How do I learn best

This student’s preferred learning strategy has always been that of the read/write category. She takes advantage of handouts, textbooks, and dictionaries when studying for quizzes and exams. She also prefers going to the library due to the atmosphere provided by this institution. To enhance learning the use of outlines and note cards have also been useful when studying. Visual aids accompanying the read/write category have been useful in obtaining good grades throughout advancement in education (VARK, 2011).

All learners have different learning styles. Using materials at the initial stage of the learning process can highlight preferred styles. Honey and Mumford show four learning styles – activists, theorists, reflectors and pragmatists, while VAK highlights visual, auditory and kinaesthetic preferences.

We all learn in diverse ways, inclined by the combination of our past educational experiences, study practices and personal approach to particular tasks. This can be designated as our learning style, defined as ‘particular ways of gathering, processing and storing information and experiences’ (Cuthbert, P.F., 2005).

To travel more smoothly along their educational journey, it is also helpful to students to have a good understanding of their personal learning style. For example, I have discovered that I learn best by reading, audio or demonstrational video. In sitting through a lecture, I find myself easily distracted by the presenter’s mannerism or style. Having good reading resources, listening to recorded lectures, or viewing technical videos allows me to productively maintain my focus. Others may not be as comfortable with reading, and would prefer learning in a live lecture environment. Knowing their learning style and using it to their advantage will provide the student with the assurance that they will learn productively and stay on track with their goals.

According to the Vark questionnaire, there are four types of dominant learning styles; Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic. Additionally, Vark introduces a sub category of learning called multimodal. (Fleming, 2011)

Learning styles of individual students vary and as a consequence, learning needs also change from each student to the next (Liew, Sidhu, & Barua, 2015). The “styles” for learning that are widely adopted include the Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic (VARK) model, developed by Fleming and Mills (1992) include Visual (V), Auditory (A), Read/Write (R) and Kinaesthetic (K) types of learning approaches. The Visual (V) learner learns best by the use of information by visual means (using of charts, mindmaps, and other visual aids). The Auditory (A) learner understands best by

My preferred learning style is the “How”. In order for me to learn or memorize new skills, concepts, or techniques, I have to do them myself.

Everyone has their learning style auditory,visual and kinesthetic. These are all different learning styles for different people auditory is a learning style for people who learn easier through listening to something. visual is when somebody is a visual learner meaning that they learn through sight the best.Some people have more than one learning style they could be visual and auditory or kinetic and auditory or all of them.

Upon my completion of the VARK learning style quiz, my results indicated that I have a Multimodal learning preference. After reviewing what this truly means, my results signify that I learn best by typically having the same material presented to me in several different forms in order for me to grasp and learn the material. Whether it be hands on learning, listening to learn, visual learning, or learning by reading and writing; a combination of some or all depicts the best way I will learn and understand the matter.

Education benefits individual mentally, emotionally and physically by placing them in better place than they were previously before. Everybody would agree that learning something new would take place throughout the life. Learning style defined as "A term that describes the variations among learners in using one or more senses to understand, organize, and retain experience" (Reid, 1987, p. 89). Furthermore, Felder and Henriques (1995, p. 21) explained learning styles as "the ways in which an individual characteristically acquires, retains and retrieves information". However, different learners possess different characteristics and different preferred learning styles to perceive, process, take in and understand information.

“VARK” is a questionnaire of about 16 questions that provides people with their preference of learning style. The learning styles that VARK offers can help people develop additional and effective strategies for learning and for making your communication skills better. The styles that this questionnaire determines are Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic, or you can be multimodal which means you have a multiple learning preference. In this paper I will summarize the results received after taking the questionnaire and the other learning styles.

Personal learning styles are highly complex and unique to specific individuals. It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact learning style. Though there are different categories, we often fine tune them to our own abilities. By examining our traits and tendencies we create a clearer understanding of how we process and learn information. With careful review, I have developed a specific analysis of my learning characteristics, including an evaluation of skill levels. Based on what I have recently learned and know from experience, I have also devised a structured plan for improvement of time management and study skills.

As a multimodal learner some adjustments that they would need to make in their study habits would be to not to try and do the assignment all at the end of the week. By starting at the beginning of the week they would be able to break the assignment down into smaller sections so that it would not seem so overwhelming when typing a paper. Other changes that they would need to make would be finding an area and time to study where there were fewer interruptions. The use of more visual aids, for example outline of topic in chart or diagram format. This would help them keep track of where things fit together in their subjects and projects.

Learning styles describe the way in which an individual or student uses different methods in the way they acquire, scrutinize, understand and remember knowledge or information (Kharb, 2013). The VARK questionnaire is a tool through which one can identify his/her learning style and is based on how individuals interact and respond to their learning environment. After undertaking the questionnaire, the scores for visual learning was 10, kinesthetic was 12, Aural was 10 and read/write was 16. The preferred learning style was, therefore, determined to be Multimodal which means that multiple strategies can be in cooperated to enable sufficient learning. Read/Write had the highest score followed closely by kinesthetic, aural and visual. This implies that the adequate strategy to acquire and convey information or knowledge is through printed or written words. With Kinesthetic having the second highest score, it shows that learning is also adequate through gaining experience and engaging in practical activities or processes that give real-life examples. Visual and Aural strategies had the same score meaning that learning can also be achieved through presentations in visual formats, drawings or diagrams as well as observations and taking of verbal instructions or listening.

Looking at these learning styles, I am a Multimodal learner according to my VARK result test. With several methods of learning, this employs diverse ways to help me memorize and understand what I’ve learned much better by changing between different learning styles that any teacher might use to teach because, I like numerous ways of absorbing information.