VARK Learning System

Employer should be creative in diversifying learning techniques in organisation by being sensitive with employee’s learning needs. Stimulations will help employees to be more attracted to learning session and instantly give attention to the session undertaken by the employer (Othman, Hasril 2010). Learning styles are a popular concept in psychology and education and are intended to identify how people learn best. It has long been a question as to whether employees learn best when teaching methods and organisational activities match their learning style, learning strengths, and preferences. The popularity of this concept grew dramatically during the 1970s and 1980s, despite the evidence suggesting that personal learning preferences have little to no actual influence on learning results (Cherry 2019).

There are many different ways of categorizing learning styles including Kolb's model and the Jungian learning styles. Neil Fleming's VARK model is one of the most popular representations. In 1987, Fleming developed an inventory designed to help students and others learn more about their individual learning preferences (Cherry 2019). VARK learning style model is learning style that has been modified from VAK model, to VARK learning style by Fleming in 2006. This learning style is modified by classifying leaner’s to four different modes. The modes based on different senses, namely visual, aural, reading, and kinesthetic, and the name of the model itself, originated from those senses prefix letters (V, A, R, and K) (Othman, Hasril 2010). According to Ismail (2010) dividing leaner’s according to mode is necessary so that the effectiveness of each lesson to different VARK learning mode can be observed.

A brief description of the VARK components and it’s characteristics can be laid down as follows.

Visual – Learners predisposing with this style are likely to be provided with demonstration and can learn through description. These learners prefer to use list to maintain their advance rate in learning as well as arranging their ideas and mind. Apart from that, visual students are easy to be disturbed or change in focus by movements or actions, whereas, noise, usually do not bother them (Drago & Wagner 2004). Moreover, visual leaner’s like to use figures, pictures, and symbolic tools such as graph, flowcharts, hierarchies, models, and arrow which represent printed information. They also are able to explain a concept to others by drawing a figure or picture (Murphy et al. 2004).

Aural - Aural learners learn something by listening (Drago & Wagner 2004). According to Miller (2001), this type of learners can remember information through loud reading or mouthing when reading, especially when learning something new. Aural learners can strengthen their memory by listening again to audio tape recordings, by teaching other people and discussing with teachers. They usually read easily, narrate cleverly, write story or poetry effortlessly, learn foreign language fast, have good vocabulary, spell smoothly, like to write letters, and own strong ability in remembering names or facts (Armstrong 2004).

Reading - Learners with the tendency of reading prefer printed word and text as a method to gain information. They like list, glossary, textbooks, lecture notes, or circulation. These learners like to arrange lecture notes into sketch form, paraphrase classroom notes, and study multiple choice exam questions (Murphy et al. 2004). Besides that, according to Drago and Wagner (2004), these learners are note takers. They study better through note taken from lecture or from difficult reading materials.

Kinesthetic - Although measured as a separate category in VARK, learning through kinesthetic is a measurement mode, regarded to the combination of various sense functions. Priority kinesthetic referring to learning achieved using experience and practice. In other words, kinesthetic students should go through experience to learn something (Murphy et al. 2004). According to Armstrong (2004), students that possess this type of intelligence are fond to move and are active, quick in learning physical skills, fond to think while moving, perform well in certain athletic field, more likely to use movements as an aid for remembering various cases, have good coordination and awareness on tempo, and are easy to relax.

Figure 1 – VARK Learning style

Source – Nainikac 2014

The following video will give a further description relevant to VARK Learning styles.

Video 1 – Introduction to VARK

Source – Prophetic Technology (2017)

In the organisation which I work, is a leading private bank in the country, the Learning & Development Department has identified these learning styles and have a fair share on all 4 learning styles incorporated in the training programmes. Each training session will use one prominent training style with a blend of the rest. The Branch banking training comprises of the Theoretical and Practical elements which includes classroom training (Visual), referring to various manuals (Visual & Aural), hands on experience on cash, credit, international operaions (Kinesthetic & Reading).

Conclusion

Zhang (2002) believes that to observe effectiveness and students’ acceptance to learning that applies in teaching and learning process depends on students’ learning style. Zhang’s (2002) opinion is parallel to Byrne’s (2002), where his study also found out  that students’ achievement on e-studies rely on students’ learning style. This obviously shows that learning style is vital in giving alternative to students to choose their own distinctive learning style so boredom does not arise during learning process.

Based on to what has been discussed, as the conclusion, VARK learning style does not involve intelligence or inherent skill but is closely related to how we acquire or understand information or new knowledge. VARK learning style also can be perceived as an individual method that one uses for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, positive skills and attitude. As such, VARK learning style can create a fascinating learning environment to students and stimulate students’ senses in learning.

References

• Armstrong, A. M. (2004). Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches. United States: Information Science Publishing.

• Byrne, D. (2002). A study of individual learning styles and educational multimedia preferences an experiment using self- directed online learning resources, school of computer applications. Ireland: Dublin City University Press.

• Cherry, K. (2019) Overview of VARK Learning Styles- Which Learning Style Do You Have? Very well mind [Online]. Available at <https://www.verywellmind.com/vark-learning-styles-2795156>, [Accessed on 25 September 2019].

• Drago, W. A., & Wagner, R. J. (2004). VARK preferred learning styles and online education. Management Research News, 27(7), 1-13.

• Fleming, N. D. (2006). V.A.R.K Visual, Aural/Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic. New Zealand: Bonwell Green Mountain Falls.

• Fleming, N. D & Bonwell C (2019). How do I Learn best; A student guide to improve learning V.A.R.K Visual, Aural/Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic. ISBN Number: 978-0-473-07810-2

• Ismail, I. M. (2010). Maklum balas pelajar melalui gaya pembelajaran VARK terhadap pengajaran berasaskan komputer (PBK). Unpublished master dissertation, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Batu Pahat.

• Murphy, R. J., Gray, S. A., Straja, S. R., & Bogert, M. C. (2004). Student learning preferences and teaching implications. :Educational methodologies. Journal of Dental Education, 68 (8), 859-866.

• Miller, P. (2001). Learning styles: the multimedia of the mind: ED 451340. Unpublished

• Othman, N & Hasril, M (2010) Different Perspectives of Learning Styles from VARK Model; International Conference on Learner Diversity 2010; Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 7(C) (2010) 652–660

• Zhang, S. (2002). Students perceptions of multimedia classrooms at East Tennessee State University, Unpublished master dissertation, Tennessee State University.