MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR NATURAL ACADEMIC STRENGTHS IN NURSING SCHOOL

In Nursing School you will be asked to read and comprehend complex information, take notes in fast paced classes, organize facts into interesting and accurate reports, and learn to perform intricate maneuvers. There are many ways to approach these tasks. Because you are different from every other person in your class in terms of your special academic strengths, you need to approach the tasks in your own special way. The first step is to recognize your styles of learning the material and producing papers.

RECOGNIZING YOUR PREFERRED STYLES

STEP 1: IDENTIFYING STATEMENTS THAT ARE TRUE FOR YOU

How much do the following statements describe you? Score each one as 1, 2, 3, or 4 where:

4 = Strongly agree
3 = Agree somewhat
2 = Disagree somewhat
1 = Strongly disagree

Student:

# Score Statement
1. If I have to do something new, I like to see someone else do it first.
2. I love to talk, and I talk a lot.
3. I prefer to walk through a procedure before doing it for real.
4. I get a lot more out of lectures if I tape them and listen to them again later.
5. I can't study without a pencil in my hand.
6. It is helpful for the teacher to use overheads in class.
7. I do much better work if there is only one teacher in a class.
8. Music is an important part of everything I do, including learning.
9. Watching how my teacher handles problems helps me learn to do the same.
10. My study area has to be quiet and orderly.
11. I am good at interpreting body language.
12. Diagramming class content helps me connect the facts correctly.
13. I like to study at the same time each day.
14. One of the best parts of working in a group is having someone ask me questions.
15. I study with music on.
16. Videos are an important learning aid.
17. I learn a lot more if I recopy my notes.
18. I am good at logically thinking though a problem.
19. I need to get my hands on a piece of equipment in order to understand it.
20. I prefer structured lectures to group activities.

STEP 2: IDENTIFYING YOUR AREAS OF STRENGTH

Every brain is wired a little differently. A musician will have more blood vessels and neural connections in the part of the brain controlling musical ability. A PET scan of the musician's brain looks markedly different from that of a dancer. Part of the differences in brain activity are genetic and part are the result of experience. The more we use a part of our brain the greater the neural connections and blood flow to that part. The particular sense, or mix of senses, that generates the most brain activity shapes a person's outlook. The dominant sense is like a pair of colored glasses influencing what we notice and what we do about it. We tend to create our memories using our favorite senses.

If you pay close attention to what your friends and family members say, and watch what they choose to do, you will probably notice that they tend to use certain of their sensory abilities more than others. Additionally, their figures of speech tend to unveil their sensory preferences. A friend that enjoys painting might say, " I see what you are saying." Painting and the word "see" refer to the sense of vision. A friend that listens to music as often as possible might say, "I hear what you are trying to tell me." The word "hear" and enjoying music express a preference for auditory stimuli.

The statements in Part I should help you recognize the sensory modes you tend to employ to learn. Only four of our sensory abilities were included in the statements: seeing, hearing, touching, and noticing body position. This last one is the proprioceptive sense, which is stimulated by moving one's body. Another ability not thought of as a sense but equally influential in learning, is a tendency to reorganize information mentally. For the person who uses this ability it can be as compelling as the desire to see, hear, feel, or move when encountering a new task. Which abilities are you more inclined to use?

1. Add up your total for being an AUDITORY learner:

Add scores of # 2+4+8+14+15 =

2. Add up your total for being an VISUAL learner:

Add scores of # 1+6+9+11+16 =

3. Add up your total for being an TACTILE-MOVEMENT learner:

Add scores of # 3+5+12+17+19 =

4. Add up your total for being an COGNITIVE learner:

Add scores of # 7+10+13+18+20 =

 

PART 3: MAKING USE OF YOUR NATURAL ABILITIES

  1. Identify the ability with the highest score. This is your Primary Mode for learning.
  2. In a group of NURS 1100 students with their highest score in the same Primary Mode as you, list as many ways of capitalizing on this in school as you can. Your teacher will help the groups start their lists.