VARK Analysis Paper

Learning styles represent the different approaches to learning based on preferences, weaknesses, and strengths. For learners to best achieve the desired educational outcome, learning styles must be considered when creating a plan. Complete “The VARK Questionnaire,” located on the VARK website, and then complete the following:
1. Click “OK” to receive your questionnaire scores. (completed, see attached)
2. Once you have determined your preferred learning style, review the corresponding link to view your learning preference. (My preferred learning style is Aural per VARK Questionnaire)
3. Review the other learning styles: visual, kinesthetic and multimodal (listed on the VARK Questionnaire Results page). http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/

4. Compare your current preferred learning strategies to the identified strategies for your preferred learning style (Current learning style is Visual)
5. Examine how awareness of learning styles has influenced your perceptions of teaching and learning.
In a paper (750-1,000 words), summarize your analysis of this exercise and discuss the overall value of learning styles. Include the following:
1. Provide a summary of your learning style according the VARK questionnaire.
2. Describe your preferred learning strategies. Compare your current preferred learning strategies to the identified strategies for your preferred learning style.
3. Describe how individual learning styles affect the degree to which a learner can understand or perform educational activities. Discuss the importance of an educator identifying individual learning styles and preferences when working with learners.
4. Discuss why understanding the learning styles of individuals participating in health promotion is important to achieving the desired outcome. How do learning styles ultimately affect the possibility for a behavioral change? How would different learning styles be accommodated in health promotion?
Cite to at least three peer-reviewed or scholarly sources to complete this assignment. Sources should be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric.

ANSWER

Learning Styles

Summary of The Learning Style According to the VARK Questionnaire

VARK is a questionnaire that assists the learner by proposing the tactics that they should be utilizing while learning. Considerably, individuals that have a strong visual preference for learning such as different space, formats, diagrams, charts, plans, and maps (Tabatabei, 2018). The acronym VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/write, and kinesthetic sensory modalities which are utilized for learning. After conducting the VARK questionnaire, the distinct results shown that the learning preference of VARK indicated that my learning strategy is best through Kinesthetic and Aural. My learning preference was strong Aural. This perceptual mode terms a preference for information that is articulated or heard.

Further analysis of distinct learning strategy scores indicated that Aural was the best with a score of 10, Kinesthetic with a score of 5 while visual and write were at zero. Learners that rely on Aural as their main learning preference learn appropriately from group discussion, lectures, email, radio, and mobile devices and talking things out (Parashar, Hulke, and Pakhare, 2019). Aural preference entails talking to themselves and talking out loud. Considerably, individuals with this liking desire to have things sorted out through talking out rather than revealing out their ideas and then talking.

Kinesthetic on the other hand entails the perceptual liking that is associated to the user practice and understanding. People that are linked to this understanding may utilize other modalities but the major thing is that individuals who prefer this style are linked to reality. Kinesthetic entails simulations, demonstrations, movies, and videos that are linked to real things such as practice, case studies, and applications (Lehman, 2019). People that have this learning preference learn from experience and they value their own background and understanding from the experience. Combining Aural and Kinesthetic while learning is effective since one can understand through conducting physical activities, watching demonstrations as well as listening to lectures.

Comparing Preferred and Current Learning Strategies

My preferred learning strategies include Aural and Kinesthetic. An Aural learner focuses on discussing, listening, recall, questions, and talking. For instance, a learner may decide to speak out what they have learned on their own as well as asking questions. The learners prefer using tape recorders and recalling interesting stories that are linked to the concept. On the other hand, Kinesthetic learners focus on examples, practical experience, and senses. Kinesthetic focuses on the need for realistic, movement, and situational examples when obtaining information. This learning strategy has been linked to role plays, hand-on projects, competitions, and field trips.

My preferred learning strategies have varied from my current learning strategies since I focus on visual as well as read and write learning strategies. Visual learning is different from my preferred learning strategies since it focuses on using graphs, space, maps, diagrams, charts, and different formats (Lehman, 2019). For visual learning, highlighting and underlining through different colors to break down complex topics into diagrams and maps. Being a read and write learner, I find the preferred strategies being different since in reading and writing I use lecture notes, summarize points, use lists, and online notes. Lists and handouts have been preferred in reading and write since the learner has to focus on step-by-step reading and understanding. Through reading and writing one can easily comprehend what they have read and enjoy writing.

Effect of Learning Styles on Educational Activities

Learning styles have great effects on the learning outcome since learners are marked by the changes in their attitudinal skills and knowledge with the approaches obtained from certain experiences (Awang et al., 2017). The learning outcomes have been used as an indicator of the best learning styles. Ideally, the learning approaches are considered as affective, cognitive, and psychological characteristics that learners rely on as constant determinants in their interactions, perception, and reaction styles. Learning styles are being used by teachers as techniques of identifying an individual. The teacher relies on the learning strategies to identify a group of students and offer them tactics on how they can become effective. Understanding the learning styles for students can help the teachers to craft effective responses to questions thus offering individual help.

Teachers greatly focus on matching the teaching style to the learning style to ensure that they are effective. Students that have acknowledged their learning strategies have improved their way to learn, encouraged the students in the participation of programs, and motivated them to gain professional knowledge. Determining their learning style has been valuable for them to achieve effective learning. Students that have awareness about their different learning preferences, styles, and strategies influence their learning since they boost their capability to study in a learning approach that is most effective. Considerably, the teacher can offer learning materials in diverse modes but it is up to the learner to choose their favorite strategy of learning that will assist them to remain prosperous.

Learning Styles and Health Promotion

Boosting the effectiveness of patient education is a key objective in health promotion. Considerably, assessing the learning styles of patients then focusing on teaching approaches can boost retention, motivation and make the learning teaching sessions very effective. During health promotion, the learning style improves the health literacy education due to effective engagement of the patient and the health professional about the health matter (Parashar, Hulke, and Pakhare, 2019). Health education should be delivered to the patients in the most effective to improve the influence of health literacy education. Developing educational materials in a manner that will allow delivery with regards to the learning style increases the effectiveness in health promotion and understanding of health education.

References

Awang, H., Abd Samad, N., Faiz, N. M., Roddin, R., & Kankia, J. D. (2017, August). Relationship between the learning styles preferences and academic achievement. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (Vol. 226, No. 1, p. 012193). IOP Publishing.

Lehman, M. E. (2019). Using VARK Learning Styles to Predict Instructional Preferences. NACTA Journal, 63(2).

Parashar, R., Hulke, S., & Pakhare, A. (2019). Learning styles for medical students: role of VARK modality [Response to Letter]. Advances in medical education and practice, 10, 401-402.

Tabatabei, E. (2018). Innovative, creative VARK learning styles improvement strategies. Global Journal Of Foreign Language Teaching, 8(3), 87-93.