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Archive for Assessment

Feb 18

What Type of Learner are YOU?

Posted by under Assessment, Learner 3 Comments »

STAR Discovery Educator There is a fabulous survey from the University of Phoenix called Education Nation Learner Profile Assessment which asks you a series of painless and animated survey questions generates a profile of your learning style:

After completing the learner assessment exercise on:
http://www.phoenix.edu/cmp/education-nation/online-assessment.html
I did an additional survey on having my students rank their
percentages HIGHEST to LOWEST (left to right)
Display Order
1. Physical (Kinesthetic) Learning Style
You like to be actively involved in learning by using your
hands, body, and sense of touch.
2. Social (Interpersonal) Learning Style
You feel most comfortable learning when you are surrounded by
others.
3. Visual (Spatial) Learning Style
You seem to comprehend new information
when you can see a picture or graphic to illustrate it.
4. Aural (Auditory-Musical) Learning
Style
You find that using sound and music in your learning
environment is a good strategy.
5. Solitary (Intrapersonal) Learning Style
When it is time to focus on a learning task, you prefer to be
alone.
6. Verbal (Linguistic) Learning Style
You prefer to be able to describe the
new information that you are learning by using words.
7. Logical (Mathematical) Learning Style
When it comes to understanding and remembering new information,
you feel most comfortable when you use logic, reasoning, and systems
thinking.

NOTE: The survey times-out your percentages if you don’t keep selecting the option to keep your percentages screen.

As educators, the golden rule is to use a variety of methods in order to get the most effectiveness to your students.
When I tested myself, I was surprised to find I was solidly a SOLITARY learner, but in teaching classes with up to 32 students in High School and having very young children at home - learning best ALONE was not too surprising.
Most of my students tested in the Aural (Music) style, where they learned best listening to music, which is typically a no-no in the classroom.
NO ONE tested as a VERBAL (lecture-based) learner.
Here is where something called Authentic Assessment comes into play:

Q: When should I give this survey?
Ans: BEFORE you give (any) lesson.

Q: What do I do if two classes are OPPOSITES for a particular learning style and my lesson only utilizes one of the styles?
Ans: You should Authenticate or cater your lesson to accommodate both styles.

The key is that Assessment is Driving Curriculum and not the opposite, teaching to the test.