A VARK Learning Profile for Example, Lecture notes of Communication

Download A VARK Learning Profile for Example and more Lecture notes Communication in PDF only on Docsity! A VARK Learning Profile for Example You have a very strong Visual learning preference. You have a very strong Visual, single preference for learning. The gap between your Visual score of 9 and your next highest score of 3 for Aural is large enough to indicate that, while you are quite capable of learning using each of these four VARK modes, the Visual mode is your first preference. This means that you usually begin with the Visual representations of learning and that you use those Visual strategies more often, as this profile will explain. Some general points about those who have a single Visual preference like you. They have a number of ways to use their preference to learn. I suggest that at this point in your reading, you go to the end of this profile and look at the Helpsheets for V, A, R and K. Start with the Visual list. You should underline or check those that you use regularly. Return here when you have finished. You will probably have Visual Score Aural Score Read/Write Score Kinesthetic Score 9 3 2 0 DATA TABLE FOR THOSE WITH A VISUAL PREFERENCE Preference Percentage of Total Database mild Visual 1.3% strong Visual 0.5% very strong Visual 0.2% There are not many of you! 1 They need to use only their preferred mode for major decisions and for learning. They say they are decisive and they are confident that their learning decisions using that mode are the "right" ones for them. They may resist using other modes. 2 This does not mean that they use only their single mode. Communication is always multimodal. They will be using their other preferred modes but they will play a lesser part in their learning. 3 They may have some flexibility to switch from mode to mode, based, not only on the circumstances, but also on other factors - mode, time of day, need for a decision, empathy for others involved... But their single mode will be their main preference. It will be used first and it will be the one that is at the centre of their learning decisions and behaviours. checked most strategies in your main list and a few strategies in some of the other lists. YOUR LEARNING PROFILE You should remember that information does not normally come packaged in a single mode - life is multimodal. When you are faced with a learning situation that requires Aural or Read/Write or Kinesthetic skills you will probably translate those into your Visual mode. Information in higher education seldom comes in a Visual format so translating has to become a habit. You are not as flexible as many others and you might prefer to use one particular mode for certain things that "you think" need to be conveyed that way. If you rely too much on your Visual mode your learning may suffer but it can be made stronger. You are less flexible in the way that you receive information from others and you probably switch to accommodate the way that they are presenting to you. If someone emails or phones you, your Aural score of 3 means that you place some importance on what is said and what you say. So self-talk, lectures, discussions, debates, meetings and recitation are somewhat secondary but still useful Aural learning strategies for you. Your Read/write score is 2 and that may be helpful in academic learning so if somebody wants to give you some print sources about a new concept (Read/write) you are willing to use those as well. Your first preference is Visual and that means that you are keen to use all the graphic and spatial strategies that you can - like this diagram above. You often reach for a piece of paper to explain something and you are acutely aware of where you are in space and what comprises your immediate environment. You are "spatially aware" of yourself and the environment around you. You want others to give you the "big picture" so that you can fit your current learning into that overall schema. You like to know how information fits into the wider picture. You want the big picture first and the detail later. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES Your single preference has both advantages and disadvantages. You can learn things quickly when they are in your mode and you can often be quite certain of them without having to check their accuracy in other modes. This makes you quite different from most of those around you who are multimodal (60% of our database). Students with four similar preferences (multimodals) can make choices in class. They can match the modes being used by their teachers or the modes used in a particular discipline. They may switch modes. That is more difficult for you especially if your teachers do not use diagrams, graphs, and charts. You may use just your Visual mode when you believe that nothing else is required, but more often you should realize that you need confirming information in other modes. You may be in a minority when explaining things your way, or when understanding things presented in an Aural, Read/Write or Kinesthetic way. The advantage that you have is that when you do learn something, you learn it quickly - as long as it comes in your mode. The main disadvantage is that when information comes in the Aural, Read/Write or Kinesthetic modes you are less inclined to use it, value it, or believe it. You may find it difficult to learn if you cannot translate that input into the Visual modes that you use more effectively. If you are a student, you are strongly advantaged when you meet a teacher who can teach using your Visual strategies. You like subjects that can be taught and learned in a Visual way, such as: economics, physics, logic, art, geography, biology, physiology, geometry, computer systems - any subjects where layout, placement, spatial linkages, maps, flow charts and graphical analysis are important. There are fewer opportunities to learn visually in most educational establishments. Read/write students find life