Course: Diploma in Business Studies (DBS)

Module: SBUS1006D Developing Academic Competencies

Essay Title: “Reflection on your learning in Semester 1”

Submitted by
Wayne Kenny

Student Number: 11271868

Lecturer: Oonagh Sweeney

Submission Date: 16th March 2012
Word count: 1,544

Introduction

Learning is further developing the skills and knowledge you have already bringing with it the opportunity to acquire new skills and gain more knowledge. The way in which one person learns can differ from one to the next as we experienced in semester 1. When we got together as a class to discuss how we prepared for assignments and exams we discovered many different approaches, the student’s opinions of what was best practice varied from student to student.

Part A

Learning Style
This was the first time I had looked at different learning styles as thought to define them in a group or category i.e. Visual, Auditory, Reading & Writing and Kinaesthetic learners. I wasn’t sure what category I fell into and if known was going to even benefit me in anyway. In order to understand the first exercise I needed to do was reflect on my prior learning experience of semester 1 to help me understand my own preferred learning style.

It became clear as to why this exercise was beneficial to me as a student; I started to understand what style suited me best and as equally important what style I didn’t using when learning. The definition of a learning style is described by (McMillan and Wayers, 2007) as the way an individual takes in information processes it, remembers it and expresses it.

It seemed as though I fell into the Auditory category learning most effectively through discussions, verbal lectures and listening to what others have to say. I came to this conclusion after filling out the VARK questionnaire and reading up on some