Running head: Learning Styles

Learning Styles Family-Centered Health Promotion September16, 2013

Learning Styles

Summary Individuals learn and process information in a multitude of ways. By learning how you best utilize information you are able to enhance your ability to learn and retain information. It offers an opportunity to strengthen your educational experiences. Learning styles is a term used to refer to the methods of gathering, processing, interpreting, organizing and thinking about information. Students have different learning styles, which is the reason for the diversity seen in classrooms in regards to how students acquire information. (Vanessa) In this paper I will be examining my results of the Visual Auditory Reading/Writing Kinesthetic (VARK) learning model. The VARK questionnaire assists learners with identifying their learning modality. A questioner was used to determine what strategies might be most beneficial in the learning process and offers recommendations on how to adapt and exploit strength in learning situations.

Learning style The VARK questioner was scored in four areas: visual, aural, reading/writing and kinesthetic. The results of this specific questioner reflected scores of a 1 in visual, 7 in aural, 1 in reading writing and a 7 in kinesthetic. These results reflect a multimodal learning preference of aural and kinesthetic. The aural or auditory score of seven suggested that learning is most effective by hearing information. There was an equal score of seven in the area of kinesthetic. In the article I'm different; not dumb it describes this typology as the group who like to experience their learning by using all their senses, including touch, hearing, smell, taste and sight. They want concrete, multi-sensory experiences in their learning. Although learning by doing matches

Learning Styles

their needs they can easily learn conceptual and abstract material provided it arrives with suitable analogies, real life examples, or metaphors. They learn theory through its application.

Preferred Learning Strategies An aural learner soaks up information the easiest when it is presented in an auditory way. Speaking, listening and music all come naturally to the aural learner. People who have this kind of learning style work best when they are able to hear directions and speak answers. Auditory learners process information best by hearing it spoken and speaking about it. For individuals with this type of learning style its a good idea to attend all lectures and verbal lessons, and try to engage in discussions before, during and after the lesson, if permissible. The key to doing well is verbalizing any new information; however, when to verbalize is also essential. Having an auditory learning style will give you an advantage in traditional classroom settings, being able to easily absorb oral lessons. Recorders are good tools for aural/auditory learners, as well as podcasts, rhymes and jingles. Open discussions and study groups would also be beneficial offering the opportunity to participate in group discussions both verbalizing and listening to others which uses auditory scenes. Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing things first hand so taking a hands on approach whenever possible is desirable. They prefer to be physically involved in the learning process using movement. Practicing through role play of simulations is effective by utilizing movement and touch. When in a class room situation lectures that offer real life examples or topics that the student can relate to their own experiences enhance information intake. When taking notes it is good to use colored highlighters to mark important facts, use pictures and try to relate the subject matter to personal experiences this will make it easier to remember.

Learning Styles

It seems that I already incorporate many of these strategies. In lecture situations I tend to just listen to the didactic that is being delivered and take very few notes, highlighting only the important information. Some of my favorite teachers have been those that use analogies and personal experiences. I find that these stories resonate and provide a point of recall for the information that was provided. When faced with the task of reading text I cannot just sit and read. I do all my reading of the treadmill, I have found that it combines movement with reading and allows me to read for long periods of time while retaining much more than if I were sitting still. Before exams I like to talk about the information with others and when thats not an option I generally have the conversation in my head.

Conclusion I am currently out of nursing school. I have spent the past four years developing and perfecting a way of studying and learning that works best for me. As with learning itself, the modalities and process can always be improved upon. Using learning models such as the VARK can serve as an effective tool. By evolving my personal knowledge of how to best process new information it will provide a better way in which to manage my time more effectively. As stated in the article Learning styles in fieldwork personal awareness can enhance management of self-directed learning in fieldwork situations resulting in a more effective student placement. As I continue my education with the pursuit of my bachelorette in nursing I will be able to customize an individualized learning plan. I will direct my learning to the uses of auditory learning through the use of conversations about lecture material whenever possible as well as seeking out opportunities to use participation and hands on participation in order to maximize my learning experience.

Learning Styles References:

Fleming, N.D; (1995), I'm different; not dumb. Modes of presentation (VARK) in the tertiary classroom, in Zelmer,A., (ed.) Research and Development in Higher Education, Proceedings of the1995 Annual Conference of the Higher Education and Research Development Society of Australasia(HERDSA),HERDSA, Volume 18, pp. 308 313 viewed 9/20 at http://www.varklearn.com/documents/different_not_dumb.pdf Marcy. V.(2001), Adult Learning Styles: How the VARKlearning style inventory can be used to improvestudent learning.Perspective on Physician Assistant Education, Journal of the Association of PhysicianAssistant Programs Vol 12, No 2, Spring 2001http://www.vark viewed 9/20 at http://www.vark-learn.com/documents/VanessaMarcy.pdf Robertson, L., Smellie, T., Wilson, P., & Cox, L. (2011). Learning styles and fieldwork education: Students perspectives. New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58 (1), 36-40. Viewed 9/20 at http://www.varklearn.com/documents/Learning_styles_and_fieldwork_education_students_persp ectives.pdf

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