2. Why are learning styles important?
• Learning style influences level of learning success
Georgia).
(University of
• Knowing and exploiting a particular learning style helps
students to maximize their learning (Mutiu & Georgeta, 2011).
• Recommending resources based on learning styles is
necessary because it really helps students to learn in their
own styles (Mutiu & Georgeta, 2011).
• The learning process can be facilitated by professorsʼ direct
efforts in identifying studentsʼ learning style, which underlines
the importance of having a diversity of resources available for
students and to be able to offer them a constructive solution
regarding their learning styles (Mutiu & Georgeta, 2011).
3. Why are learning styles important?
(continued)
• As OTs, knowing how a client prefers to learn helps us
design an effective teaching plan
• Understanding different learning preferences helps us
communicate better when:
o Providing directions
o Teaching a skill
o Relating knowledge or information
4. 1
Learning Objective #1
Given a paper version of the VARK assessment, learners
will identify (by score they receive on the assessment) their
most appropriate learning style from the following
categories listed in the assessment:
o Visual learners
o Aural learners
o Read/write learners
o Kinesthetic learners
5. 2
Learning Objective #2
Following the presentation, students will be able to verbally
identify two strategies to help them study most effectively
based on their score on the VARK.
6. 3
Learning Objective #3
Following the presentation, students will be able to work
with peers that have different learning styles than their own
by providing at least one instruction in a format that
accommodates the other student's learning preference,
whether visual, aural, written, or kinesthetic.
7. the VARK Assessment
• VARK is about our preferences for taking information into the brain and
communicating them "outwards" (Fleming, 2011).
We can do that in one or more of the following ways:
Visual
Aural
Read/Write
Kinesthetic
• Developed to help students understand and adapt their individual learning
preferences (Sinclaire, 2012).
• Focuses on the sensory modality dimension of learning, or the way that
information is taken in and processed by a learner (Sinclaire, 2012).
8. SAMPLE QUESTION
You have a problem with your heart. You would prefer that
the doctor:
a. used a plastic model to show what was wrong.
b. described what was wrong.
c. gave you something to read to explain what was wrong.
d. showed you a diagram of what was wrong.
(Fleming, 2011)
9. GROUP ACTIVITY
"Building a Bridge"
Students will be challenged to provide building instructions
in a specific format -- one that accommodates a particular
learning preference.
DISCUSSION
What are some strategies you could use if you had a
teacher that did not present information to you in the
method you prefer?
10. CONCLUSION
Knowing your preference for learning only makes a
difference when you apply strategies for a certain learning
style (Fleming, 2011).
Multimodal learners many need to use multiple strategies to
retain information.
11. References
Bastable, S.B., Gramet, P., Jacobs, K. & Sopczyk, D.L. (2011). Health professional as educator:
Principles of teaching and learning. Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
Bryant, L. & Jones, N. (2002). Learning styles. Retrieved from: http://snjones.myweb.uga.edu/
index.htm
Fleming, N. (2011). What is the VARK? Retrieved from: http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?
p=faq
Leite, W.L., Svinicki, M. & Shi, Y. (2010). Attempted validation of the scores of VARK: Learning style
inventory with multitrait-multimethod confirmatory factor analysis models. Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 70(2), 323-339.
Mutiu, I. & Georgeta, M. (2011). How to better meet our studentsʼ learning style through the course
resources. Annals of the University of Oradea, 20(2), 578-585.
Rogers, K.M. (2009). A preliminary investigation and analysis of student learning style preferences in
further and higher education. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 33(1), 13-21.
Sinclaire, J. K. (2012). VARK learning style and student satisfaction with the traditional and online
courses. International Journal of Education Research, 7(1), 77-89.
