LEARNING STYLE
We took tests in IDD620 to determine learning styles. I tested very high for visual and auditory but very low for kinesthetic.
Visual and Auditory Learning: I’ve always known that I am a visual learner. I prefer visual to auditory, so I wouldn’t expect to score so high in auditory. I see now that I do my best learning when I am doing both together, but I never deliberately sought to use both because they are strengths. I tend to enjoy lecture, if I am able to take notes. I have always liked outlining and drawing graphic organizers (though I never knew they were called that until this class). My favorite way of studying is by myself, reorganizing content into my own study guides. Second best, for my learning, I like teaching someone else, like in a group setting.
Kinesthetic Learning: I guess this means I shouldn’t try to walk and chew gum at the same time. In elementary school, I hated doing crafts and making dioramas. In high school, I hated chemistry lab and home economics class where I had to sew (yes, I am THAT old). Now I know why. I didn’t mind biology lab, probably because of the visual aspect.
DISC PROFILE
I think my DISC results really capture the way I see myself at work. I was surprised by how much the results resonated with me. I started with the free test, which described me this way:
You have an inner motivation to gain knowledge and become ‘the expert’. You have the self-discipline to focus and you aim for high standards. You appear to be relaxed and are likely to have plenty to talk about. People see you as knowledgeable, non-threatening and easy to get along with.
Then I was interested enough to buy access to the full test results:
- Dominance: I score high in composed/reserved and low in direct/competitive. I agree with this because I like to compete, but mostly with myself rather than others.
- Influence: I scored low in factual/analytical and high in social/outgoing, which surprised me because I usually test as an introvert. I think this means that I enjoy being outgoing when I am interested in something, but not just for the sake of being social.
- Steadiness: I scored high is impulsive/changeful and low in consistent/thoughtful, which is a little surprising to me because i my score in compliance seemed to be the opposite.
- Compliance: I scored low in independent/uninhibited and high in conventional/reliable. I do see both characteristics (impulsiveness and reliability) in the way I behave; these seem to be opposites, but somehow both feel right to me.
For my DISC profile, I was categorized as The Evaluator saying:
Your prime value to an organization is: Your ability to work with the team and make things happen. Nine times out of ten your plan will work.
I’m not sure if this is true, but I know that I like to formulate plans that other people accept and that succeed. The success of a plan gives me a better feeling than being recognized as the person who created the plan.
I like to think that my personality and preferences will make me a good team member who is flexible and more interested in doing great work than in being “right” all the time. That doesn’t mean I like to be wrong! But I want to change if I am wrong, because I am always interested in getting better, being more effective. I love the marriage of opposites in IDD: creativity and structure. I think this is another reason IDD appeals to me—because I have similar preferences in impulsivity and reliability.