VARK Learning Style: Multimodal Learning Preference (Type 1)
Going into Dev Bootcamp, I took the VARK questionnaire to see what my learning style is. Not surprisingly, the survey concluded that I had a "Multimodal Learning Preference"- not favoring any one mode in particular. It pointed out that I change my primary approach to learning depending on the situation- classifying me as "Type 1". Here is the breakdown:
- Visual 5 The visual modality includes maps, diagrams, charts, graphs, and other visual representation of information, excluding still pictures, movies, or other designs. Initially, I was surprised that this didn't dominate my VARK style, as I consider myself a very visual and creative person. Now having a few weeks of Phase 0 under my belt, it seems more accurate- but I still suspect this may only be circumstantial.
- Aural 4 A mode primarily focused on the spoken word- aural learners thrive in lectures, discussion, radio, email, or even web-chat. My least preferred learning modality (according to the quiz!), I ask myself why this is less effective than the others. My conclusion after reflecting on the last three weeks is that aural learning is best suited for me for non-technical topics of interest. I listen to a lot of podcasts, watch lectures online, and enjoy compelling conversation with friends or strangers- actually these are some of my greatest day to day pleasures in life! But for more technical learning, such as Dev Bootcamp, the details that have to be retained (such as html or css syntax) need to be read, written, and repeated for optimum learning. The fact that I can see the circumstantial differences in my learning styles only further confirms my multimodal nature!
- Read/Write 6 Already knowing that reading and writing are imperative to my learning process, I started Phase 0 diligently taking notes. I consolidated the most important pieces of curriculum from Github, recommended readings, Codeacademy, and stack overflow for a go-to reference guide. Additionally, I found writing and reviewing flashcards for command line really helpful.
- Kinesthetic 6 And finally, kinesthetic mode- according to the VARK website, "includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of 'real' things, as well as case studies, practice and applications." Equally weighted with reading and writing, real life experiences have actually been equally beneficial to me in DBC. I've been meeting regularly in-person with other students already in San Francisco providing a coworking environment where we can not only ask questions as we work, but compare notes, so to speak, on our various challenges. In one of my pairing sessions, my partner explained a concept to me via pseudocoding with pen and paper. It was memorable and helped me later when I needed to recall the method. These unique experiences help me distinguish day upon day of learning on my laptop. I expect this will continue to prove itself over again throughout the program.
Now wrapping up Week 3 of Phase 0, I feel a lot of validation in my initial predictions for what I would need to do to help me learn the curriculum. Knowing that technical learning is more difficult for me than creative pursuits, I reached out to other students early and often- proving to reinforce my kinesthetic learning. Another behavior that has proven worthwhile is the extra time and effort in notes and flashcards. Because syntax has been the most challenging part of the curriculum to retain, the repetitive nature of reading, writing, and recalling seems to be the only thing that can turn what I've memorized into real knowledge.
The insight I've gained from understanding my learning style is very much aligning with my mindset. In my first blog, I discussed growth versus fixed mindset. I still feel comfortable acknowledging when I am struggling with the curriculum. Some days, I seem to be asking all of the questions in my cowork environment, but other days the roles reverse and I feel I have a more solid grasp on the material than my peers. I'm happy to know where my weaknesses lie so that I can improve upon them. Likewise, the feedback I've received to date regarding my technical contributions to peer-pairing has been less than overwhelming. This is clearly an opportunity for me to step up my efforts so that I can be as helpful, if not more, to my partners as they have been to me. Afterall, my mother taught me that it's rude not to reciprocate- my Southern values will triumph afterall! Tomorrow starts a new week.