There are many benefits to taking a learning style questionnaire but it is essential to make sure that you understand the purpose of this kind of test. Many people might be a little apt to label students as types and this isnt the best approach to education. After considering how to use the results of a learning style questionnaire you will see how the information benefits both student and teacher.
Many teachers are taking a student-centered approach to education. Traditionally, the classroom was teacher-centered as many of us remember. The teacher would lecture to the class and students would take notes. There was no real need for a learning style questionnaire because teachers were not working with the way students learned. They were mostly concerned with conveying information.
This is not to suggest that the lecture and note-taking approach isnt valuable. Many students who fill out a learning style questionnaire find out that they are auditory learners. This simply means that they retain the most information when it is conveyed thorough the ears. The lecture is a great approach for teaching to this crowd.
However, not all students learn the same way. There are plenty of students who are visual learners. These individuals find on their learning style questionnaire that they take in the most information when it is presented visually. Adding graphs and charts to convey abstract ideas is a wonderful approach to this audience.
Some students who take the learning style questionnaire find that they learn best by doing. These kinesthetic learners perform very well in classes like shop or home economics because they actually get to complete tasks as they learn. Adding assignments that require the student to build or create as they take in new information is a great approach for this group.
When I took my learning style questionnaire I was really shocked to discover that I learn best through music. I scored highest on questions regarding music. This is really ironic because I dont play a musical instrument and I never even learned how to read music. However, I remember things better when they are linked to songs.
Just because you score high in on area over others doesnt mean that you are one specific style of learner. This is only used as a guide for creating lesson plans that will spark interest in the subject for the students. The learning style questionnaire isnt designed to label anyone at all.
3/18/2015
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