With this self-reflection, engage with your classmates about learning style preferences by answering the following. I have provided examples in italics after each of the prompts below, but please know that these are only provided to help you understand the questions more thoroughly and are not intended to limit the ways in which you may respond!
1. State your ILS results in a format like this:
Reflective 7
Intuitive 5
Visual 9
Global 7
2. Consider how your preferences have benefited you in specific disciplines, on certain types of assignments, or during common class activities. Write 2-4 sentences explaining these benefits to your learning styles. Here’s an example:
My Intuitive (5) and Global (7) preferences have helped me in my English courses in high school and now in college. I find that I more naturally look for relationships between ideas (intuitive) and the big picture (Global), which works well when trying to look for themes or mood in fiction or main ideas or tone in non-fiction pieces. I like to find patterns and connections, so writing essays has never been too challenging because I naturally am thinking about what type of analysis or criticism I have when reading a text due to my learning preferences. It’s easy for me to pick out the individual supports for my argument from a text (how imagery or symbolism in the story supports my thesis, for example) when I have the overall meaning in mind.
3. Consider situations in which your learning preferences were not as naturally aligned with the types of information being presented, the method of teaching utilized to structure the learning, or the activities of the course. Write 2-4 sentences describing the situation and how the lack of alignment between how information was presented and your preferred method of learning information affected your learning. Here’s an example:
I have struggled in math or science classes that focus more on the details or processes without providing the big picture–why the topic is important or how it fits together with the other concepts we’ve learned. In Calculus, for example, I could follow the methods (with some effort!) to find the derivative, but I never understood why I was finding it or what anyone would do with it once you determined the answer. It made the work more “plug and chug,” which I found tedious and repetitive due to my Intuitive preference. I passed the class but I never understood what I was doing or why so I’m not sure that I really got anything out of the class. It felt like a lot of work and effort but with limited benefit.
4. Consider your current semester’s courses. For which courses are your learning preferences and the teaching methods, class activities, or course material not aligned? Write 2-4 sentences explaining the current challenge. Then provide 2 specific ways you can utilize your newfound understanding of your learning style preferences to enhance your learning of that material. Here’s an example:
I’m currently take Intro to Chemistry, and while I like Chemistry and balancing equations and am doing well on some assignments, I get very lost in the weekly lab. The instructor hands out the lab assignment at the beginning of lab and everyone starts rushing around to collect the materials and start the experiment but I feel clueless about what I’m supposed to be doing and what measurements I’m writing down and why. I feel like I missed something. Now that I’ve studied learning styles, I think this is likely due to my strong reflective preference and the fact that the lab is taught in a very active method. I’m going to (1) start asking the instructor for the lab assignment before class so that I can (2) read it ahead of time and think about it on my own before lab starts. I think this will help me understand more of what we’re doing and be of more help to my labmates. Hopefully I will also start getting a better grade on my lab reports because I’ll actually understand what we’re doing at the time and my notes will make more sense when I’m writing up my lab report.
5. Finally, comment on 1 other student’s current challenge (response to number 4) by providing additional action steps and insights into how they may use their learning preferences to more efficiently and effectively gain the knowledge for that course and content. Here’s an example:
Hi Yara! I’m a visual learner, too, and I’ve noticed that when I’m in an all-lecture class, I can maintain my focus and understand the information better if I take notes. I think seeing things written down and the act of writing things down helps me process and remember what my instructor is saying, especially in my history course. I also use the informal outline method, which helps me visualize the material. I’m horrible at drawing, but I also try to include visual organizers (Venn diagrams in particular!) and some drawings when I review my notes. I’ve had some success with this already this semester. I noticed there’s a note-taking chapter in our ACA book–that may help you in your English literature class. Good luck!
You’ll receive up to 2 points for each of the 5 piece above, for a total of 10 points for this Forum.
