learner.
Reading and Writing Learners
Reading and writing learners prefer to take in information displayed as words. Learning materials that are primarily text-based are strongly preferred by these learners.
Could you be a reading and writing learner? Read through the following questions and think about whether they might apply to you.
Do you find reading your textbook to be a great way to learn new information?
Do you take a lot of notes during class and while reading your books?
Do you enjoy making lists, reading definitions, and creating PowerPoint presentations?
Do you prefer it when teachers make use of overheads and handouts?
If you answered yes to these questions, it is likely that you have a strong preference for the reading and writing style of learning.
Kinesthetic Learners
Kinesthetic (or tactile) learners learn best by touching and doing. Hands-on experience is important to kinesthetic learners.
Not sure if you 're a kinesthetic learner? Answer these questions to find out:
Do you enjoy performing tasks that involve directly manipulating objects and materials?
Is it difficult for you to sit still for long periods of time?
Are you good at applied activities such as painting, cooking, mechanics, sports, and woodworking.
Do you have to actually practice doing something in order to learn it?
If you responded yes to these questions, then you are most likely a kinesthetic learner.
Understanding one’s learning style is crucial both for students and instructors. Most students use a combination of learning style, and it takes time before a student identify, define and utilize his or her learning style maximally. However, everyone has his or preferred way of searching and retaining information. The following characteristics explain my learning …show more content…
style.
Hands-on approach to learning, enjoy participating in learning activities.
Use of demonstration, pictures and graphs usually improve understanding and assimilation of concepts.
Enjoy engaging the lecturer in discussion, and mostly use these opportunities to seek clarifications and ask questions.
Prefers studying alone unless in cases of practical or field trips, where discussing the trip or the experiment increases my understanding of the concept.
Usually combines lecturer’s notes with notes from text books and make individual notes, usually in small-portable note books.
Preferred learning strategies according to VARK.
The preferred learning style is kinesthetic. The preferred learning strategies include:
In order to input information/learn:
Use of all senses-sight, smell, touch and hearing
Laboratories
Field trips and field tours
Use of examples and use of real-life examples
Application of the learnt concepts
Hands-on approaches
Use of trial and error
Individuals with kinesthetic learning style face challenge using lecturer’s note because the topics are “irrelevant” and “concrete.’ They have a good memory of “real” things that happen. They learn best when the lecturer use plenty of examples and case studies. Therefore, they have to summary lecturer’s note for them to make sense; they include a lot of examples in the summary and share the notes with another individual. They should use pictures and photographs to illustrate their ideas.
For individuals with kinesthetic learning style to perform in a test or examination, they have to use some of the following strategies. First, they should write practice answers and paragraphs. Secondly, they should role play the examination situation in their own room.
Comparison of the different learning styles.
Apart from kinesthetic learners, there are visual, auditory and aural learners. Visual learners prefer learning through observing. They prefer using images, pictures, colors and maps to organize information and communicate with others. They can visualize objects easily, plan and outcomes in their minds. They also have a good spatial sense, which give them a good sense of direction. They are able to use maps effectively, and they ca n find directions without much problem. Unlike kinesthetic learners, visual learners benefit a lot from lecturer’s note and they learn better by watching the notes. These learners are able to remember things that are written down unlike kinesthetic learners who prefer participating in the learning process through laboratory experiments, field trips and active involvement (http://blc.uc.iupui.edu/). Visual learners also have a strong preference for dramatized or gestured lectures. They prefer detailed notes unlike kinesthetic learners who always summarize lecturer’s notes.
According to Marlene (1985) some auditory/aural learners cannot take notes because they distract them from hearing. They are so much in tune with sounds that they need not pay total attention to what the lecturer is saying. Often when they read silently, they move their lips. They are mentally making sounds that help their minds to respond. Auditory learners often learn very well in groups, and they benefit from “cooperative learning.” These learners have detailed explanatory skills and can explain to an individual’s visuals, pictures and overheads. They benefit a lot from attending classes and listening to lectures. Most of them have poor note taking habits and fill-in notes by talking to other students.
Read/write learners prefer information that is displayed in writing such as a list of ideas in bullet forms. They have a strong preference for text-based input and out-puts. They enjoy reading and writing in diverse and many forms. They prefer lecturers who use words well and have a lot of information in their sentences and notes.
