Who I Am as a Learner - Essay Example

Part I: Who I Am As A Learner? I come from a close-knit family. Being a middle child, and an only girl at that, I sometimes need to mediate conflicts between my brothers, switching roles between peace-maker and someone left to be “ganged up on” to one side. It can be stressful at times, but I love my brothers dearly even if I don’t show it enough. My older brother, Hamad takes on the leadership role over my youngest sibling, Adnan and me. I dutifully follow. He does not know that I secretly admire how he takes charge and takes care of his younger siblings. I believe I am a follower at heart. Growing up, I enjoy observing people and how they deal with different situations. In doing so, I know I gain a lot of wisdom. This, I dispense when people come to me for advise. They know I listen well to their problems and get the advise and sympathy they need. I must be gifted in counseling. This must stem from the fact that I love people and find fulfillment in helping them out. I actually do not know if I could manage life without other people around me. I was able to work in a call center for a very short while, however, the reason why I had to leave was that I was doing more than assisting the callers with the issues of the business. Sometimes, I would go beyond my duty and console them if I hear they are upset based on the tone of their voice. I believed at times, I was losing my sense of professionalism as I tended to spend long times on the phone with each customer, needing assurance that I have helped them immensely. The strange thing about how I learn is that I am sensitive to how a .lesson is explained – like how the teacher expressed herself, which points she emphasized based on how slow and loud she speaks of the topic. I get cues that she is emphasizing something more important than usual because with the rest of the lesson, her tone of voice is even. While my classmates busily scribble notes or draw illustrations about the lesson, I need to concentrate by listening to the teacher. If I break my concentration by pausing to write down notes, then I lose track of my understanding altogether. Also, I need total silence from my seatmates when listening to the teacher because I am distracted so easily by overheard conversations or noises made. My friends say I am so intense in my desire to learn that I want to block out everything and just maintain my focus. My learning is enhanced by experiencing what I have learned. I look forward to doing science experiments to prove the points the teacher made in the lessons. I also get thrilled in going on field trips and seeing in person what I have read about a certain place. Indeed, I advocate to the belief that experience is the best teacher because I do remember more easily the things I have experienced. I remember when we were little, my brothers and enjoyed our storytelling sessions with our parents before bedtime. The next day, the three of us would role-play the story, playing our favorite characters with gusto! Now, we always delight in recalling those episodes in our lives as we even remember not only the fairy tales we role-played but even the small details of those memorable experiences. Adnan, my teenaged brother confesses that I always had great ideas to inject in our play and he thought I was cool! This, he only revealed recently, and of course, I felt flattered he felt that way about his big sister. Being the only girl, my mother trained me to be an organized woman. Not only with my environment, but also in how I plan my activities. I learned to be nurturing of my two brothers and my father, and one can say the men in our family are spoiled with much love and care. They rely on my mother and me to keep order in our lives, especially when we go out or on vacation. My mother and I always plan our agenda for the day. She is a very good leader, and I in turn, have been reliant on her wisdom. I work well with colleagues, but when left on my own, I keep my focus on the task. Thrown back into the work group, I have tendencies to push my ideas while I worked on my own believing it will work because I have planned it all out to detail. Sometimes, others will disagree with my ideas, and since I want to keep the peace in my group, I listen to their side and compromise if not totally give in. I am still young. I know, many habits have been formed already in me, but I am a firm believer that everyone can change or adapt to changes around them. I would like to believe that I am still malleable. I am still a work in progress, searching for the best way to grow and be the person I have always wanted to be. The tests I have taken have been sounding boards of my personality, and seeing the results revealed a lot about who I am. Most of the interpretations, I agree with, as if it was giving me my life’s report. Somehow, there were other interpretations that either baffled me, or I disagreed with. The following are the tests I took and the results I got from them: VARK Test VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic learning styles. It is an online questionnaire that asks 16 questions to measure which reflects the learning style of the test-taker. VISUAL- learners who would like to see it on the whiteboard, flip charts, walls, graphics, pictures, colour. AUDITORY-learners who would like to sit back and listen. They don’t make a lot of notes READ/WRITE- learners who need to read the information for themselves and they take a lot of notes KINESTHETIC-learners who can not sit still for long, like to fiddle with things. They like to be actively involved in their learning. My VARK Results are: Visual: 6 Aural: 9 Read/Write: 2 Kinesthetic: 7 The VARK test results suggest that I have Aural learning preferences. My Humanmetrics Results: ISFP Strength of the preferences % Introverted 11 Sensing 38 Feeling 25 Perceiving 22 Belbin Team Role Theory This test gives an idea of the team role preference of the test-taker. Team roles improve self-knowledge and understanding among individuals and teams. They also depict a current behavioral pattern at a certain point in a person’s life. Preferences are not fixed, since many factors can influence behavior, whether a new job, promotion or circumstances outside work. My