How do I learn best?

Like the human heart our learning will not stop until the day we die. Every day we learn new things, it can be
taught or just something you pick up naturally. A skill can be taught in many different ways and styles for
example visually, verbally and kinesthetically. People which have been teaching for many years and psychologist
have developed theories which have dramatically changed the education world. I have complete thirteen years
of education and complete have completed VCE, from this I have attempted to look back and connect the
learning styles and techniques which have worked for me. This is my reflection on how I learn best and
connecting it to the theorist which I have learnt through out my first year education subjects.

Personally I found that I learn best when I get to do my own work, research and get my hands on the task. For
example a laboratory class in chemistry 2A, finding the concentration in an unknown solution. This means my
preferred learn style is bodily kinesthetic from the work of Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). However bodily
kinesthetic alone would not be effective for my learning, verbal and visual styles of learning are also used to help
aid the learning process. From what I interpreted the learning style which you are most comfortable with in your
preferred learning style in my case it is bodily kinesthetic however my preferred learning style does not work
alone. I understand and feel that I am most comfortable with learning kinesthetically but what happens if I
needed to learn something which is not very hands on. I believe, because bodily kinesthetic is my preferred style
of learning I need to get comfortable in learning in the other styles which I am not comfortable in which is
verbally and visually. I know my strong points and from this I also know my weak points, so I believe I need to
improve these learning styles which I am not comfortable with. From the VAK learning styles self assessment
questionnaire I scored A=5, B=10, C=15, “A” was for the visual learning style, “B” Auditory, “C” kinesthetic. The
results show that I am mostly a kinesthetic learner. Everyone is different, so every one’s mind is different which
means their learning will be different also, so teaching in one way is unfair, Edutopia (n.d.).

This year I am finishing off my chemistry units at Victoria University, I thought if I was to give the work to a high
school student or anyone which has no clue about chemistry at this level they would not know where to begin.
This links with Vygotsky theory that if a person does not know how to do a task, the gap between what they
have learnt independently and the point which they will learn the task with the help of the environment and a
more knowledgeable other is called the zone of proximal development, George E, (2005). So from the chemistry
example the students Zone of proximal development would be very large firstly putting the student off the
topic. However if the Zone of proximal development was to be at good range which meant the information
which the student needs to know is realistically reachable, the students would “get in the zone” and would
benefit more from this. Hence the student needs to communicate with a more knowledge other which could be
a teacher, a friend which knows more than the student or a parent. I agree in Vygotsky theory as it relates more
to a teacher and student bond, the student would want to know and the teacher will be the more
knowledgeable other to assist the student into achieving their goal. It can also be the other way around, the
student can teach the teacher things as well. We are humans, we cannot learn every single thing in the world
and the more minds there are out there the better chances of us achieving this. I have experienced teachers
which taught me and did not get the information across very well. This comes back to Vygotsky theory on the
Zone of proximal development, the theory is still there but the more knowledgeable other is not as effective.
What I interpreted form Vygotsky is that instruction and environment will affect the learning of others.

Piaget theory states that development proceeds learning, Atherton J S (2011). Piaget talks mental development
and how as it develops it allows the person to understand the world better. An example of this is a grade two
class which I have taught in the past. A simple logically question was given out, a hand full of students knew
what they were doing but a few did not. Is this because there mind is not fully develop to that stage yet and that
is why they cannot answer the question or is it they have not been taught or consulted with a more knowledge
other. I believe that Piaget theory is for a more deep understanding into the mind, deep thinkers and reflectors.
I agree to a certain degree that the mind needs to be mature enough before learning can proceed however I do
not agree that mind development proceeds learning.

My preferred learning style is bodily kinesthetic but when learning new skills I have realized that more than one
style is being utilized. Learning cannot always be bodily kinesthetic, some things cannot be learnt in this way so I
need to improve on my visual and verbal learning. I agree in Vygotsky theory in which the person learns through
the environment and instruction this makes sense for me as an educator whereas Piaget theory where the
development proceeds learning I agree that a person must be mature to a particular stage for learning a new
task which involves deep thinking but I do not agree on how our minds develop to keep up to date with the
environment.
Atherton J S (2011) Learning and Teaching; Piaget's developmental theory, retrieved 5 April 2011
from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm

Edutopia, (n.d.). Big Thinkers: Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences, viewed 3 April 2011,
http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-howard-gardner-video

Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Multiple intelligences go to school: Educational implications of the theory of
multiple intelligences. Educational Researcher, 18(8), 4-9.

George E, (2005), Situating the Zone of Proximal Development, Online Journal of Distance Learning
Administration, vol. 8, no 2