Multimodal learners combine different learning strategies.
According to Vark, 60% of the population falls under this category. Learners with multimodal learning style can use three or four modes of interaction with others.
Improvement of current learning style
Multimodal learning style is the most preferred learning style. The aim of improving the current learning style is to able to achieve multimodal learning strategies. Multimodal will offer a balance between all the learning styles and help the learner to adapt to different teaching styles. Learning involves using different parts of the brain. Therefore, it is important to utilize all aspects of brain.
According to the preferred learning strategies for kinesthetic learners, the following changes would improve the learning style that I exhibit. First, it is important to take short breaks within the study period. Kinesthetic learners have short attention span, therefore, the need for the frequent breaks. It is also crucial to reconstruct lecturer’s note using words that are familiar and easily
understood.
So what happens if no single learning preference calls out to you? What if you change preferences based on the situation or the type of information you are learning? In such instances, you probably have what is known as a multimodal style. For example, you might rely on your reading and writing preferences when you are dealing with a class that requires a great deal of book reading and note-taking, such as a history of psychology course. During an art class, you might depend more on your visual and kinesthetic preferences as you take in pictorial information and learn new techniques.
References
Marlene LeFever (1985). Learning style. David. C. Cook. Colorado, USA.
A guide to learning style. Retrieved from http://www.vark-learn.com.
Summary of learning style
Having read many articles pertaining to the Visual Learners, Aural Learners, Reading and Writing Learners, and Kinesthetic Learners (VARK) is a learning style assessment tool used by organizations to help instructors, students and others learn more about their individual learning preferences. As each of us having different curves for comprehending and processing information, this is a valuable tool to ensure the understanding of material that is critical to the advancement of the organization in the global economy. By using these simple steps we can use different training/ teaching models to ensure the greatest amount of information is absorbed by the student/employee.
The following styles …show more content…
are used in the VARK to assess the style of learning to best suit a certain group of individuals.
Visual learners learn best by seeing. Graphic displays such as charts, diagrams, illustrations, handouts, and videos are all helpful learning tools for visual learners. People who prefer this type of learning would rather see information presented in a visual rather than in written form. If you think you might be a visual learner, answer the following questions:
Do you have to see information in order to remember it?
Do you pay close attention to body language?
Is art, beauty, and aesthetics important to you?
Does visualizing information in your mind help you remember it better?
If you can answer yes to most of these questions, chances are good that you have a visual learning style.
Aural Learners
Aural (or auditory) learners learn best by hearing information. They tend to get a great deal out of lectures and are good at remembering things they are told.
Are you an auditory learner? Consider the following questions:
Do you prefer to listen to class lectures rather than reading from the textbook?
Does reading out loud help you remember information better?
Would you prefer to listen to a recording of your class lectures or a podcast rather than going over your class notes?
Do you create songs to help remember information?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then you are probably an auditory learner.
Reading and Writing Learners
Reading and writing learners prefer to take in information displayed as words. Learning materials that are primarily text-based are strongly preferred by these learners.
Could you be a reading and writing learner? Read through the following questions and think about whether they might apply to you.
Do you find reading your textbook to be a great way to learn new information?
Do you take a lot of notes during class and while reading your books?
Do you enjoy making lists, reading definitions, and creating PowerPoint presentations?
Do you prefer it when teachers make use of overheads and handouts?
If you answered yes to these questions, it is likely that you have a strong preference for the reading and writing style of learning.
Kinesthetic Learners
Kinesthetic (or tactile) learners learn best by touching and doing. Hands-on experience is important to kinesthetic learners.
Not sure if you 're a kinesthetic learner? Answer these questions to find out:
Do you enjoy performing tasks that involve directly manipulating objects and materials?
Is it difficult for you to sit still for long periods of time?
Are you good at applied activities such as painting, cooking, mechanics, sports, and woodworking.
Do you have to actually practice doing something in order to learn it?
If you responded yes to these questions, then you are most likely a kinesthetic learner.
Understanding one’s learning style is crucial both for students and instructors. Most students use a combination of learning style, and it takes time before a student identify, define and utilize his or her learning style maximally. However, everyone has his or preferred way of searching and retaining information. The following characteristics explain my learning …show more content…
style.
