Survey for thesis

http://cornilouse.questionform.com/public/Music-and-the-Internet

The VARK Questionnaire

The VARK questionnaire is another tool to enable a student to try and identify, in what types of learning areas, are best suited for them.

The VARK test, is will give the taker 4 scores for, Visual learning, auditory learning, read/write learning and kinaesthetic learning.

Using this information, in theory a student could tailor his /her learning to his/her preferred style of learning. This could be done, for example;

1.       Visual learning: If a student is best identified as a visual learner, they may find tools such as visual aids extremely useful. Visual learners tend to think in images.

2.       Auditory learning: If a student is best identified as an auditory leaner, they will find tools such as auditory books or just talking through ideas with tutor’s particularly useful.              

3.       Read/Write learning: Students, who are identified this way, need to physically read and re-read what they learn, rewriting out read text may be useful.

4.       Kinaesthetic learning: These students need to learn by experience, they need to perform the task at hand; they like to be touch and feel what they are doing.

My VARK Score:

Visual learning=5, Auditory learning=6, Read/Write=8, Kinaesthetic learning=4

So my scores show my high preference to be in read or writing what I learn, this was quite unexpected as I always believed myself to be an auditory learner. I will endeavor to try out more reading and writing activities over the course of my degree, which can help my study.

My SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis, is a tool used to provide an insight whether a person stands is ready for a task or tasks ahead, such as a new job or starting a Degree. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Strengths

·         I am a resourceful, using tools at my disposal, I can resolve problems.

·         I am a creative person.

·         I enjoy practical tasks.

·         I am task driven, and work best when I have tasks, with regular milestones.

Weaknesses

·         A weakness of mine is a tendency to read too much into a task and then over complicate it.

·         I can initially panic over a heavy work load.

·         I have an inability to identify my strengths and weaknesses.

·         Another weakness is that, I can tend to get carried away with a task that I enjoy.

Opportunities

·         Completing my degree, will allow me to improve the conditions I can set for employment after my degree has finished.

·         I can amalgamate the knowledge I gain here, with the knowledge I gained previously

·         To learn how to better approach my work

·         To improve the quality of my work.

Threats

·         My main concern is with the quality of my written assignments.

·         That a mental health concern will interfere with my studies.

·         That I will over complicate my first period of working.

·         That I will take a work-load on that is unrealistic.

Psychometric testing, the Myers-Briggs type indicator

Psychometric testing, the Myers-Briggs type indicator

My result: E.N.T.P

The Myers-Briggs type indicator is in theory, used by some organisations to determine a personality profile of a potential candidate. The theory Psychological types, was published by Carl Jung in 1921.
The basic theory is, that everybody falls into One of Sixteen possible personality profiles, and that these profile types react differently to other personality types. In theory by running a test in the form of a questionnaire, the organisation can fit the “right” people into the right jobs.
E.N.T.P’s make up about 2-5% of the total population, based on figures from the United States.
ENTP stands for Extroverted, Intuition, Thinking and Perception.

My personal view

My view is that these tests in a way assume that we are personalities are static, where as I feel they are very much dynamic. Sometimes I feel like an E.N.T.P but other times I feel more like an I.S.T.J.


References
Jung, C.G. ([1921] 1971). Psychological Types, Collected Works, Volume 6, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01813-8.
http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/estimated-frequencies.htm

So, how did I get here?

In a month's time, I will reach the grand old age of 30!. I had decided a long time ago, about 10 years ago to be precise, that I would like to go University and study in Computing, but being a natural procrastinator; I naturally put it off and eventually went out into the wide world of working instead.
After leaving technical college, I started my computing career as a trainee developer, at a little company in the Basildon area, whose main function was providing software to Foreign Currency traders, based across the world, the company Brendata (http://www.brendata.co.uk), provide collateral management systems and rates feeds.
I was at Brendata for a couple of years when I then went to work as a Junior developer at FSI (http://www.fsi.co.uk), who offer a web and application based Asset Management systems.
I progressed through the company and became an application developer working on the full life cycle development of both, bespoke and the main product.
In 2005, my first and only child was born "Mia Rose", at this time I decided to leave my post and become a house parent, doing which I have enjoyed!
It was during my years as a house parent, that I started my own company "Handyman Computers", which offered services from, technical support, website creation and web hosting, to upgrades and networking issues. In 2010, my child started full-time school, so then I was left with the option of jumping straight back into work or coming to Anglia and getting the degree to back up my work experience ready for my next Job.
Recently in 2010, after a long mental struggle, I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder, which has taken a lot of coming to terms with, I always knew that I always seemed to switch between extremes and that I do get adventurous or grandiose ideas.
But Coming to Anglia for me, is about proving to myself that I can control my disorder and hopefully use it to my advantage, and more importantly, leave with a higher grade as possible!

Blog created

I have a new account and a new blog. Watch out soon for, two blogs (Design for the Internet & Learning for Higher Education)