The VARK Questionnaire Essay Example for Free

The VARK Questionnaire Essay Choose the answer which best explains your preference by placing a check on the squares next to the choices. You may have two answers per item if a single answer does not match your perception. Leave blank any question that does not apply. A group of tourists want to learn about the parks or wildlife reserves in your area. You would: give them a book or pamphlets about the parks or wildlife reserves. talk about, or arrange a talk for them about parks or wildlife reserves. take them to a park or wildlife reserve and walk with them. show them internet pictures, photographs or picture books. You have to make an important speech at a conference or special occasion. You would: gather many examples and stories to make the talk real and practical. write out your speech and learn from reading it over several times. write a few key words and practice saying your speech over and over. make diagrams or get graphs to help explain things. You want to learn a new program, skill or game on a computer. You would: use the controls or keyboard. follow the diagrams in the book that came with it. read the written instructions that came with the program. talk with people who know about the program. You have finished a competition or test and would like some feedback. You would like to have feedback: using examples from what you have done. using a written description of your results. from somebody who talks it through with you. using graphs showing what you had achieved. Do you prefer a teacher or a presenter who uses: demonstrations, models or practical sessions. question and answer, talk, group discussion, or guest speakers. handouts, books, or readings. diagrams, charts or graphs. You are helping someone who wants to go to your airport, town centre or railway station. You would: write down the directions (without a map). go with her. draw, or give her a map. tell her the directions. I like websites that have: audio channels where I can hear music, radio programs or interviews. things I can click on, shift or try. interesting written descriptions, lists and explanations. interesting design and visual features. You are planning a holiday for a group. You want some feedback from them about the plan. You would: phone, text or email them. use a map or website to show them the places. describe some of the highlights. give them a copy of the printed itinerary. You are going to choose food at a restaurant or cafe. You would: listen to the waiter or ask friends to recommend choices. choose from the descriptions in the menu. choose something that you have had there before. look at what others are eating or look at pictures of each dish. You are about to purchase a digital camera or mobile phone. Other than price, what would most influence your decision? Trying or testing it The salesperson telling me about its features. It is a modern design and looks good. Reading the details about its features. You are going to cook something as a special treat for your family. You would: use a cookbook where you know there is a good recipe. ask friends for suggestions. cook something you know without the need for instructions. look through the cookbook for ideas from the pictures. Other than price, what would most influence your decision to buy a new non-fiction book? It has real-life stories, experiences and examples. Quickly reading parts of it. A friend talks about it and recommends it. The way it looks is appealing. Remember a time when you learned how to do something new. Try to avoid choosing a physical skill, eg. riding a bike. You learned best by: watching a demonstration. diagrams and charts visual clues. written instructions – e.g. a manual or textbook. listening to somebody explaining it and asking questions. You are not sure whether a word should be spelled `dependent or `dependant. You would: find it in a dictionary. write both words on paper and choose one. see the words in your mind and choose by the way they look. think about how each word sounds and choose one. You have a problem with your knee. You would prefer that the doctor: used a plastic model of a knee to show what was wrong. gave you a web address or something to read about it. described what was wrong. showed you a diagram of what was wrong. You are using a book, CD or website to learn how to take photos with your new digital camera. You would like to have: diagrams showing the camera and what each part does. a chance to ask questions and talk about the camera and its features. clear written instructions with lists and bullet points about what to do. many examples of good and poor photos and how to improve them. Please fill in this form so that your results can be included in our research Are you     male or     female? Are you: 18 or younger, 19 to 25, 26 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54, 55 or over? Where do you live? USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Asia, South America, Oceania, Africa, Middle East Is this the first time you have filled in the VARK questionnaire? Yes, this is the first time, No, I have filled it in previously Which of the following best matches your perception of your VARK results? That looks just like me Im not much like that Im not sure Are you involved in education (as a faculty member or as a student)?   