easier when their education uses print sources, lists and textbooks. You may have learned how to shift any input from Read/write sources into your Visual learning strategies. • • • • • • • • • As individuals, we all possess a visual vocabulary but it is highly personal because the conventions are not as strongly formalized as for text. There are few visual dictionaries that might indicate what symbols mean although there are a number of internationally accepted signs. The separation of text and pictures, and the so-called higher status of text, makes for a division that is unhelpful for learners. It would be more helpful if those with a Visual preference were recognized as being different rather than disabled. We should reward those who use their Visual preferences to extend their understanding of the written and spoken word. They often have highly developed abilities to transform knowledge from one mode to another and should be encouraged to continue that process. It is probably our society's insistence that things must be written down that imposes restrictions on their learning. You chose 3 for the Aural mode. This preference helps when you choose discussion, email, phone conversations, asking questions, and texting as well as listening to lectures and teachers. People with this preference like oral stories and anecdotes that provide examples of learning. Finding somebody to listen and respond is a useful strategy for this preference. You use this mode when you seek experts to get advice. You can learn by talking things through, and that includes self-talk. Your score of 2 was for the Read/write mode. It offers more strategies for you to use. Having Read/write as a part of your profile of preferences is helpful because formal learning in education establishments has many opportunities to use that preference. Many teachers have Read/write as their highest preference. You should put details into written form and use lists, PowerPoint, textbooks, diaries and the Internet for your ideas. Make use of handouts by adding diagrams to them. Use some of the strategies from the helpsheets that are listed for Read/write learners. Your score for the Kinesthetic mode is 0 which is a low score and means the strategies are not very useful for you. Use the strategies for your Visual and other preferences. ONLINE LEARNING The main difference between teaching online and classroom teaching is a shift in the sources of motivation for the students. Some teachers can make that shift by using clever techniques for maintaining support and encouragement and some students have highly- developed motivational skills that keep them alert and on task. The high drop-out rates in online courses can be reduced by a concerted effort by teachers and students to provide the missing component from classroom teaching - face-to-face personal communication - not only with between teacher and student, but also between learners. Communication that uses various technologies (phones, videos, mail, ...) are only substitutes for "the real thing!" Online learners need to replace the physical presence of the teacher with their own motivation or learn to use the best features of the increasing number and variety of communication aids that can simulate the mentor role that skilled classroom teachers use. Teachers who use technologies in their courses and can help students to adapt them and learn from them are your significant motivators. You may be able to choose your teacher(s) or the technologies they use. There will be times when your own motivation lapses and you may need some of these: Make a study plan and let it rule your life. Time management works. Have a space that is for learning. (One of my students taped a ribbon around an area in her bedroom that was for study and another area that was for relaxation, texting friends and emailing folks at home.) Build change and variety into your study schedule so you are NOT bored with the sameness of a single task for too long. We know from research, that students often learn as much from other students as they do from teaching so build links to other students in your course and accept invitations from those who like to work in teams and groups. Accept offers of help. Contribute to discussions and feedback sessions. Use them to ask questions. Recognise when you are losing motivation and adjust your schedule. After long sessions of concentration, take a break to challenge yourself with your own tests and quizzes and be aware that assessment is a necessary goal. Use your own preferred ways of learning, NOT somebody elses. VARK'S "OU" STRATEGY This is one of my best suggestions for online and other learning. It has helped many of my learners and it may help you to succeed in your course. What is OU? The initials are for The OTHER YOU and it refers to the negative vibes and voices that invade your head when you are learning. You may have work or family commitments that take away from your study time - OU is not about those, but rather, OU is about the "little voices" that are determined to distract you into time wasting - otherwise known as PROCRASTINATION, during the time that you have put aside for study. Here are some examples that my students have told me about OU tactics. What can you do to combat OU? You have to deal with OU by bargaining. That is the only way to close him/her down. When OU makes a time-wasting suggestion, start your bargaining by arguing back. Say "Yes, I will rearrange the room (or eat some food, or text a message home or go driving with friends) - BUT, ONLY AFTER DOING THE WORK I HAVE SCHEDULED FOR NOW!!!" Take a break from study (but not when OU says so). Using your Visual learning preference in online learning: Your strong score for the Visual learning strategies is not much help for online learning unless you have courses that require the use of graphs, or maps, or charts or diagrams. Online Learning generally uses text, either spoken or written, to convey the important information. Your Aural