an interesting questionnaire, that definately made me think about the way I learn.

 

 

VAK Learning Styles Self-Assessment Questionnaire

 

 

Circle or tick the answer that most represents how you generally behave.

 

(It’s best to complete the questionnaire before reading the accompanying explanation.)

 

 

1. When I operate new equipment I generally:

a)    read the instructions first

b)    listen to an explanation from someone who has used it before

c)     go ahead and have a go, I can figure it out as I use it

 

2. When I need directions for travelling I usually:

a)    look at a map

b)    ask for spoken directions

c)     follow my nose and maybe use a compass

 

3. When I cook a new dish, I like to:

a)    follow a written recipe

b)    call a friend for an explanation

c)     follow my instincts, testing as I cook

 

4. If I am teaching someone something new, I tend to:

a)    write instructions down for them

b)    give them a verbal explanation

c)    demonstrate first and then let them have a go

 

5. I tend to say:

a)    watch how I do it

b)    listen to me explain

c)     you have a go

 

6. During my free time I most enjoy:

a)    going to museums and galleries

b)    listening to music and talking to my friends

c)     playing sport or doing DIY

 

7. When I go shopping for clothes, I tend to:

a)    imagine what they would look like on

b)    discuss them with the shop staff

c)    try them on and test them out

 

8. When I am choosing a holiday I usually:

a)    read lots of brochures

b)    listen to recommendations from friends

c)     imagine what it would be like to be there

 

9. If I was buying a new car, I would:

a)    read reviews in newspapers and magazines

b)    discuss what I need with my friends

c)     test-drive lots of different types

 

10. When I am learning a new skill, I am most comfortable:

a)    watching what the teacher is doing

b)    talking through with the teacher exactly what I’m supposed to do

c)     giving it a try myself and work it out as I go

 

11. If I am choosing food off a menu, I tend to:

a)    imagine what the food will look like

b)    talk through the options in my head or with my partner

c)    imagine what the food will taste like

 

12. When I listen to a band, I can’t help:

a)    watching the band members and other people in the audience

b)    listening to the lyrics and the beats

c)    moving in time with the music

 

13. When I concentrate, I most often:

a)    focus on the words or the pictures in front of me

b)    discuss the problem and the possible solutions in my head

c)     move around a lot, fiddle with pens and pencils and touch things

 

14. I choose household furnishings because I like:

a)    their colours and how they look

b)    the descriptions the sales-people give me

c)     their textures and what it feels like to touch them

 

15. My first memory is of:

a)    looking at something

b)    being spoken to

c)    doing something

 

16. When I am anxious, I:

a)    visualise the worst-case scenarios

b)    talk over in my head what worries me most

c)     can’t sit still, fiddle and move around constantly

 

17. I feel especially connected to other people because of:

a)    how they look

b)    what they say to me

c)    how they make me feel

 

18. When I have to revise for an exam, I generally:

a)    write lots of revision notes and diagrams

b)    talk over my notes, alone or with other people

c)     imagine making the movement or creating the formula

 

19. If I am explaining to someone I tend to:

a)    show them what I mean

b)    explain to them in different ways until they understand

c)     encourage them to try and talk them through my idea as they do it

 

20. I really love:

a)    watching films, photography, looking at art or people watching

b)    listening to music, the radio or talking to friends

c)    taking part in sporting activities, eating fine foods and wines or dancing

 

21. Most of my free time is spent:

a)    watching television

b)    talking to friends

c)     doing physical activity or making things

 

22. When I first contact a new person, I usually:

a)    arrange a face to face meeting

b)    talk to them on the telephone

c)     try to get together whilst doing something else, such as an activity or a meal

 

23. I first notice how people:

a)    look and dress

b)    sound and speak

c)     stand and move

 

24. If I am angry, I tend to:

a)    keep replaying in my mind what it is that has upset me

b)    raise my voice and tell people how I feel

c)     stamp about, slam doors and physically demonstrate my anger

 

25. I find it easiest to remember:

a)    faces

b)    names

c)    things I have done

 

26. I think that you can tell if someone is lying if:

a)    they avoid looking at you

b)    their voices changes

c)    they give me funny vibes

 

27. When I meet an old friend:

a)    I say “it’s great to see you!”

b)    I say “it’s great to hear from you!”

c)     I give them a hug or a handshake

 

28. I remember things best by:

a)    writing notes or keeping printed details

b)    saying them aloud or repeating words and key points in my head

c)     doing and practising the activity or imagining it being done

 

29. If I have to complain about faulty goods, I am most comfortable:

a)    writing a letter

b)    complaining over the phone

c)    taking the item back to the store or posting it to head office

 

30. I tend to say:

a)    I see what you mean

b)    I hear what you are saying

c)    I know how you feel

 

 

 

Now add up how many A’s, B’s and C’s you selected.

 

 

 

A’s =     11                                 B’s =     8                                  C’s =     11

 

 

 

 

If you chose mostly A’s you have a VISUAL learning style.