Belbin Test Results Preferred Roles: Teamworker Manageable Roles: Resource Investigator/ Plant Least Preferred Roles: Shaper MBTI (Myers-Briggs test) This theory measures psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. The preferences indicate the differences in people based on the following: How they focus their attention or get their energy (Extraversion or Introversion) How they perceive or take in information (Sensing or Intuition) How they prefer to make decisions (Thinking or Feeling) How they orient themselves to the external world (Judgment or Perception) Myer-Briggs Test Result: ESFJ & ENFJ Implications of Test Results for Learning What the Test Results Mean The VARK test confirms my testimony of preferring Aural learning methods. It means I thrive more on listening than looking. The VARK results imply that I learn best when I attend classes, participate in discussions and engage in tutorials. I understand concepts better when notes are discussed with others rather than when I plainly read and recall them. When I explain topics to others, the more I understand. Being an aural learner, using a tape recorder to record lessons instead of taking down notes would work better for me. As I’ve mentioned, I am not too good in taking down notes, rather, I recall better when I focus my concentration on what I listen to. In case I need to recall a part of the lesson, listening to tapes would do it for me. Closely following in the VARK test reveals that I am likewise a kinesthetic learner, meaning I learn better when I experience things. I need to move around and use a multimodal approach to learning. The Humanmetrics Test I took yielded an ISFP profile for me. People who belong to this personality type are described to be quiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. We enjoy the present moment and what’s going on around us. We also like to have our own space and to work within our own time frame. We are also characterized to be loyal and committed to our values and to people who are important to us. We dislike disagreements and conflicts, do not force our opinions or values on others. The Belbin Test results suggest that I thrive on social interaction. It says I work best in a busy office or a similar environment where pressures arise from the amount of liaison work that needs to be conducted. My capacity for being able to deal effectively with a wide range of people, including some who are apt to be difficult, provides a pointer to the sort of boss to whom I might be able to relate. For example, a very clever and successful, though perhaps shy and unpredictable, boss, who lacks the ability or inclination to communicate effectively with staff, could offer me the ideal opportunity to display my natural accomplishments. In terms of subordinates, I should look for practical individuals with well established skills. I am unlikely to make a very directive boss, so I might as well choose staff who know what they are supposed to do and can be relied on to get on with it. I do not appear to have the characteristics of the hard-driving executive who obtains results by power and pressure. If I can work in harmony with someone who has these complementary qualities, my own performance is likely to improve. The Belbin test results reveal my strengths. It implies I prefer to support others rather than lead. I have a pleasant and accommodating attitude, keen to get on well with colleagues. a good listener and have a very supportive nature. I fit well into a team. My possible weakness is that I may be uncomfortable when having to deal with pressure. The Myer-Briggs Test Results say I have strong tendencies toward the ESFJ and ENFJ personality types. Both types share the dominant functions of the letters E and F or Extraverted Feeling. This means my dominant function is feeling oriented towards the outer world. I focus on building harmony in the world around me, creating positive atmosphere and good rapport with people. I look after their welfare and go out of my way in overcoming differences of opinion and finding ways for people to agree. I invest much on building positive relationships, motivating others to be happy in each situation. . The ESFJ and ENFJ differ in Sensing/ Intuition. This means I can respond differently to information I receive depending on my preference. If it is clear facts I want to know or accuracy in description of details, then my preference is for Sensing. However, if I prefer to deal with ideas, and venture into unknown territories so I can generate new possibilities, then my preference is for Intuition. My profile also prefers dealing equally with ideas/information and people/things. I prefer dealing equally with facts/tangible things and possibilities/intuitions. I prefer to base my decisions on values rather than logic. My preference is to be organized and structured, more so than being flexible and going with the flow. ESFJs direct their energy towards the outer world of actions and spoken words. They seek to build harmony in personal relationships, engendering team spirit and being an encouragement to others. They like dealing with people, and organize life on a personal basis. Similarly, ENFJs direct their energy towards the outer world of actions and spoken words. They try to build harmony in important personal relationships. Their lives are organized on a personal basis, seeking to develop and promote personal growth in people they value. Evaluation of Test Results I was really surprised and impressed how accurate the test results were! Even the peculiarities of my learning style as an aural learner in the VARK test results were described in very good fit with my real preferences! Now I can relax knowing there are others like me who learn the same way. Also, my preference for experiencing learning was also revealed in the VARK test as my secondary preference as a learning style. The Humanmetrics test also described me well, although when reading the interpretation of the ISFP profile, it seems I am quiet and laid back. I am not like that at first impression. I am very exuberant, but can be quiet at times when I want to ponder on things. The rest of the traits given for ISFP describe me. I do love people who are like me – loyal and committed