An Assessment of the Parkers Styles Learning Profile and Study Skills Inventory

The Parker’s Styles Learning Profile and Study Skills Inventory are described with applications for its use in diagnosing and prescribing learning according to the individual needs of the student. The inventory is composed of thirty-nine items on “How I Learn and Remember Best,” six charts, which will provide a better detail to, myself, the learner on specific charts and graphs(Parker.2007.p2). The charts and graphs will be an excellent tool for me to understand how I learn better and how I could work on specific areas on learning for future classroom use.

I will also be able to use a learning style profile assessment on my future students to find out which ways they will learn and understand better.

The Learning Styles Profile, also known as LSP, was created on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet contained a list of thirty-nine items, to which I rated each item between a one and a five. The answers were to be written numerically with five being the least preferred, three being unsure, and one being most preferred.

After the inventory was taking, in another tab on the excel sheet my answers were charted and graphed into the following categories:

1. Interpersonal Communications Chart
2. Field-Dependent/Field Independent Chart
3. Modalities Chart
4. Action Model Chat
5. Student/Teacher Task Relationship Chart
6. Leadership/ Management Chart

The Interpersonal Communications Chart represents the three areas in which all individuals prefer to demonstrate competent behavior. In the interpersonal realm, competent behavior has outcomes or consequences that make a difference with respect to some goal or problem.

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There are competencies described in this chart into which people deal with: THINGS (psychomotor skills such as typing, writing, running, etc.,) DATA (manipulation of factual material,) and dealing with PEOPLE.

In this specific chart, I scored 36% in the people category, 30% in the data category, and 34% in the things category. On this chart a score of 37 or above is high and a score of 30 and below is low. I really felt this chart was accurate based on my life. I connect with a lot of people and learn easily in talking in conversations, interacting with people in the classroom etc. When I was taking undergraduate classes, some fellow classmates and I would get together before an exam and talk about the different subjects that it would consist of. Talking before the exams helped so much because I was taking in the information a lot easier with their points of view instead of just reading over the material.

In the second category of data, I can see where I scored a low 30%. Just as I mentioned above talking and studying with students helped me to learn more than to sit in a quiet room and just look at the study material. I have always had trouble trying to learn and understand in high school and college with statistics and data. I could never sit at home and work out the problems unless of course I really understood them. I always would go over to friend’s homes and get tutoring. There is something I always find easier working out a problem with someone’s help then by myself.

In the third category things, I can relate to as why I scored a 34% in this category. In my opinion that would be about scoring in the middle. I can learn fairly well using applications such as a computer or notebook. When studying for a quiz or test I read a section at a time highlighting what I think will be important, then I go back and type what I have highlighted in a word document on my computer or take notes in a notebook. This category also reminds me of using things in math or science as a child to help me learn better. For example, using blocks to count with in adding or subtracting, or in science class watching an experiment to help remember how a solution forms or dissolves.

The Field Dependent/Field Independent Chart includes the two areas that are in direct correlation to how our right side and left side of the brain processes information. The Dependent Learner prefers:

1. Clear and precise learning instructions,
2. Objective-type assessment,
3. An instructor who controls the learning,
4. A socially-related learning atmosphere,
5. Organization in the learning process,
6. A well-defined job description

The Independent learner prefers:

1. Self-directed learning situations,
2. A choice of assessment methods,
3. The instructor as mentor or facilitator,
4. Work usually with little or no supervision,
5. Non-traditional learning settings.

In my assessment, I scored 56% in being a field-dependent learner and 44% as a field- independent learner. On this particular chart below 45% is low and above 55% is high. I am in agreeance with the scores on my chart in the particular area. I can myself learning every day in all six preferences of a dependent-learner. While as a student from elementary to undergraduate college classes, I always was the type to have clear and precise instructions for any type of assignment so I could have a good grade. I always enjoyed the professor teaching the class, instead of days when fellow students tried teaching the class with PowerPoints.

I always prefer group discussion in a classroom or studying to help make the topics easier to understand, just as I mentioned in the interpersonal communication section. When in high school and most of my undergraduate courses, I preferred brief/ to the point objective type tests. I always tend to be more anxious is open-ended and paragraph form type questions. I am a very organized person, I keep a daily, weekly and monthly planner with me wherever I can so I can check off assignments and appointments I need to attend. I am unsure about the characteristics of a well-defined job description. My title at the local private school I work at is a preschool-aide.

