“You learn something every day if you pay attention.” Ray LeBlond (www.quotegarden.com, 2014) (Hutton, 2013). Learning is a lifelong occupation that we all do. From the time we take our first breath, to the time we die, we are learning. We learn to adapt to the changing world and surrounding us. Learning can be described as a river, when it is flowing it has life in it. However, when it stops life stops with it. We all are made differently and the way we learn or grasp new knowledge is not the same way. The writer had been out of college for a while. He went back to nursing school after ten years of being out of the classroom. The College and education system that the writer grew up focused more on the concept of retaining the material rather than understanding the concept. This foundation of early education affected how the writer learned new concepts. Repetition was always a key for the writer to retain study material, and the author used the same method for nursing school. This however affected when the knowledge learned had to be applied. Writer had to start applying the knowledge learned into practice; simple repetition did not help. Although it helped to memorize key concept and information. The writer would record lectures and listen to it while at work and home. This helped the author to retain information. More or less writer was an auditory learner. Auditory learners use repetition to memorize, use tape recorders to record and play back the lesson, (Hutton, 2013). Writer is not a good reader and instead would rather prefer to listen audio books. After listening to the study material, the author would write down the important points of study material to memorize it. Flashcards never worked for the writer. In fact, the concept of the flashcard was new for the writer till the writer went to nursing school. Writer always liked taking mock tests or practice tests or would have a partner ask the questions on studied material to test the knowledge.
After completing the VARK questionnaire- the writer identified his preferred learning style as kinesthetic learning. Writers second highest score after kinesthetic learning was Visual learning. Both Kinesthetic and Visual learning involves being able to touch and see what is being learned. As per education.com webpage, it states kinesthetic learners cannot sit for longer period. In the case of the writer, writer learned how to sit for longer period to learn new concept or a lesson, writer would have preferred to be able to actually doing hands on training. Kinesthetic learners are those who “imply total physical involvement with a learning environment such as taking a field trip, dramatizing, pantomiming, or interviewing” (Kinsella, 1995). Kinesthetic learning involves learner’s senses, practical exercises, examples, cases, trial and error. Kinesthetic learner child requires hands-on learning opportunities including, experiments, field trips, role- playing, projects and games (Hutton, 2013). With the knowledge of the preferred learning strategy of auditory learning and identified learning strategy of kinesthetic learning, the author can use information with the current style of learning and incorporate the strategies that would affect the lifelong learning process. VARK questionnaire was an eye opener for the writer as it undoubtedly suggested that a person could have more than one learning style. Identifying an individual’s learning style can be a boon for teachers as it gives them an idea on how a student would learn and what strategies would work for that particular student. Teachers and families can plan on helping a struggling student based on the student’s learning style. Auditory learning style will not spend more time sitting and read. However, if the student has an option to listen the lesson or a book then that would help in learning process. Same way a visual learner would need more pictures, graphics, images, charts, outlines, story maps, and diagrams (Hutton, 2013) to understand a material. Knowledge of particular learning style will also help students. This way student would not spend time on trying to learn new things the way they did earlier, and learning will be more enjoyable and not a chore. VARK questionnaire is great tool to identify an individual learning strategy, but it also gives Nurses insight on how to teach their patients. A patient who is clearly a visual learning will not benefit with hands-on kinesthetic strategy. Visual learner patient would like written instructions, visual aids, images and charts to understand what is being taught. Teachers including nurses should incorporate if not all but most of the strategies in the teaching when not sure how their learners learn. This way if a learner is not truly interested in one particular strategy they would benefit from the other strategy that a teacher might use.
Regardless of persons own preferred style of learning. Learning goes on, some master it; continue to learn faster and easier. Whereas, for some it is too difficult to learn a new language or a new musical instrument, or even new documentation process for charting. Learners and teachers need to identify what works best in the learning process for them. Learning is life long process and honing this skill would help to reap the benefits lifelong. As Eartha Kitt said “ I am learning all the time. My tombstone will be my diploma” (www.quotegarden.com, 2014).

Reference:

Kinsella,K.(1995).UnderstandingandempoweringdiverselearnersinESLclassroom.
In J.M.Reid(Ed.)Learningstyles in the ESL/EFL classroom (170-194). New York:
Heinle and Heinle Publishers.
Hutton, S. (2013, August 12). Helping Kinesthetic Learners Succeed. In www.education.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/kinesthetic_learner/
Hutton, S. (2013, June 25). Helping Visual Learners Succeed. In www.education.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Helping_Visual_Learners/
Hutton, S. (2013, September 16). Helping Auditory Learners Succeed. In www.education.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/auditory_learners/
(2014, May 30). In www.quotegarden.com. Retrieved November 29, 2014.