Hands-on approach to learning, enjoy participating in learning activities.
Use of demonstration, pictures and graphs usually improve understanding and assimilation of concepts.
Enjoy engaging the lecturer in discussion, and mostly use these opportunities to seek clarifications and ask questions.
Prefers studying alone unless in cases of practical or field trips, where discussing the trip or the experiment increases my understanding of the concept.
Usually combines lecturer’s notes with notes from text books and make individual notes, usually in small-portable note books.
Preferred learning strategies according to VARK.
The preferred learning style is kinesthetic. The preferred learning strategies include:
In order to input information/learn:
Use of all senses-sight, smell, touch and hearing
Laboratories
Field trips and field tours
Use of examples and use of real-life examples
Application of the learnt concepts
Hands-on approaches
Use of trial and error
Individuals with kinesthetic learning style face challenge using lecturer’s note because the topics are “irrelevant” and “concrete.’ They have a good memory of “real” things that happen. They learn best when the lecturer use plenty of examples and case studies. Therefore, they have to summary lecturer’s note for them to make sense; they include a lot of examples in the summary and share the notes with another individual. They should use pictures and photographs to illustrate their ideas.
For individuals with kinesthetic learning style to perform in a test or examination, they have to use some of the following strategies. First, they should write practice answers and paragraphs. Secondly, they should role play the examination situation in their own room.
Comparison of the different learning styles.
Apart from kinesthetic learners, there are visual, auditory and aural learners. Visual learners prefer learning through observing. They prefer using images, pictures, colors and maps to organize information and communicate with others. They can visualize objects easily, plan and outcomes in their minds. They also have a good spatial sense, which give them a good sense of direction. They are able to use maps effectively, and they ca n find directions without much problem. Unlike kinesthetic learners, visual learners benefit a lot from lecturer’s note and they learn better by watching the notes. These learners are able to remember things that are written down unlike kinesthetic learners who prefer participating in the learning process through laboratory experiments, field trips and active involvement (http://blc.uc.iupui.edu/). Visual learners also have a strong preference for dramatized or gestured lectures. They prefer detailed notes unlike kinesthetic learners who always summarize lecturer’s notes.
According to Marlene (1985) some auditory/aural learners cannot take notes because they distract them from hearing. They are so much in tune with sounds that they need not pay total attention to what the lecturer is saying. Often when they read silently, they move their lips. They are mentally making sounds that help their minds to respond. Auditory learners often learn very well in groups, and they benefit from “cooperative learning.” These learners have detailed explanatory skills and can explain to an individual’s visuals, pictures and overheads. They benefit a lot from attending classes and listening to lectures. Most of them have poor note taking habits and fill-in notes by talking to other students.
Read/write learners prefer information that is displayed in writing such as a list of ideas in bullet forms. They have a strong preference for text-based input and out-puts. They enjoy reading and writing in diverse and many forms. They prefer lecturers who use words well and have a lot of information in their sentences and notes.
Multimodal learners combine different learning strategies.
According to Vark, 60% of the population falls under this category. Learners with multimodal learning style can use three or four modes of interaction with others.
Improvement of current learning style
Multimodal learning style is the most preferred learning style. The aim of improving the current learning style is to able to achieve multimodal learning strategies. Multimodal will offer a balance between all the learning styles and help the learner to adapt to different teaching styles. Learning involves using different parts of the brain. Therefore, it is important to utilize all aspects of brain.
According to the preferred learning strategies for kinesthetic learners, the following changes would improve the learning style that I exhibit. First, it is important to take short breaks within the study period. Kinesthetic learners have short attention span, therefore, the need for the frequent breaks. It is also crucial to reconstruct lecturer’s note using words that are familiar and easily
understood.
So what happens if no single learning preference calls out to you? What if you change preferences based on the situation or the type of information you are learning? In such instances, you probably have what is known as a multimodal style. For example, you might rely on your reading and writing preferences when you are dealing with a class that requires a great deal of book reading and note-taking, such as a history of psychology course. During an art class, you might depend more on your visual and kinesthetic preferences as you take in pictorial information and learn new techniques.
References
Marlene LeFever (1985). Learning style. David. C. Cook. Colorado, USA.
A guide to learning style. Retrieved from http://www.vark-learn.com.