This title maybe well-defined but I do so much more than an aide in the school. I am the lead teacher in the classroom sometimes and I also help substitute or work other positions when I am needed. This particular characteristic does not bother me that much, because I enjoy getting to move other and do other types of jobs within the school to gain more experience in other grade level.

The Modalities Chart is the most common of terms used in learning: auditory, Kinesthetic, and Visual (Parker. 2007. p.7). There are many different characteristics of the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learner. On the modalities chart I scored a 36% in the Kinesthetic category, 19% in the Auditory category, and 45% in the Visual category. In the chart below 30% is a low percent and above 37% is a high score. According to the chart I am a visual and kinesthetic learner.

Parker’s Learning Styles Profile describes that a Visual learner prefers:

1. Seeing (watching demonstrations,
2. Learning situations rather than imaging words,
3. Writing down information to keep organized,
4. Sitting in front of the class
5. Learning to read by sighting words
6. Remembering faces rather than names
7. Studying without music or movement,
8. Written examination as an assessment tool

A Kinesthetic learner prefers:

1. Remembering by doing and participating,
2. Moving (acting out) while memorizing,
3. Space,
4. Moving to music,
5. Non-verbal communication,
6. Physical activity when solving problems,
7. How-to-do books and videos,
8. Simulations, group activities, and projects as assessment

There are several characteristics this chart has categorized me as a visual learner, I will agree with. Beginning with a visual learner, I am always able to understand directions better when they are well written out or explained. I see children in my preschool class who are visual learners every day, for example the students correspond way better when the lead teacher or myself will draw examples of the directions on the board step by step for the students, instead of just orally giving out directions.

I have always been the type to write down information on sticky notes to keep organized if I need to remember to do something. The main characteristic that really drew my attention as a visual learner is remembering faces instead of names. As the saying goes in my area, ” I am the world’s worst,” to remember someone’s name. I can always see their face in my mind, but it usually takes forever for me to remember a name. The last characteristic of a visual learner is to study without music or movement. I definitely have this type of trait, when doing homework or study for a test I must have complete silence in a room. I am so easily distracted, I usually go to the library in a study room to do any type of homework.

There are some characteristics in a Kinesthetic learner that I do not believe suits my personality. I do not usually need space unless it is to study or do homework in. I hardly ever move to music, I am not a dancer at all. I like to talk with people instead of using non-verbal communication, for example I would just rather talk with someone in person then to constantly text them about a situation. I am not the type of person to use how-to-do books and videos, I really try just to learn things on my own. The two characteristics. Though I do like group study, while in college I did not like having to do group activities, projects or presentations. There would always be someone in the group who would not put their effort in and someone would have to do their part or the group didn’t receive an excellent grade for someone not participating.

The Action Model Chart relates the respondent’s social relationship preference to his or her own emphasis in the learning cycle (Parker. 2007. p.8). The extremities of the axes include hear, see, think and do in that order with these four quadrants of characteristics:

1. Motivated Action Taker (do and hear)
2. Concerned Listener (hear and see)
3. Thoughtful observer (see and think)
4. Active Processor (think and do)

Based on the assessment taken I scored a 25% in being a motivated action-taker, 26% in being an active-processor, 23% in being a thoughtful observer, and 26% in being a concerned listener. Based on this chart below 22% is a low percentage and above 28 is a higher percentage. Based on these percentages, it seems I have a little bit of all four learning processes. I believe that I use all four styles in everyday life. I am a motivated action taker, I like to get things done and on time instead of waiting around. I am a concerned listener, most people that know me say that they love to come and chat with me because all I do is sit and listen to whatever that may be going on in life, instead of trying to make the situation any worse. I also take a lot of time observing people when I am out in public, I love to sit and watch people’s action.

I also like to watch the actions of the children every day in the classroom. It is enjoyable to sit and watch the children learn and grow together while doing daily activities. The quality of active processor grabbed my attention while looking at the charts. I didn’t realize how high I scored in this category. As I am growing older, I do find myself thinking a lot more before I commit an action, instead of not thinking and doing anyways. We learn a lot as we grow older and one trait recently through college, I have been thinking about certain situations and praying for God’s will to be done before do the action. As a Christian I, should wait on the Lord to guide me in every situation, instead of just doing what I think is best.

