This paper was written in the context of the adult learner course where we learned how adults learn including how we learn and how our learning style affects how we teach. I have revisited this paper and realized that I am still the same as far as how I like to learn but I think I have gotten better at applying new ways of learning that I didn’t use earlier in my life.
The result of the Learning Styles Inventory by Tony Grashaw in, “Learning with Style” demonstrates that I am an independent learner and a participant. I think this is different than how I was as a child. I was very quiet and teachers would often tell my parents that I didn’t participate, for example, by answering questions in class unless I was asked. I do remember, however, always feeling eager inside to “get the right answer” and I enjoyed school for the most part. I enjoyed the new knowledge and so my memory of myself is actually more in line with the Grashaw inventory where I am a participant because in my mind I felt engaged. I think I didn’t show it at times on the outside. My parents were very good about letting me be me. I didn’t feel pressure as a child to do certain things or act a certain way so I think because of that I am somewhat undisciplined when it comes to learning. But that attitude also allowed me to put my hands in the dirt, run around in bare feet and experience the world around me. As my mother still often says, “live and learn.” I think that describes me as a learner.
According to the explanations for my learning categories, I am a learner who likes to think for myself and I am confident in my learning abilities. I think this also has risen out of the fact that as a child I was let loose as it were to explore the world.
I prefer to learn the content I feel is important and work alone on projects as opposed to working with other students. In this way, I think the participant category is a little inaccurate but I do like to engage in what is being taught and learn it. I do enjoy being around other learners and value their input but I like to think for myself and use others ideas as something to bounce my own from. In the participant category, I am a “good citizen” which means that I enjoy going to class and taking part in as much of the course activities as is possible. These descriptions of me ring true. This is why I have been successful in completing (thus far) the course work online.
I also completed an inventory called the Learning Styles and Strategies (Felder and Solomon). According to this inventory, I am a visual learner. I learn best with things that I can see – pictures, diagrams, flow charts, demonstrations etc. According to this inventory, most people are visual learners. I also scored high in the Global category. I absorb material randomly, in fits and starts and then, “get it.” The explanation in the inventory states that global learners tend to be able to solve problems in unique ways when we can see the big picture. I think the explanations for both inventories were accurate when I took them the first time and they are still true today. What I think is different is that the awareness of my learning style and the time that has elapsed since the first time I took the inventories, has allowed me to become more conscious about not using teaching techniques that fit just my learning style.
As an adult learner, I think that I am typical of most adults who want to learn. I like for the teacher to be the facilitator. I also want to learn what is useful to me and that is the kind of opportunity I seek when I enroll in a class.
I think that some of the characteristics that relate to my style of learning are somewhat fluid. As a participant, according to the Grashaw inventory, I am flexible in terms of how I am willing to learn and adapt to what is going in the class. That doesn’t mean I necessarily enjoy it, but since I like to participate and want to learn I am flexible. This has helped me learn-how-to-learn and is not something new to me. For example, I earned a good portion of my undergraduate degree in a correspondence program that was the predecessor to online learning. Because I didn’t go to school the traditional way after high school, and I needed to maintain full time employment, this was the only option available at the time to obtain post secondary education. It was in that context that I really gained my independence as a learner and learned how I learn and how to learn. The motivation to succeed in a college level class on my own without the advantage of having other classmates and the instructor right there was a valuable experience for me.
Because I am a visual, global learner, according Felder and Solomon’s inventory, I like to be involved in learning something by doing and having a purpose for the knowledge. I don’t think I really do well with theoretical knowledge that has no application for me.
I think my learning style contributes to my self-directed learning because I can see the big picture (global). This means that I can see the end result and understand the value of what I am doing when I am enmeshed in the finer details of reaching my goals. My need to visualize what I am learning also contributes to my learning because I can translate words into doodles or numbers or notes or drawings that helps me remember. The fact that I am a participant and independent affords me the opportunity to learn on my own so that I don’t need to rely on those around me or on the teacher. These characteristics have all contributed to where I am today as a learner and I believe I will continue to learn in this way in the future.
REFERENCES
Felder, Richard, and Barbara Solomon. Learning Styles and Strategies. N.C. State University. Web. 10 Oct. 2009. .
Grasha, Tony. Learning Style Survey. University of Cincinnati, Cuesta College, Cincinnati OH, 27 Mar. 2009. Web. 16 Oct. 2009. .
