Part 2 of 3: Examine your own learning style/s and reflect on what it means for
Part 2 of 3: Examine your own learning style/s and reflect on what it means for your professional identity
Building on the previous topic, we now move onto the topic of learning styles. Given that the professional placement is primarily focussed on learning, gaining insight into how you learn and process knowledge is an important part of your development. Using principles grounded in education, sociology and psychology, learning processes are commonly known as learning styles. Investigations about learning have uncovered how individuals prefer to learn and how the brain adapts to learn new information (Bogo, 2015; Graf, Viola, Leo, & Kinshuk, 2007). Decades of research has produced many different arguments, interpretations and models to explain various learning styles. However, what can be agreed on is we all have different ways that we prefer to learn (Graf et al., 2007). There is no one right, wrong, best or worst style of learning. Each has positives and negatives. Understanding these brings an awareness of individual strengths and weaknesses. Knowing more about one’s strengths and weaknesses can be useful in making decisions about the future. For example, in planning and choosing an education pathway, work experience and even a future career (Sener & Çokçaliskan, 2018).
Key theories and approaches
While understanding one’s preferred learning style is an important factor in reaching one’s full potential, in terms of this module and resource, it has implications for what kind of learning activities you would like to prioritise during your professional placement. It can also help you understand how you accept and process feedback and how you would handle conflict in practice. To accommodate a learning style, it first needs to be identified. However, it is important to understand there are many models and these often dictate the language around learning styles. As you can imagine this can complicate identifying a learning style (Labib, Canós, & Penadés, 2017).
Activity 2.2.1– Points to ponder about learning styles
Take a few minutes to look at a few commonly used learning models before moving onto the next topic where you examine your own learning style.
For the purposes of this module, we will use the VARK model as a self-assessment tool. This is because the resources for this model are the most accessible to students learning online. Remember that identifying your own learning style is not about putting yourself in a box. Instead, it is to help you understand what works best for you in a particular situation, why being comfortable with more than one style can help improve adaptability and what that means for your professional placement experience!
The VARK model
The VARK learning styles model suggests that people predominantly identify with one of four learning styles: 1) Visual, 2) Aural, 3) Read/Write, and 4) Kinesthetic. However, it is important to note that as people progress in their education and career, their learning style may change to