to the values we keep. I am truly peace loving, so I do not get into a lot of arguments with others. Usually, I relent when there are disagreements just to keep the harmony. The Belbin test echoes who I am with others. It is correct in saying I thrive best in a social environment. I cannot imagine working on my own. If I do, I know I will be able to survive, but I do need the stimulation I get from other people. In saying that I can relate with all types of people, it means that put in any social environment, I will be bound to work my best because I would know how to deal with all kinds of problems dealing with different personalities. The Belbin also confirmed my lifelong belief that I am a better follower than a leader, since I can give the ultimate support to any leader. I am a very good listener, and as a sounding board, I can give back very good ideas. I know any team that would have me would be fortunate because I am indeed a great team player. On the other hand, I can buckle under pressure. To avert this, I can use my good organizational skills I have learned from my mother and plan ahead wisely so I do not get into any cramming or blame shifting when results are unexpectedly bad. The Myer-Briggs test gave me two similar personality types. Both are people-oriented reflecting my true nature. The two types only differs in the Sensing and Intuition areas. This means I am able to shift how I respond to information or situation depending on what I want to deal with. For example, I use sensing when I am after the accuracy of facts. Like when I hear news from someone I know and want to confirm it, I would prefer to turn on the television and listen to the news. If however, I am open to new ideas for a project I want to do, then I use intuition to feel my way around and embrace new possibilities. The description of the ESFJ personality type focuses on a loving, kind and considerate person. Being a people-person, there is a tendency to put others’ needs before mine. I am happiest when I make others feel good about themselves, and get disappointed when I feel I am not liked back as much or experience unkindness or indifference from them. My desire to be liked by others is a human need all people share and does not to mean that my sense of security relies heavily on their approval because I am a very secure person. I believe people are basically good and expect that kindness comes naturally from them too. I am very adaptable and have the ability to adjust to whoever I’m with in order to maintain harmony. I know I have a good sense of judging people and can be influential to them but I do not control them to acquiesce to my way of thinking and relating Lifelong learning I subscribe to the philosophy of Constructive Learning. My beliefs stem from the philosophies of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, who were proponents of Constructivist theories. Van Ryneveld (n.d.) claims that “in the Constructivist theory, the emphasis is placed on the learner or the student rather than the teacher or the instructor.  It is the learner who interacts with objects and events and thereby gains an understanding of the features held by such objects or events.  The learner, therefore, constructs his/her own conceptualizations and solutions to problems.  Learner autonomy and initiative is accepted and encouraged.” (Van Ryneveld, n.d., n.p.). “Piaget believed that children create knowledge through interactions with the environment. Children are not passive receivers of knowledge; rather, they actively work at organizing their experience into more and more complex mental structures.” (Brewer, 2001, p.6). He insists that children need to use all their cognitive functions. These theories were designed to form minds which can be critical, can verify, and not accept everything they are offered. Such beliefs reflect his respect for children’s thinking. Vygotsky (1978) believed that children’s intellectual development is influenced more by social context than by individual experiences. His theory places a great deal of emphasis on effective social interaction. Putting them all together, I believe that learners have the capacity to construct their own learning through the experiences and social interactions they have. All humans have natural learning abilities ingrained in us. Babies learn to crawl and to walk as nature has designed. Social learning greatly enhances that natural and individual learning. Whatever knowledge a learner gains from his social interactions, he firms up by his own individual learning. He integrates his new knowledge with his past experiences and skills. By nature, I am a lifelong learner. Ever since I was little, I displayed an unquenchable curiosity and I venture into searching for facts with my brothers. I delight in reaching conclusions to end my initial queries. But I do not stop there. How I learn as an adult is just a continuation of how I learned as a child. According to Knowles (1980, 2007), adults learn best in informal, comfortable and non-threatening settings. Well, as I child, I learned that way too. When I am forced to take down notes and take exams, I am not happy and sometimes do it grudgingly. However, I excel better when I am left to my own devices in recalling lessons or applying them in more practical experiences. I believe learning should not be confined to paper and pencil tasks and should be expressed and used to one’s benefit. As an adult, free from the confines of school desks and compulsory traditional learning styles and uniform curriculum, I now have the privilege of choosing what I want to learn. Adult education is more voluntary, seeking to fulfill what the person needs to know (Ellias & Merriam, 1980). The nature of choosing my own path and applying the learning style I am most comfortable with makes my learning more exciting than ever. Carl Rogers (1969), a humanistic psychologist believes that when adults pursue what they want to learn, the motivation is more intrinsic and this drives one to engage in learning holistically even if stimulation is mostly external. I would know if my pursuits have borne fruit when there is an “illumination of my ignorance”. The exercise of taking various tests to gain more knowledge about myself and how I