VARK Analysis Paper

VARK Analysis Paper

Introduction

A learning style is a student's consistently preferred way of responding in a learning context. Learning styles are basically concerned with how learners prefer to learn. Everybody has a different learning style based on their preferences to process the information around us. Some depend on their visual capabilities while others are more comfortable with auditory input. Some may rely on kinesthetic means to learn, read/write study strategies, or they may employ a combination of two or three of them as their learning mode (Duckett & Tatarkowski, n.d.). Determining our preferred learning style helps us to understand what works best for us which ultimately helps us in maximizing and enhancing our learning. To identify the preferred learning style of an individual there are a number of questionnaires and quizzes that might serve as useful. VARK is one such questionnaire that helps in determining the learning approach that works best for an individual. Filling this questionnaire provided kinesthetic style as my preferred learning style.

Discussion

Kinesthetic is one of the four major learning styles defined in the VARK questionnaire. Kinesthetic learning has two sub channels i.e. movement and touch, hence such learners learn best when there is a physical activity taking place. Instead of listening to a lecture or watching a demonstration, they prefer doing it themselves. There is a tendency of losing concentration if there is no external stimulation or movement. Such learners, therefore, acquire information at an accelerated pace if provided with a practical learning activity such as in a science lab, field trip or are provided with real life examples. They learn best when given a chance to undertake a hands-on experience of things so that they have a chance of learning through trial and error. While listening to the lecture sometimes they prefer to take notes or highlight information for the sake of moving their hands.

Kinesthetic learners like myself, tend to excel more in subjects that require a practical approach to things. In other subjects where there are more lecture based classes or a simple demonstration to things is done there is a tendency of losing concentration, therefore for such situations to make the learning to take place such learners take notes and write keywords so that information can be retained in the memory as well as there is some kind of movement taking place. When preparing for an exam, flashcards, writing answers and role ...