study skills seminar - learning preferences using the vark

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Making the transition from secondary to third level learning

How do I learn best? Know what is expected from your

course Engaging with information

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Adult learning

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As a child we learnt by example and practice e.g. Piaget (1936) 8 stages of cognitive development - learning

As we developed our strategies we were helped along the way to build or scaffold our learning on what we had learnt previously, (Vygostky, 1978)

Process of learning (Kolb, 1984)

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Process of learning

‘Whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience’. (Kolb, 1984, p. 38)

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What type of learning is expected in 3rd level› Understanding› Developing an enquiring mind› Compare and contrast information› Argue/ critique› ‘Opinion’, based on evidence

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Learn by attending to information Make it familiar, meaningful and useful

to you We each use methods which help us to

learn We will look at these next

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Learning Discover your learning preference VARK Strategies for learning

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VARK is a questionnaire that provides users with a profile of their learning preferences. These preferences are about the ways that you to take-in and give-out information.

http://www.vark-learn.com/english

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16 questions Each question has 4 answers Choose which answer applies to you,

you may choose more than 1 answer. When all the questions are answered

we will add up the score using the score sheet

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Visual to see information

Aural to hear information

Read/Write to read or write information

Kinesthetic to experience the information, practice what is to be learnt

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Who had visual as their highest preference?

Who had Aural as their highest preference?

Who had Read/write as their highest preference?

Who had Kinesthetic as their highest preference?

Who had a two or more equal scores for their preferences

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VISUAL

› Pictures, videos, posters, slides

› Use different colours/highlighters to underline words/sentences

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› Symbols

› graphs

› Charts

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Discuss topics with others

Use a tape recorder

Explain new ideas to other people

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Jokes

Summarise notes and put on tape to listen to them

Speak inside your head

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Lists Dictionaries Definitions Handouts Books Magazines Computers

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Write out words again and again Rewrite ideas into other words Change diagrams, pictures into words Write out exam answers Practice spelling words

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New language If not sure, record it and research it

using subject dictionary, Understand it, put it own words, save

it in personal dictionary to be consulted as you need it.

Use the new language in your essays, discussions, group projects, presentations etc.

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Use all your senses› Sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing

› Go on field trips

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› Have a hands on approach

› Collect items, rocks, shells, plants etc

› Prepare exhibits, photos, samples

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"Teach me my most difficult concepts in my preferred style.Let me explore my easiest concepts in a different style.Just don't teach me all the time in your preferred styleand think I'm not capable of learning."

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We each learn in stages How we learn can be supported using

learning preferences VARK Use strategies to help learning As you progress use alternative

learning preferences to widen learning potential

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Dynes, R. (2002) Creative Games in Group work. Speechmark, U.K.

Fleming, J. (2006) VARK questionnaire http://www.vark-learn.com/english Accessed February 2012

Marzano, R.J. and Kendall J.S. (2008) Designing and Assessing Educational Objectives. Applying the New Taxonomy. Corwin Press, USA.

Marcy, V. (2001) Adult Learning Styles: How the VARK learning style inventory can be used to improve student learning. Perspective on Physician Assistant Education. Journal of the Association of Physician Assistant Program Vol. 12 (2).

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