The Teacher/Student Task Relationship Chart is based upon preferred tendencies in an instructor and student interaction (Parker.2007. p.8). Either the student will be “on task” or “off task” in the learning process (Parker. 2007. p.8). The desired reaction if the instructor is that he or she would manage the student’s learning in either case. However, tendencies are that the instructor could bring different roles into the learning process, such as:

1. An observant instructor would respond to a student doing their work by being an Exhorter
2. An observant instructor would respond to a student no doing their work as a Restorer.
3. An indifferent instructor who would not respond to a student not doing their work is a Neglector.
4. An overzealous instructor who might prescribe inappropriate learning to a student doing their work would be an Offender.

Based on the chart, I scored a 26% in work on/hands off, 26% work on/hands on, 26% work off/hands on, and 22% work off/ hands off. In this chart scoring below 22% is considered a lower score and above 28% would be a higher score. I believe I would be an Exhorter in which I scored a 26% on in which the instructor responds to a student who does their work. If a student shows they’re interested in learning a teacher would automatically respond to the student by giving them feedback of how well they are doing or if they need to improve. In the classroom, I am always watching the children who are very willing to work and need help.

A teacher wants to see a student working hard on any type of task. A teacher should always pay close attention to those who may seem not to care about doing their work, it could be a simple problem such as not understanding the material. Walking around in the preschool classroom, I try to stop at each student’s seat and ask if they need help or do not understand the directions. I scored a low 22% in the work off/hands off category which describes to me as the Neglector. A teacher should not correspond with a student because they are not doing their work.

Every child needs attention, and a teacher should figure out the child’s learning patterns to help them work harder. An offender instructor would be someone in my opinion who would get mad while trying to teach because a child in the classroom would not do their work. When the teaching environment becomes stressful or inappropriate, the learning environment becomes stressful as well and the child suffers the consequences of the teacher’s actions.

The Leadership/ Management Characteristic Chart also give the instructor defined areas of organization. Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses in these areas will aid in the planning and overseeing of learning. Eleven areas were selected and they include:

1. Supervising,
2. Instructing,
3. Consulting,
4. Entertaining,
5. Persuading,
6. Mentoring,
7. Managing,
8. Leading,
9. Negotiating.

Based on the chart for leadership/management skills I scored 10.8% in persuading, 11.5% in mentoring, 10.6% in managing, 10.5% in leading, 10.8% in negotiating, 11.5% in supervising, 10.8% in instructing, 11.8% in consulting, and 11.7% in entertaining. In this chart scoring below a 10.5% is considered a low score and scoring above 11.5% is high. I find this chart to be the most fascinating as it really breaks down the traits of the leaner, in which in this assessment is me. In the entertaining, consulting, supervising, and mentoring I scored fairly high. I feel like this is an accurate assessment of my skills to be a teacher.

As a teacher’s aide in preschool, I enjoy finding ways to entertain the students to ways in which they can learn. It comes naturally to supervise children as well for me, because I have supervised a lot of children throughout the years from high school until now in preschool. Since I am just an aide, in the process of becoming a teacher, I am always consulting the lead teacher for advice on situations of what she would do with the class or a situation I may have come up in the future. Children who are at such a young age will always look up to those who are older than them. As a teacher, I try to mentor the students in certain situations in the classroom and outside the classroom.

For example, if a child is being mean or aggressive to another child, I will have a talk with them and discuss how God wants us to treat our neighbors with love just as he loves us. We want to love everyone just like Jesus does. I believe the reason of scoring lower in skills such as instructing, leading, or managing, I am not skilled enough yet to lead or instruct others who are older than me. Growing up instructing young children in church, on mission trips, substituting elementary grades, etc. has been very natural for me to do. I should work on gaining the confidence in instructing, persuading, leading, and negotiating with those who are my age or older to gain a higher percentage in the assessment and a personal boost.

In conclusion, The Parker’s Learning Style Profile assessment was intriguing to learn more about myself as a learner. I gained knowledge in knowing that I am a people person when it comes to communications skills from the Interpersonal Communications Chart. I realized in the Field-Dependent/ Field-Independent, I am more of a dependent person when it comes to learning, like working with others socially in a classroom discussing topics. There are several characteristic from the Modalities chart that I learned such as remembering people’s faces instead of their names and while studying for a test or doing homework I like a very quiet non- movement area.

My action model represented my personality as having all four qualities in thinking, seeing hearing and doing. The Teacher/Student Task relationship model showed some great traits as a teacher I should have and some traits not to have such as having bad learning environment for a student. The Leadership/ Management Characteristics Chart reminded me of what great characteristics I already have to become a successful preschool teacher and what characteristics I can work on to become a better teaching professional if the Lord decides to move me up into higher grades in the future.