learn, was a very fulfilling experience for me. Now, I have become more aware of my strengths and weaknesses as interpreted from the tests and can use it to my advantage. I assume there will be times when I will be in conflict in terms of how to respond to certain situations, knowing both my instinctual response and what I should do, however, being aware of these conflicts are part of my learning too. Erikson (1959), for one, in his theory of Psychosocial development, admits that the unearthing of more learning about the development and growth of the individual and about his motivations, pointed to more dangers than to constructive avenues of action. He turns around by suggesting that he hopes it is an indication that we are progressing through one stage of learning (Erikson, 1959). A word of assurance is given as his conclusion: “If we will only learn to let live, the plan for growth is all there” (Erikson, 1959, p. 100). Transferable skills The skills I have acquired and honed growing up are now tools I can use to achieve success in any undertaking. Taking the tests have clarified with me my strengths and weaknesses and help me choose the right career path to take. My enjoyment in being with other people and being a good listener would propel me in greater heights in any career I choose that involves working with people. Being an organized and creative individual who can contribute many sound ideas as a team player will gain me a lot of points in whichever team I may belong to. This has been confirmed in my Belbin test result, yielding Team worker as my most preferred role. Being loyal and supportive will also be an asset for me when I join any company since they would be able to test my commitment and dedication. When I give my all to any person, cause, task or project I choose. I find fulfillment in any job well done especially if I had much to do with its conception. Although I am confident of my many skills, I know I still have a lot to learn. One is being able to relax when pressure strikes. My good planning and organization skills will help me get through this by preparing ahead. However, in any job, it sometimes cannot be helped that stress comes into place. I should be able to deal with it so I do not lose my focus and continue on with my productivity. Justify chosen career choice The personality types Humanmentrics and Myer-Briggs categorized me under were ISFP, ESFJ and ENFJ. Hickman (1992) suggests the following careers for these personality types, among others: ISFP: clerical supervisor; physical therapist; surveyor; chef; geologist; landscape designer; crisis hotline operator; elementary teacher; beautician; painter; botanist; marine biologist; social worker. ESFJ: nurse; social worker; flight attendant; elementary teacher; retail owner; telemarketer; special education teacher; counselor; athletic coach; sales representative; medical secretary; child care provider; bilingual education teacher; professional volunteer. ENFJ: entertainer; recruiter; newscaster; writer/journalist; recreation director; politician; psychologist; career counselor; travel agent; program designer; child welfare worker; interpreter/ translator; occupational therapist; alcohol/ drug counselor; sales manager. Being a student, I know there are still several doors of opportunity waiting for me to open. The choices given above suit my personality and some of them even overlap. I would believe that choosing a career that involves counseling or teaching or any other career that would involve me listening to others and working together towards a certain goal would put me in the best position to maximize my talents and potentials. I am at the threshold of choosing the career path I would want to take. This is a very critical period in my life. I am thankful for the tests I took because they clarified many things for me about myself and the possibilities my future hold for me. Conclusion Learning about myself from the tests I took was like an introspection for me. After I have gathered all information, I have reflected on how I learn. According to Osterman (1990), “reflection is the essential part of the learning process because it results in making sense of or extracting meaning from the experience” (Osterman, 1990). That is why throughout this project, I keep on remembering my experiences as I was growing up, to further understand why I came up with the results from the tests. Dewey sees reflection as “a process of finding out what we want, as we say, what we ‘really’ want, and this means the formation of a new desire, a new direction of action. In this process, things ‘get’ values – something they did not possess before” (Dewey, 1946). In my case, my personal traits, and how I deal with things, people and learning in general were usually taken for granted. Upon reflection, I realize how important those are in honing my strengths and strengthening my weaknesses to help me develop into a better and more successful individual. Now, I know that being a good “people person”, a great listener and being organized in many ways will be my key tools in the pursuit of success. References Brewer, J.A. (2001) Introduction to Early Childhood Education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Dewey, J.(1946) Experience and Education. New York: The Macmillian Company Ellias, J.L. & Merriam, S.B. (1980) Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education. Krieger Pub Co Erikson, E. H. (1959) Identity & the Life Cycle. N.Y.: International Universities Press, Inc. Hickman, C. (1992) Mind of a Manager, Soul of a Leader. Wiley. Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. New York: Cambridge Books. Knowles, M., Holton, E., & Swanson, R. A. (2007). The Adult Learner, Sixth Edition. New York: Butterworth-Heinemann Osterman, K. F. (1990) "Reflective Practice: A New Agenda for Education." Education And Urban Society 22, no. 2 133-152. Van Ryneveld, L., (n.d.) “What is constructivism?”, Retrieved on April 3, 2010 from http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/learner/lindavr/lindapg1.htm Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Websites: http://www.fultonschools.org/teacher/hawkins/myers_briggs.doc http://cstep.morrisville.edu/resources/vark_learningstyles.pdf Read More