Basically, this is a very brief yet concise set of questions which hone in on how you, as an individual, learn new activities best. The questions only took about ten minutes or so to answer, but the outcome was pretty "spot-on." I've never taken this particular test, but have taken others very similar. The other tests, however, have been rather lengthy and time consuming, but the outcomes are pretty much the same. Hmmm, perhaps sometimes less is more; as long as it is well thought out and pertinent, which the VARK seems to be.
Anywho, I am considered multimodal with a strong emphasis on the visual. Big Shock to anyone who knows me or has ever taught with me; not!! I do, in fact, learn best by visual representation followed by hands on. That hands on could be doing or writing steps out, but doing is definitely best for me. The perfect way for me to learn a new process is for someone to show me in graphic or picture form the operation first. Followed by a demonstration and an immediate attempt by me to complete the process. I then like to have the written graphic for future reference and practice.
I am thankful that I understand the learning styles and have been taught how to use them. Not to be cliche or anything, but the fact of the matter is that kids do not learn things the same way. Therefore, you cannot have one way of teaching and expect all of your students to be successful. And success doesn't just mean passing the summative exam. Success means they understand it and can teach their peers the process. If a student can lead a small group through the process, then he or she has learned it. I love using that as formative assessing.
The most prevalent ISTE standards addressed in this activity, I would say are:
#1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.(a,b,c and d) By re-evaluating our own learning styles, we are reminded how important it is to teach in different ways so that students are not only learning, but enjoying the material.(At least this is the goal.)
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