Learning Styles

Our personal learning styles are highly complex and unique to each individual. As adults returning to school after a long absence it is beneficial to understand how one learns and in what way we process information. Though there are varying learning styles, we often fine tune a number of them that come together to form our learning style. With careful contemplation, I have appraised my learning style using the Pathways to Learning assessment (Carter, Bishop and Kravits, 2002, 32). Based on what I understand from my life and from what I have learned through this class, I have developed a structured plan for improvement of time management and study skills.

Much of the information gleamed from taking the assessment was already known to me, but the descriptions of skills and study techniques by the authors allowed me to better understand how I may hone my study skills.

I am known by most people to be quite logical and the assessment confirms this as logical-mathematical was my highest score. Having this as my strongest Ð''intelligence' explains the success I have enjoyed in my profession Ð'- information technology. Computers and software applications are, by design, logical and the understanding of their mechanics and interdependencies require a logical and analytical mind. While the logical-mathematical intelligence style is helpful in a technical role, I have found it to complicate my communication with those who are of a visual-spatial mindset. I now understand the differences between these two intelligences and how people who lean towards either differ.

My next strongest intelligence per the assessment was intra-personal. I have always had a solid understanding of myself and what my abilities were so, again, this aligns with the results from the assessment. Having taken the assessment and reading the text, I better understand why I tend to build relationships with those who have a strong sense of identity and a clear direction while shying away from those who have weak self-esteem and do not Ð''know' themselves.

The personality spectrum assessment (Carter, Bishop and Kravits, 2002, 34) places most of my skills on the left-side of the brain. Thinker and organizer personalities were strongly developed while the giver and adventurer personalities were shown to be under-developed. The results of this assessment coincide with the intelligence assessment. I am a blend of all personalities and intelligences, but mine is a unique mix as my fingerprint is unique to only me (Carter, Bishop and Kravits, 2002, 37). My unique flavor is dominantly left brain with a little right brain added for flavor!

As part of this class, I completed a time management log listing all activities throughout the course of three days. I found that my day is very structured and planned with little room for additional tasks or surprises in my schedule. One issue I have had for many years is that my schedule is so full that I cannot adjust when unexpected events come up. While I cannot find a way to make more time available, I have decided to alter my schedule to allow for more time to complete each activity. This allows me a Ð''buffer' when unexpected events arise or some de-compression time if the buffer is not needed.

In reflection, my unique personality and intelligence style has provided me with excellent skills professionally, but has presented several obstacles. I find communicating with persons strong visual and inter-personal