Learning styles assessment and evaluation methods

¶ … learning styles assessment is a particularly interesting tool that facilitates understanding my personal learning style. At first, when I was taking the test, I wondered at the questions and how they could uncover my learning style. They all seemed so arbitrary that I questioned their efficacy. Some questions were so similar that I had some difficulty with them, while other questions presented no problems whatsoever. The only problem I had with the test is the same problem I have with all tests of this kind: I recognized what some questions meant to the results and I must have unconsciously (or consciously, in some cases) bent the answers to meet my expectations. But tests like these factor in the inherent bias of the tester, and so I accept the answers no matter what they say, or how different they are to how I see myself.

The first thing I noticed on the 'Memletic Learning Styles Graph' was how skewed it was towards the social aspect. I know I talk a lot, but it was certainly a surprise to discover that I learned best while surrounded by people. I have always been told, by my teachers and others, that talking in class disrupted other student's "learning environment," but apparently silence disrupts mine! The other aspects of the graph didn't astonish me as they all pretty much mirror my image of myself. I am a fairly logical person, and I do tend to be verbal (which pretty much comes with being a socialite). However, I did find it odd that among my higher scored personality types was 'solitary'. One would think that being solitary and social was impossible at the same time. It depends on my mood, sometimes I love talking to people, while at other times I enjoy silently studying.

My learning style also affects how I work in my workplace, according to the graph I figure I can do a lot of great things as long as I'm with people. I have a tendency to talk rather than do, but in a meeting I can set priorities straight (thanks to my natural inclination towards logic) and disperse the information easily and clearly. This is my strength, my ability to work with others and get them to work with me. I can bounce ideas off of others and they can respond, and as a group we would be able to conquer any obstacle.

As mentioned before, I do have a tendency to talk rather than do, but I also have a few other weaknesses. One is my major lack of visual skills. As a teenager I had quite a bit of trouble learning to drive, my depth perception often got me into trouble by not allowing me to understand just how close a car was to me. The same with floor plans or graphs, I just don't understand pictures as well as if I would if someone just tells me what the graph means. On the same note, if my workplace involves physical labor, I won't quite be able to cope as well as some others. I would rather sit down with some coworkers and work out what needs to be done than run around and figure it out as I go along.

Theses assessments of my personal strengths and weaknesses beggars the question: How can I use this test to make me a better manager? The answer is obvious, work on my weaknesses. As a manager I will have to understand and work well with my coworkers, and in that department I am certainly competent. However in order to be a completely competent manager I'll have to learn to be physical, and more able to visualize plans and ideas.

The answer to becoming more physical is an obvious one: learn to work with my hands. On the workplace I'll have to be able to fix things, or maybe work with models or equipment. As a manager I need to be able to teach others to fix things, so I'll take a few classes in woodworking, or even an auto shop class.

Visualizing plans and being able to articulate them is another problem I have, at least according to this assessment. The visual aspect of a job affects everything, after all our most acute sense is our sense of sight. Which is why I must be able to see things the way others see them, if I cannot quickly see what another person is seeing than my managerial skills will be severely lacking in comparison to a better-rounded manager. Imagine if I was working in an office, and a coworker drew up a brand new product idea. If I couldn't understand it I would be up a creek without a paddle, so in order to learn as best as I can to visualize things I can begin to doodle more. Drawing up pictures of things, learning about perspective and shapes, and understanding how things are pictured in people's minds will certainly help me learn to visualize problems.