People differ in terms of how they acquire knowledge because there are individual variations in information perception, understanding, and memorization. If both students and teachers are aware of their learning styles, the effectiveness of education increases (Chaudhry et al., 2020). Based on such sensory modalities that humans use to interact with the world, Neil Fleming developed a questionnaire known as VARK, which stands for visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic (Chaudhry et al., 2020). I took this questionnaire and received the result that my learning strategies are multimodal, and my scores in all four domains were almost even. In fact, according to the VARK website, it is the most prevalent type of learning in the general population, and these individuals can switch between modalities depending on the situation (VARK, n.d.). Indeed, the test accurately reflected my current learning style because I use various methods to study, but neither approach is superior since it is based on distinct sensory preferences.
My actual and calculated learning styles coincide since I used the multimodal approach in different situations. For example, it is easier for me to use the map to explore a direction or new location. Still, I may consider written instructions and diagrams when assembling a piece of furniture. In my studies, I acquire new knowledge faster if it is presented in written format and contains visual support, like schemes or videos. Overall, this learning model has worked well for me since high school, allowing me to be more efficient in my classes.
The division of learning modalities in the VARK questionnaire was made based on the dominant senses people use. Specifically, visual learners absorb knowledge better with figures, charts, and schemes, while auditory strategy is preferred by people who learn better by hearing information (Hernandez et al., 2020). Read/write learners, as the name suggests, favor reading and taking notes (Hernandez et al., 2020). Kinesthetic learners are those who need to see a real-world application to make valuable connections between ideas and concepts (Hernandez et al., 2020). Mixed strategies, like in my case, imply using different senses for knowledge acquisition. Notably, concept maps that include both visuals and written information were found to be helpful to learners with all of the abovementioned modalities (Wong et al., 2020). Indeed, the dominant senses often determine how a person studies because it means that choosing the learning method that aligns with one’s strongest modality will lead to better outcomes.
Educators should assess their students’ learning styles to know how to improve teaching efficiency by using additional resources that may be helpful for the class. For instance, if most learners prefer the visual method, the teacher should consider including more pictures, schemes, and graphs. However, identifying individual modalities should never be done to show that one is superior to another (Chaudhry et al., 2020). Instead, it allows teachers to know what learning styles are present in a group to use supplementary tools to maximize outcomes.
Learning modalities are essential not only in educational settings but also in health promotion among the general population. This information is needed to influence people’s choices related to their physical and emotional well-being. According to Hubley and Copeman (2018), the target audience’s perception of the presented data about health depends on one’s background knowledge about the field as well as on the dominant senses of individuals. Still, using images, stepwise explanations, schemes, and connections with real-world examples is recommended to ensure an understanding of complex medical topics among non-professionals.
It is possible to use people’s learning styles to influence and motivate them for behavioral change. For instance, if a person with alcohol use issues is identified as a visual learner, showing one all the negative consequences of substance abuse using visual aids may have a greater impact than providing them with written information. People with the dominant auditory system will be more influenced by a discussion in a podcast or lecture (Chaudhry et al., 2020). Kinesthetic learners would likely prefer seeing these health promotion and behavioral change campaigns to be more related to their personal experiences (Chaudhry et al., 2020). Since most people have mixed strategies for knowledge acquisition, these programs have the luxury of including various sets of data to have an impact. Notably, the influence can be enhanced if promotors of a healthy lifestyle obtain data about the audience’s dominant senses using the VARK questionnaire before the meeting or lecture. In that case, this information will help them adjust the methodology of delivering health-related knowledge.
In summary, the VARK questionnaire is a valuable tool that allows determining students’ learning styles based on the assessment of the dominant senses they use for interacting with the world. Five main strategies are described by this method: visual, auditory, read/write, kinesthetic, and multimodal. The test accurately revealed that I use the latter approach in my education, allowing me to adapt to various situations by switching between modalities. This information is critical not only for students but also for educators so that they optimize their teaching techniques to improve learners’ results. Lastly, the VARK tool can be used in traditional educational settings and health promotion.
References
Chaudhry, N. A., Ashar, A., & Ahmad, S. A. (2020). Association of visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) learning styles and academic performances of dental students. PAFMJ, 70(1), 58-63.
Hernandez, J. E., Vasan, N., Huff, S., & Melovitz-Vasan, C. (2020). Learning styles/preferences among medical students: Kinesthetic learner’s multimodal approach to learning anatomy. Medical Science Educator, 30(4), 1633-1638.
Hubley, J., & Copeman, J. (2018). Practical health promotion. John Wiley & Sons.
VARK. (n.d.). Multimodal strategies.
Wong, J. S., Anderson, B., & Gough, M. (2020). Is concept mapping favorable for undergraduates with different learning styles? Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 10(12), 7-13.