Question

How do the results of this VARK assessment resonate with you educational endeavors thus far?

Answer 1

VARK means Visual, Aural, Read and Kinesthetic sensory modalities that are used for learning information. It is suggested that four modalities seem to reflect the experiences of the students and teachers. There is some overlap between them as they are defined as description of the initial construction and limitations of VARK and for other works on learning styles.

Visual means the depiction of information in maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams, and symbolic arrows, circles and other devices, that people use to represent what could have been presented in words. This mode is called Graphic.   It does not include still pictures or photographs of reality, movies, videos or PowerPoint. It does include designs, whitespace, patterns, shapes and the different formats that are used to highlight and convey information.

When a matter is to be explained on whiteboard by drawing a diagram with meaningful symbols with respect to different things that are helpful for those with a Visual preference, it must be more than mere words in boxes that would be helpful to those who have a preference to read and write.

Aural is the perceptual mode which describes a preference for information that is heard or spoken. Learners who have this as their main preference report that they learn best from lectures, group discussion, radio, email, using mobile phones, speaking, web chat and talking. Email is included here because it is the text that could be included in the Read and write category. It is written in chat style with abbreviations, colloquial terms, slang and non formal language. The Aural preference includes talking out loud as well as talking to oneself. Often people with this preference want to sort things out by speaking first, than sorting out their ideas and then speaking.

Reading is preferred as information displayed as words. Many teachers and students have a strong preference for this mode. Being able to write well and read widely are attributes sought by employers. This preference emphasizes text based input and output reading and writing in all its forms but especially manuals, reports, essays and assignments. People who prefer this modality are often addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, diaries, dictionaries, quotations. Note that most PowerPoint presentations and the Internet, are essentially suited to those with this preference as there is seldom an auditory channel or a presentation that uses Visual symbols.

Kinesthetic is the modality that refers to the perceptual preference related to the use of experience and practice. Such an experience may invoke other modalities, whose key is that people who prefer this mode are connected to reality, either through concrete personal experiences, examples, practice or simulation. It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of things, case studies, practice and applications. If it can be grasped, held, tasted, or felt it will probably be included. The people with this has a strong preference to learn from the experience of doing something and they value their own background of experiences. It is possible to write or speak Kinesthetically if the topic is strongly based in reality. An assignment that requires the details of who will do what and when, is suited to those with this preference, as is a case study or a working example of what is intended or proposed.

There are seldom instances where one mode is used, and that is sufficient, so that is why there is a four part VARK profile. That is why the Visual, Aural, Read and Kinesthetic questionnaire provides four scores and there are mixtures of those four modes. Those who do not have a standout mode with one preference score well above other scores.