I took the Multiple Intelligences Self-Assessment from Edutopia and the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire from NC State University. My results are below:
Edutopia:
Linguistic 92%
Logical-Mathematical: 56%
Visual-Spatial 83%
Intrapersonal 88%
Interpersonal 81%
Musical 0
Bodily-Kinesthetic 0%
Naturalistic 75%
I’m not sure how well this quiz really reflects my learning style and I think it has some inherent bias in it or some of the wording was strange. For example, I got a 0% on Bodily-Kinesthetic, because I don’t really dance and don’t play sports, but I do bike ride a lot, so I’m actually in really good shape. Maybe the problem is that I don’t really consider biking to be a sport.
On the other scale that I took, the NC State University one, I scored right down the middle. Again, I thought I had some problems with the way that the test was worded, I think my approach to a task depends on the nature of the task itself, but my scores show I am well balanced in my learning style.
I think the most striking thing from the reading this topic has been the combination of two discrete learning styles first identified by Kolb, (Grassian & Kaplowitz, 2009, p. 42). I think that I had always viewed reflective learners and experiential learners as being from very different camps, but I immediately recognized in myself the need to reflect on concrete, direct experiences. I felt that Henry & Mumford’s Learning Styles Questionnaire, to be refinement of Kolb’s earlier ideas but run the risk of being overly reductionist, (Grassian & Kaplowitz, p. 43).
Evidence in the literature points shows us that well designed instruction will have something for everyone. This is more than just common sense or an economy of scale approach, Rogowsky, Calhoun and Tallal (2015) showed no correlation between learning style preferences, aptitude and achievement.
I find myself wondering how learning styles are impacted by learning disabilities. Do deficits dictate learning styles, are they remediated by them, or are they hindered? This is probably beyond the scope of this class, but it’s what I’ve been thinking about nevertheless.
Grassian, E. & Kaplowitz, J.R. (2009). Information literacy instruction: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
Multiple Intelligences Self-Assessment from Edutopia. (2015). Retrieved September 10, 2016 from http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-assessment
Rogowsky, B.A, Calhoun, B.M., & Tallal, P. (2015). Matching learning style to instructional method: Effects on comprehension, Journal of Education Psychology
Solomon, R.M. & Fedler, B.A. (2016). Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire. Retrieved Retrieved September 10, 2016 from http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html