Now you know what your learning style is,
here is the question:
What difference does it make?
# Watch this short video for an overview of the VARK learning styles.
Source: VARK Learn, 2016
So, as a student, how can knowing
your learning style help?
If you are a visual learner, you will prefer (Fleming & Mills, 1992; Vark Learn, 2016):
- Presenters who use gestures, facial expressions, movement and descriptive language that paints a picture
- Videos, posters, slides, images, maps
- Flowcharts, diagrams, symbols, tables, figures
- Different colours and contrast, highlighters
- Texts with images and photos
- Interactive whiteboards and screens.
If you are an auditory learner, you will prefer (Fleming & Mills, 1992; Vark Learn, 2016):
- Listening to verbal lessons, discussions, talking things through, and listening to what others say
- Listening to voice tone, pitch, and speed
- Reading the text and notes out loud
- Listening to recorded notes and information
- Attending classes, discussions, tutorials
- Discussing topics with others
- Explaining ideas and opinion to others.
- Hearing interesting examples, stories, anecdotes, jokes.
If you are a reader/writer, you will prefer (Fleming & Mills, 1992; Vark Learn, 2016):
- Accessing information displayed as words
- Working in powerpoint
- Using the Internet, lists, dictionaries, thesaurus, manuals, instructions
- Headings, glossaries, definitions, handouts, textbooks, readings, notes
- Teachers who use words well and have information in sentences/notes
- Reading essays, reports, newspapers, emails.
If you are a kinesthetic learner, you will prefer (Fleming & Mills, 1992; Vark Learn, 2016):
- Learning through doing, participating and moving
- Using your senses – sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing
- Laboratories, field trips, tours, recipes, placements, internships
- Case studies, examples, scenarios
- Lecturers who use real-life examples
- Applications, simulated games
- Practical, hands-on approaches
- Artefacts, samples, exhibits, photographs
- Previous exam papers
Is there a dominant style?
Do you know your learning style?
Click here to find out your learning style
http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/
Record your result in this survey | |
Why would knowing your learning style help you approach your studies better?
Learning involves processing new information, and different learning styles will process this information in different ways (Cheng et al., 2016).
BUT
Every learning experience won’t be presented in a way that satisfies your learning style. However, what you can do is adapt the learning activities to suit your style.
This can help you to:
- maximise potential to achieve learning goals
- feel more confident and engaged in the learning activities
- enjoy the learning experience more.
How to adapt.
It may take a while to adjust. Old habits die hard!
But remember!!!
The benefits of a balanced learning style are (Fleming, 1995):
- Read the document "Learning Style Behaviour" (below) to find out how people with different learning styles behave.
- Did you achieve a low score in any of the learning style categories?
- Consider the behaviours of those learning style/s.
- Could you try incorporating some of those behaviours into your study habits?
It may take a while to adjust. Old habits die hard!
But remember!!!
The benefits of a balanced learning style are (Fleming, 1995):
- You will be able to adjust more effectively to different teaching styles.
- You can switch in and out of strategies depending on the learning experience provided.
- You can use information presented in different forms to come to a deeper understanding.
Learning Style Behaviour
Activity 1
a) In the comment section below, describe a learning experience
(course) that you did not enjoy.
b) Was it because the learning activities offered did not fit your learning
style?
c) Did you attempt to adapt the format to suit you; or, did you just
conform, finish the course and forget about it?