score (3) indicates that Aural will not be helpful for you in online learning. If there are podcasts, lectures on ZOOM, online discussions and YouTube videos that are mainly talk, you will need to find different ways to get that information. Textbooks may become more important for gathering your notes and you may be able to use some of your other strategies more often. Online courses will generally make full use of print sources (text books, references, summaries and handout notes) and that is not one of your strong preferences. You will need to find substitutes for Read/write that can provide you with the same information. Teachers will also be using print for many more assessment tasks because it is suited to a variety of technologies. Generally, your weak preference for using Kinesthetic strategies (0) is not likely to affect your online learning too much. If however, you are studying courses where there is an emphasis on your own interpretations and experiences, your learning may be affected. STUDENT CASE STUDIES I have provided here some student case studies based on your preferred mode. Till recently I had only been learning things by writing information down and revising it for exams. I made myself learn this way. It was really hard. Art history, geography and design were different in that I would associate a single picture or a diagram with the text to help me understand or to aid revision. I also found that I learned more from teachers with personal experience in what they were Jane "When I am preparing for some study time, OU (she is a person in my head) suggests that we should first of all rearrange my study space or shift the resources I am using to another area." Dao "OU convinced me to write home rather than finish the assignment." Chad "My OU told me that I was way too hungry to do any study and that I should go out and buy some food." Ryan "I had a whole morning set aside on my schedule for an essay due in two days and Mr OU said that that was much too long and we could do it easily the next day as the deadline was still a week away. So, I went driving with my friends. I was late sending it in." Michelle "My OU upsets my routines by wanting to shift from one assignment to another. I need to stay longer on each task so I keep moving and get things finished in time." • • • • • • • • • • teaching. Field trips were good because in an exam you could visualise what you were writing about. Cameron 18 yrs I find it easier when taking notes and learning about something when it has pictures, diagrams and or examples with it. For example I find it easier to look at the slides we are talking about. In subjects like economics or maths at school I needed examples of theories in real life situations or diagrams that explained things step-by-step. I hate to read books and take notes from what I am reading because I can never decipher what is important. Therefore my notes get longer and harder to learn from. However once I have notes in point form, simplified right down I find it easier to revise and learn. Jodi 17 yrs From the VARK test it shows that I am visually oriented with a similar approach to Kinesthetic. I like to look at visual information as opposed to solid blocks of text because they hold more interest for me and are easier to recall. Karl 18 yrs A VISUAL PREFERENCE I am very strongly Visual and learn by the layout on the page mainly. In an exam situation I can identify the question with information that we have been given in lectures by extracting the page and its layout. Headings are a strong focal point and enable me to determine which is the page that I need to complete the question asked for. Diagrams and flow charts are also very easy for me to learn, as are lists and numbers. As far as Aural is concerned, it goes in one ear and out the other. I have to write it down quickly and then I will write it again in my own format, e.g. when taking telephone messages I write the message down as I get it but will religiously rewrite the message so that it looks nice and is arranged on the paper neatly. As far as reading is concerned I could think of nothing worse than a piece of paper that is all one colour and has no indentations. I would learn nothing, as I would not read it. I do love to read novels, but I remember the book by the visual images I have made rather than the words used, or the authors name and title etc. I was disappointed with a film because I had an image from reading the book that was different from the actor in the film. On a page I love to indent, use (a), (b) or numbers and have headings that are underlined. With major headings I write in one colour and underline in another. For small headings I use the same colour. I have a lot of color displayed in all my notes, and buying highlighters is as essential as buying the weekly groceries. I remember the swot notes by the points involved (I have already made my own swot notes from notes to lists, graphs, flow chart formats with lots of color). For example, with my charts, I would remember that: 1 ) Diagram 1 has 4 points 2 ) Diagram 2 has 6 points. 3 ) Diagram 3 has 7 points. 