Appendix 3
Index of Learning Styles
The Index of Learning Styles may help you identify your preferred style of learning. There are no right or wrong answers, nor are there preferred styles. Rather, the questionnaire may be used to stimulate reflection about your “style of learning.” Please consider your results as hypotheses to examine in the context of evidence from other sources.
Directions
Circle “a” or “b” to indicate your answer to every question. Please choose only one answer for each question. If both “a” and “b” seem to apply to you, choose the one that applies more frequently.
1. I understand something better after I
a. try it out
b. think it through
2. I would rather be considered
a. realistic
b. innovative
3. When I think about what I did yesterday, I am most likely to get
a. a picture
b. words
4. I tend to
a. understand details of a subject by may be fuzzy about its overall structure
b. understand the overall structure but my be fuzzy about details
5. When I am learning something new, it helps me to
a. talk about it
b. think about it
6. If I were a teacher, I would rather teach a course
a. that deals with facts and real life situations
b. that deals with ideas and theories
7. I prefer to get new information in
a. pictures, diagrams, graphs, or maps
b. written directions or verbal information
8. Once I understand
a. all the parts, I understand the whole thing
b. the whole thing, I see how the parts fit
9. In a study group working on difficult material, I am more likely to
a. jump in and contribute ideas
b. sit back and listen
10. I find it easier
a. to learn facts
b. to learn concepts
11. In a book with lots of pictures and charts, I am likely to
a. look over the pictures and charts carefully
b. focus on the written text
12. When I solve math problems
a. I usually work my way to the solutions one step at a time
b. I often just see the solutions but then have to struggle to figure out the steps to get to them
13. In class I have taken
a. I have usually gotten to know many of the students
b. I have rarely gotten to know many of the students
14. In reading nonfiction, I prefer
a. something that teaches me new facts or tells me how to do something
b. something that gives me new ideas to think about
15. I like teachers
a. who put a lot of diagrams on the board
b. who spend a lot of time explaining
16. When I’m analyzing a story or a novel
a. I think of the incidents and try to put them together to figure out the themes
b. I just know what the themes are when I finish reading and then I have to go back and find the incidents that demonstrate them
17. When I start a homework problem, I am more likely to
a. start working on the solution immediately
b. try to fully understand the problem first
18. I prefer the idea of
a. certainty
b. theory
19. I remember best
a. what I see
b. what I hear
20. It is more important to me that an instructor
a. lay out the material in clear sequential steps
b. give me an overall picture and relate the material to other subjects
21. I prefer to study
a. in a study group
b. alone
22. I am more likely to be considered
a. careful about the details of my work
b. creative about how to do my work
23. When I get directions to a new place, I prefer
a. a map
b. written instructions
24. I learn
a. at a fairly regular pace. If I study hard, I’ll “get it”
b. in fits and starts. I’ll be totally confused and then suddenly it all “clicks”
25. I would rather first
a. try things out
b. think about how I’m going to do it
26. When I am reading for enjoyments, I like writers to
a. clearly say what they mean
b. say things in creative, interesting ways
27. When I see a diagram or sketch in class, I am most likely to remember
a. the picture
b. what the instructor said about it
28. When considering a body of information, I am more likely to
a. focus on details and miss the big picture
b. try to understand the big picture before getting into the details
29. I more easily remember
a. something I have done
b. something I have thought a lot about
30. When I have to perform a task, I prefer to
a. master one way of doing it
b. come up with new ways of doing it
31. When someone is showing me data, I prefer
a. charts or graphs
b. text summarizing the results
32. When writing a paper, I am more likely to
a. work on (think about or write) the beginning of the paper and progress forward
b. work on (think about or write) different parts of the paper an then order them
33. When I have to work on a group project, I first want to
a. have “group brainstorming” where everyone contributes ideas
b. brainstorm individually and then come together as a group to compare ideas
34. I consider it higher praise to call someone
a. sensible
b. imaginative
35. When I meet people at a party, I am more likely to remember
a. what they looked like
b. what they said about themselves
36. When I am learning a new subject, I prefer to
a. stay focused on that subject, learning as much about it as I can
b. try to make connections between that subject and related subjects
37. I am more likely to be considered
a. outgoing
b. reserved
38. I prefer courses that emphasize
a. concrete material (facts, data)
b. abstract material (concepts, theories)
39. For entertainment, I would rather
a. watch television
b. read a book
40. Some teachers start their lectures with an outline of what they will cover. Such outlines are
a. somewhat helpful to me
b. very helpful to me
41. The idea of doing homework in groups, with one grade for the entire group
a. appeals to me
b. does not appeal to me
42. When I am doing long calculations
a. I tend to repeat all my steps and check my work carefully
b. I find checking my work tiresome and have to force myself to do it
43. I tend to picture places I have been
a. easily and fairly accurately
b. with difficulty and without much detail
44. When solving problems in a group, I would be more likely to
a. think of the steps in the solution process
b. think of possible consequences or application of the solution in a wide range of areas
ACT/REF 7 a’s 4 b’s
SEN/INT 5 a’s 6 b’s
VIS/VRB 8 a’s 3 b’s
SEQ/GLO 7 a’s 4 b’s
Learning Style Results
Once you have totaled your scores, place them on the following table to graphically reflect your learning style preferences on the active-reflective, sensory-intuitive, visual-verbal, and sequential-global dimensions.
ACT REF
11 |
9 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
1 ← |
1 → |
3 |
5 |
7 |
9 |
11
|
SEN INT
11 |
9 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
1 ← |
1 → |
3 |
5 |
7 |
9 |
11
|
VIS VRB
11 |
9 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
1 ← |
1 → |
3 |
5 |
7 |
9 |
11
|
SEQ GLO
11 |
9 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
1 ← |
1 → |
3 |
5 |
7 |
9 |
11 |
*If your score on a scale is 1-3, you are fairly well balanced on the two dimensions of that scale.
*If your score on a scale is 5-7, you have a moderate preference for one dimension of the sale and will learn more easily in a teaching environment that favors that dimension.
*If your score on a scale is 9-11, you have a very strong preference for one dimension of the scale. You may have real difficulty learning in an environment that does not support that preference.
ACT = Active Learners REF = Reflective Learners
SEN = Sensing Learners INT = Intuitive Learners
VIS = Visual Learners VRB = Verbal Learners
SEQ = Sequential Learners GLO = Global Learners
The result of the survey that was just taken was not much of a surprise for me. I believe that it is a great benefit that I am very balanced on three out of four of these scales. As a social worker it is part of our job to be able to step out of our own shoes and into another person’s views. By understanding different learning styles and being able to comprehend information no matter how it is being presented will benefit me in the field when learning about clients and learning new information that is becoming new to the field of social work.
Being more of an active learner and visual learner will push me to work hands on with a client who may make the both of us come to a conclusion or understanding a little bit quicker. Leaning more on the intuitive learning style will be okay because it is only by one point. I would be more concerned if it was higher on the scale in terms of following ethics of working in the field. If I were to always trust my instinct it could become a risk to the client and to myself. The last one surprised me because I always believed I looked at the big picture first and tried to understand that before I learned the details. The results showed that I am more sequential which would suggest that I look more at details before getting the big picture. This will benefit my work when working one on one with a client and understanding their dilemma.
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