 

If you chose mostly B’s you have an AUDITORY learning style.

 

If you chose mostly C’s you have a KINAESTHETIC learning style.

 

 

Some people find that their learning style may be a blend of two or three styles, in this case read about the styles that apply to you in the explanation below.

 

When you have identified your learning style(s), read the learning styles explanations and consider how this might help you to identify learning and development that best meets your preference(s).

 

Now see the VAK Learning Styles Explanation.

 

 

 

 

VAK Learning Styles Explanation

 

 

The VAK learning styles model suggests that most people can be divided into one of three preferred styles of learning. These three styles are as follows, (and there is no right or wrong learning style):

 

 

• Someone with a Visual learning style has a preference for seen or observed things, including pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts, films, flip-chart, etc. These people will use phrases such as ‘show me’, ‘let’s have a look at that’ and will be best able to perform a new task after reading the instructions or watching someone else do it first. These are the people who will work from lists and written directions and instructions.

 

• Someone with an Auditory learning style has a preference for the transfer of information through listening: to the spoken word, of self or others, of sounds and noises. These people will use phrases such as ‘tell me’, ‘let’s talk it over’ and will be best able to perform a new task after listening to instructions from an expert. These are the people who are happy being given spoken instructions over the telephone, and can remember all the words to songs that they hear!

 

 

• Someone with a Kinaesthetic learning style has a preference for physical experience - touching, feeling, holding, doing, practical hands-on experiences. These people will use phrases such as ‘let me try’, ‘how do you feel?’ and will be best able to perform a new task by going ahead and trying it out, learning as they go. These are the people who like to experiment, hands-on, and never look at the instructions first!

 

 

People commonly have a main preferred learning style, but this will be part of a blend of all three. Some people have a very strong preference; other people have a more even mixture of two or less commonly, three styles.

 

When you know your preferred learning style(s) you understand the type of learning that best suits you. This enables you to choose the types of learning that work best for you.

 

There is no right or wrong learning style. The point is that there are types of learning that are right for your own preferred learning style.

 

Please note that this is not a scientifically validated testing instrument – it is a free assessment tool designed to give a broad indication of preferred learning style(s).

 

More information about learning styles, personality, and personal development is at www.businessballs.com.

 

 

With acknowledgements to Victoria Chislett for developing this assessment.

 

Victoria Chislett specialises in performance psychology and its application within organisations, and can be contacted via email: performance_psychologist at yahoo.com.

 http://www.businessballs.com/vaklearningstylestest.htm

 

 

How I Use Web 2.0

http://prezi.com/p9sxesfyrpei/web-20/

The Networked Professional

What is it?

•  a work related community
• common interests or needs

How do I engage my professional network?

Thinking about this question has made me realise that I am actually quite bad at engaging my networking, I read others opinions, have dance professionals as friends on facebook and twitter, memberships to organisations and friends in the business, but apart from those that I spend most of my working days with, how much do I actually engage with them. Giving them my opinions and thoughts, sharing my work with others and feeling equal to them. Being confident enough in the work that I produce to share with people who I assume are more qualified, and talented than myself. So its time for me to step out the box and share as well as learn from others.

I like to surround myself with people in the industry, am interested to hear and read about their successes and reflections of the dance industry. I see them networking through facebook, advertising their performances and sharing their opinions on the particular dance styles that are important to them. Using networking in this way has enabled me to reach out to others across the world, learning from international artists and learn new and interesting dance styles. I have used facebook to advertise my own classes and the start of a dance academy that I hope will flourish when the time is right. I am passionate about giving people who have given up dancing the opportunity to dance and perform again, the way I have been able to.

Concepts of Professional Networking

Cooperation

In the reader is explained very differently to how I would describe it. Robert Axelrod identifies it as cooperating with others to the point of maximum benefit, only to defect. The Game Theory. Initially this confused me, it didn't seem to reflect my understanding of Cooperation, but having thought deeper about it, one of my main 'pet hates' about the industry is how 'precious' some teachers can be about their particular style, genre, company, etc. This equates to the same thing, they will embrace you and welcome you in to their circle until they have what they want, then cast you aside to move onto the next person of use. I hope I am being honest with myself in saying that this is not how I work. I believe cooperation to be just that, everyone sharing ideas and working together, then using learnt principals and knowledge to suit ones particular style, I guess you could say that this is the same thing, but without the defecting, more using experiences to increase your personal dance bank and embracing differences in practise,neither better or worse, just different.

Affiliation

Social Psychology - how humans enjoy and benefit from affiliations with others and the reasons why humans 'form close relationships'. Provides a 'network for support that will help us when we are in need' (Crisp and Turner)

Being around like minded people has helped me to progress my learning and knowledge over the years although I am aware the I use this concept in different ways. If I am confident in what I am doing affiliation helps me to share ideas with a view to learning new things and ways to progress but if I am less confident, I shy away from affiliation and prefer to work quite individually. This became clear to me when starting to teach GCSE dance, meeting with a fellow teacher from a partnership school who I have ultimate respect for, initial meetings helped me to start teaching the course but I am aware that I didn't continue to use the affiliation as successfully as I could have due to my own vulnerability. I didn't want to see a another course being run differently, then questioning my own ability to run my course. I didn't have the confidence in my own abilities. I realise that I would have benefited hugely from the affiliation with the school and although still have a close working relationship with the teachers, I am now teaching Btec so more confident to share general practise with them. Definitely something that I need to address more positively in the future.