4 ) Diagram 4 has 5 points. My favourite pastime is going to the movies. Understanding now, through the education system the way I learn best, this pastime fits perfectly into my preferred way of learning. As I write this paper I can say that I have been to three movies in the last week and that is not unusual. If you want me to learn something, show me using colour and variations on the page, and then make me physically do it!!, as I also have a touch of Kinesthetic in me! LASTLY, SOME GENERAL POINTS ABOUT WHAT VARK INDICATES AND WHAT IT DOES NOT. 1 VARK is not a definitive measure. With only 16 questions, it indicates your preferences for the ways in which learning is "taken in" and expressed (as in examinations, trials and tests). AURAL HELPSHEET If you have a strong preference for learning by Aural and Oral methods (listening and speaking) you should use some or all of the following: INTAKE To take in information: use email and cellphones. explain new ideas to others. explain what happened to others. discuss topics with other students. discuss topics with your teachers. use a tape recorder so you can listen again and again. text a summary of the main points of the class to a friend. attend as many classes and teaching sessions as you can. leave spaces in your class notes for later recall and 'filling'. attend discussion groups and other opportunities to share ideas with others. describe the overheads, pictures and other visuals to somebody who was not there. remember the interesting examples, stories, and jokes... that people use to explain things. SWOT: STUDY WITHOUT TEARS To make a learnable package: Convert your notes into a learnable package by reducing them (three pages into one page) into memorable ways for you to hear. Read your summarized notes aloud. Explain your notes to another 'aural' person. Ask others to 'hear' your understanding of a topic. Talk about your learning to others or to yourself. Put your summarized notes onto tapes and listen to them. Your notes may be poor because you prefer to listen rather than take notes. You will need to expand your notes by talking with others and collecting notes from the textbook. OUTPUT To perform well in the examination: Practise speaking your answers. Listen to your voices and write them down. Tune into your teachers talking about the topics. Spend time in quiet places recalling the big ideas. If the system allows it, choose an oral examination for your learning. You may still have to practise writing answers to old exam questions. Imagine you are talking with the teacher as you write your answers. You would prefer to have this entire page explained to you. The written words are not as valuable as those you hear. You will probably go and tell somebody about this. You want to discuss some issues in it. READ/WRITE HELPSHEET If you have a strong preference for learning by Reading and Writing (R) you should use some or all of the following: INTAKE To take in information: lists. notes. essays. reports. contracts. textbooks. glossaries. definitions. quotations. dictionaries. PowerPoint. printed handouts. wordy mind maps. readings - library. laboratory manuals. websites and webpages. pay attention to the meanings in headings. taking class notes (verbatim). computer and other mechanical manuals. listening to teachers who use words well and who have lots of information in sentences and notes. SWOT: STUDY WITHOUT TEARS To make a learnable package: Convert your notes into a learnable package by reducing them. Three pages down to one page. Write out the words again and again. Read your notes (silently) again and again. Do the "extra" reading requested by the teacher. Rewrite the ideas and principles into other words. Organize any diagrams, graphs... into statements e.g. "The trend is...". Use a wordprocessor to arrange your ideas and to 'play' with words. Turn reactions, actions, diagrams, charts and flow diagrams into words. Imagine your lists arranged in multiple-choice questions and distinguish each from each. OUTPUT To perform well in the examination: Write exam answers. Re-order your lists into priority order. Practice with multiple-choice questions. Refer to publications - citing references. Use your word processor to prepare answers. Write your notes into lists (a, b, c, d, 1,2,3,4,). Write paragraphs; their beginnings and endings. Arrange your words into hierarchies and bullet points. Search the Internet for new ideas and confirmation of old ones. You like this page because the emphasis is on words and lists. You believe the meanings are within the words, so talk is OK, but books are better. You are heading for the library for more books to read or you are going to write to somebody about this. KINESTHETIC HELPSHEET If you have a strong preference for Kinesthetic learning you should use some or all of the following: INTAKE To take in information: field trips. case studies. trial and error. applied opportunities. examples of principles. do things to understand them. exhibits, samples, photographs... laboratories and practical sessions. teachers who give real-life examples. hands-on approaches (e.g. computing). recipes - solutions to problems, previous exam papers. use all your senses - sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing. videos and pictures, especially showing real things. National Geographic and the History channel. collections of, signatures, plants, shells, grasses, stamps, or letters. listen for the examples. They hold the key to understanding the abstract bits. SWOT: STUDY WITHOUT TEARS To make a learnable package: Convert your notes into a learnable package by reducing them - three pages down to one page. Remember the "real" things that happened. Talk about your notes with another "K" person. Search for the reality and the applications in any ideas. Go back to the laboratory or your lab manual or your practical notes. Use case studies and applications to help with principles and abstract concepts. Find pictures and photographs that illustrate an abstract idea, theory or principle. Your class notes may be poor because the topics were not "concrete" or "relevant". Recall the experiments, field trips... from which you learned the applications and turned them into principles. OUTPUT To perform well in the examination: Role-play the exam situation in your own study room. Put plenty of examples into your notes and your answers. Write practice answers, paragraphs. You cannot avoid writing. You want to experience the exam so that you can understand it. Recall previous examinations especially those where you did well. You like the ideas above because they emphasize examples and real, concrete things. You enjoy learning by doing things and trying things out for yourself. Practicing and experimenting is your way of trying things. You are probably going to try some of the ideas mentioned above to see if they really work.