Social Contructionism

Through social interactions humans 'construct' meanings of the world and their experiences of it.

Wow, this one is a toughy.

I didn't realise that I use this all the time - I think!!  Through my networking with others I am able to construct my own understanding and knowledge.  I am able to reflect on what I do and how I do it.

Connectivism

Stephen Downes states: "to teach is to model and demonstrate, to learn is to practise and reflect.

I like this concept and feel that the more we can introduce this into our schools the better researched and prepared our students will be. Web 2.0 give us the tools to do this and share this. How many times do we 'google it' to enhance our knowledge. I don't think that this should take over from the traditional ways we learn from others, but used correctly this can enhance our ability to find knowledge create our own experiences. Hand in hand traditional teaching and modern learning will enhance our professional practise.

I don't think anyone can deny the importance of networking in our industry. Whether for support, acquiring knowledge, learning, sharing, we can pick it up and put it down when it suits. On reflection I can see how important it is for me to gain knowledge and that maybe sharing my practise with my network family could be equally as rewarding so not to shy away from it. 

It is always said that who you know is as important as what you know. I am not sure that I totally believe that, but certainly goes hand in hand. Sharing and co-operating with who you know and what you know will ensure success for us all in the industry, so don't be precious be open.

I will keep up to date with my blogg
I will keep up to date with my blogg.........

Finally I have completed some more work, maybe less sleepless nights now and keeping on-top of things. It has been an interesting few months......

7months pregnant, full teaching timetable, choreographing a County Team, performances (obviously not personally, this belly is not a good look), pressures of performance management and lesson observations and finally last week..... the dreaded OFSTED.  (Violins anyone)

I have made it through and although the end of term can not come quick enough, I need to get my priorities sorted. So Uni work it is.... or mayb I should be thinking about becoming an outstanding teachers, but then at some point I have to think about preparing for the new arrival, or mayb I'll just crack up...... no not an option.

so here I am 'Manning up' and getting on with it. but how to start the Critical Reflection................

Good luck everyone. Ramble over.

The Reflective Practitioner

I consider myself to be a very reflective person but reading Reader 2 and David Kolb's idea of a Learning Circle, have found it very difficult to establish where I begin, my entry point. I can reflect on times in my life both professionally and personally when I have entered the circle at every point. Certainly professionally my 'entry point' is determined by my confidence in what I am learning. If I am confident of success then my entry point would probably be 'Active Experimentation', planning and trying things I have learnt out, times that I am less confident in swhat I am doing would definitely be 'Reflective observation', watching others seeing how others do it before attempting it myself, giving me a starting point and an idea of how others have done it. That is certainly the case with this particular module, reading others bloggs and how they have moved forward has both at times been a positive and negative exercise but definitely a starting point and a 'kick up the backside' to stop hiding from it and getting on with it.

Moving on from Kolb but inspired by him, I very much relate to Peter Honey and Alan Mumford four stages. I truly believe that the learning process comes from experience and that no experience should be regretted, easier said than done at times, but being able to review what has happened, coming to a conclusion and than moving forward from it helps us to learn and mould the future. As a teacher I find that I do this regularly and am constantly reviewing schemes of work, lessons to give my students a better experience the next time I teach the lesson. This not only allows a better learning experience for my students but also for myself. What could I have done better, did I have the knowledge I needed, could I have made it easier for the students and myself.

THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTITIONER

Donal Schon - Reflection-in-action 'v' Reflection-on-action. Reflection can happen while you are IN the middle of it or looking back on it. One of the hardest things is to be able to write about something you do naturally, which touches on Tacit knowledge. Schon's idea has enabled me to understand the way I respond when teaching and choreographing. I use 'on-line' reflection on a regular basis, changing steps and teaching ideas as I see or feel the choreography developing. making decisions on the spot to enhance my work. I see other dance teachers doing the same thing. I do believe that dance teachers also use 'off-line' reflection. Use of Video and playback is important in my professional life. Giving me the opportunity to watch and make decisions about the success of the choreography and performance skills in order to refine dances at a later date. Although deemed by Robert Kottcamp as harder, Reflection in action comes naturally to a lot of dance teachers who work in the moment on a regular basis, but then use reflection on action to reflect on the changes that have been made allowing for analysis and planning for the next session. Even though, as Kottcamp underlines, dance practitioners are the sole collectors of the data on their own work. the people we are normally preparing our work for others to see so I feel that this is where 'Off-line' reflection is important.

Michael Polanyi - 'I shall reconsider human knowledge by starting from the fact that we can know more than we can tell'.