yes     Ã‚  no Are you a: student? teacher? Which level of education are you involved at? High school Two-Year College Four-Year College University Other What is your main area of study? Humanities Social Sciences Science Applied Science Business Education Performing Arts Other This questionnaire critique is an evaluation of the VARK questionnaire which measures the learning preferences of individuals. VARK stands for the four types of learning preferences which are visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic. The questionnaire is geared towards determining how individual take in and give out information in the learning context. It is not similar to learning styles but is a necessary component of the learning style of an individual. The questionnaire contains 16 items only with four choices per item. The four choices correspond to the four different learning preferences (visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic). The questionnaire is designed to identify which learning preference category the individual highly favors based on his/her responses on the 16 items. The questionnaire is online; therefore it is accessible to a wider range of individuals.   The sampling of respondents is not limited to a certain group since it is online and anyone who comes across the website can take the questionnaire. Moreover, the distribution of the questionnaire occurs only if the questionnaire used was the printed version, but if the online questionnaire is used, it only waits for people to complete the survey. The collection of the data or the responses is automated, it is already programmed and this is added to the database of responses which have been used to establish the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The demographic data is then asked after the taker has completed answering the questionnaire. The demographic questions include gender, age, location, status and field of expertise. The demographic data are then used in the research conducted by the authors of the VARK. The demographical details required in the questionnaire are standard and usually the most commonly asked in questionnaires. The VARK questionnaire was designed appropriately; the questionnaire is short and yet contains all the information needed to make a good assessment of what learning preference the individual has. The questions are straightforward, it asks about a specific event or situation and the choices are related to the questions and can be an accurate answer to the question whichever the individual chooses it to be. The directions however are not very clear, in the online version, the instruction is to encircle the letters beside the choices, but there was no letters to encircle instead it was an online program that is to be clicked on by the test taker. This may provide confusion to those who may have to use the print version of the questionnaire. The results are immediately processed after the individual hits complete and it can be saved in the website for later use and for the use of the authors to gather as many respondents as they can to validate the questionnaire. The items in the questionnaire can be easily read and understood, there are no jargon or complex words and it makes use of situational events that makes answering the questions more believable and comfortable for the respondents. However, a problem may still arise when the taker is not well versed with English or those who have different cultural backgrounds which limit their knowledge of the different situations presented in the questionnaire. The questions also do not have double meanings or measures two things in one question; instead it places the taker in a certain context and is then asked to respond using the four choices. There are no negatively stated items which are therefore more psychometrically easier to collate and analyze as there are no reverse scores. The structure of the VARK questionnaire is just average, the questions are different from each other, and the choices follow a certain order that reflects the four different learning preferences. Although, these are easier to score and to determine which learning preference the taker uses in the different situations that are being presented in the questionnaire the obvious arrangement of the items and the choices may bias the taker or lead his/her answer to the most favorable one. The demographic data is then surveyed after the taker finishes with the main questionnaire and the results are presented instantly, since the questionnaire is online, the individual is somewhat rewarded with his/her score and has the option to volunteer the information needed for the research part of the questionnaire or not. However, some takers may not take too well with volunteering personal information and may opt not to complete the demographic questions which would be a setback for the authors as it would mean a lesser number of respondents to be used to validate the instrument. This is in keeping with the ethical guidelines of using human respondents in the conduct of surveys and questionnaires for research or other purposes. The online survey is also administered in the same way each time since it is in electronic form and is online and has been programmed to interact with the respondent in the same way each time. However, what the authors has to risk is the varied situations that the respondent comes across the questionnaire, others may be in a crowded cafà © with too much noise and distractions, others may also not read the questionnaire very well and just click on the circles while others may choose not to complete the survey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In general, the VARK questionnaire has been designed excellently, this could be due to the fact that the questionnaire has undergone a number of revisions and upgrades and that the questionnaire had been first published in 2001. The responses to the VARK had provided the author with the information on how to improve the questionnaire and to improve its reliability and validity. Therefore we could say that with time and scientific tools, the VARK is a good example of a well designed and effective questionnaire despite its weaknesses which may be again improved as time wears on. Reference Fleming, N. (2007). VARK Questionnaire, Retrieved November 10, 2007 from http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire

The High Cost of Genetic Engineering Essay -- Persuasive Argumentativ

The High Cost of Genetic Engineering    Genetic research on human embryos, in correlation with the human genome, is the key to gene therapy, genetic diagnosis, and even to genetically engineered human beings.   Knowing which gene controls what trait and causes what genetic disease will arm doctors with a powerful tool to treat their patients at the molecular level.   On the other hand, this allows people to possibly manipulate genes to enhance specific traits or create the perfect baby.   Genetic research on human embryos has two implications.   A practical one in therapeutic research (to detect, and hopefully correct gene flaws), and then the potentiality of allowing parents to decide how their child should look (or in an extreme word, eugenics).   The former, which at the present is wishful thinking, will be a reality in the future if the technology becomes feasible.   Assuming that we did genetically engineer for positive, medicinal purposes, it would require germ-line therapy, eliminating the necessity of constant somatic cell therapy.   Germ-line therapy is the process of replacing genes, whereas somatic cell therapy is adding genes and hoping that they replicate at a higher rate than others.   Possible targets for genetic engineering would be genetic diseases, such as Huntington (The Benefits of Genetic Engineering) and Parkinson, those proven to be linked to genetic predisposition, such as cancer (Ao, 140), psychological disorders like schizophrenia (Bernstein, 518), and major birth defects (Resta).   There are however drawbacks to these treatments.   Examples include undue suffering to the subjects due to botched engineering of the genes (Wolfson), also known as the Frankenstein factor, psychological trauma associated with... ....edu/hdsa/huntingtonsdisease.nclk Resta, Robert G.   Genetic Counseling:   Coping with the Human Impact of Genetic Disease:   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.gene.com/ae/AE/AEC/CC/counseling_background.html Saetz, Stephen. 1985.   "Eugenics and The Third Reich."   The Eugenics Bulletin.   Winter.   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.ziplink.net/~bright/papers/3rdreich.html What's Morally Wrong with   Eugenics:   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.med.upenn.edu/~bioethic/library/papers/art/EugenicsNotreDame.html Wolfson, Richard.   Cloning, Marketing Life, and Playing God (Part II): http://www.natural-law.ca/genetic/BiotechNov97.html Magazine Articles: Dickman, Steven.   "Human Embryos Carrying Altered Genes." New Scientist July, 1997. Henig, Robin M. "Tempting: If you could dictate the content of your kid's genes, wouldn't you?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shouldn't you?"   Discover May, 1998.   Pp. 58-64.

Math and Music

There are some obvious similarities between music and math. A musician might not think about them consciously, but knows innately. Scales and intervals are essentially expressions of mathematical relationships. Grasping the importance of math to music means going beyond the conception that math is more than just numbers. Musicians at the highest level know that math is, in fact, fundamental to music. Musicians and mathematicians don’t often think of themselves in the same terms, but they are actually practitioners of the same art. Music can be studied, created and expressed through the principles of physics and geometry. Origins The language of music is heavily laden with numerical jargon. Every young player learns to assign numbers to scale notes and intervals. A musician asked to play a minor seventh interval can visualize this in mathematical form. They think of the scale, then determine its’ relationship to what they were asked to play. For most musicians, this kind of math is an unconscious process. It becomes second nature. Math should not be thought of as a static set of lifeless numbers. In reality, math is a dynamic and creative process of discovering relationships and evaluating their meanings. Music shares the same elements of the problem solving process. The ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras was fascinated with music and its expression of mathematical relationships. The beauty of music, for him, was the same as that a mathematician experiences in the process of discovery (Loy, 2006). He saw the differences in notes in terms of ratios. For example, if C is the tonic D would be 9/8 of C. The ratio is describing the difference in the number of vibrations. Each note has its own ratio, relative to tonic. The ratio is multiplied for notes in higher octaves, and divided for notes in lower octaves. Generally speaking, the frequency of a note within a scale can be calculated by multiplying the frequency of the tonic note times the frequency ratio for the selected interval (Reid, 2007). The concept of the octave was described by ancient mathematicians. They discovered that some notes, although different, could be almost imperceptible to the human ear. Correspondingly, they found that there is a mathematical relationship between the same notes in different octaves. The relationships Pythagoras and others illustrated between math and music are fundamental to the development of both fields. In an age when music can be created with computers, the mathematical elements of music have become even more important. Foundations Math and music both use symbols and employ conceptual frameworks. As in math, some elements of music are undefined or vague. Yet, the influence of math is apparent in ways musicians may not even consciously realize. Harvey Reid cites one such example: The frets of a guitar are actually placed according to the 12th root of 2, and 12 frets go halfway up the neck, to the octave, which is halfway between the ends of the strings. (2007) A note is the most basic element of music. What is a note? In technical terms, a note is a specific frequency of vibrations. A good example of this can be seen on an electronic tuning meter. The meter does not â€Å"hear† notes, per se. It counts the number of vibrations the player is creating and matches it to the appropriate frequency for the note being tuned. The actions the player takes to come into compliance with the tuner are essentially part of a mathematical problem-solving process. This illustrates the â€Å"physics† of music. The time signature itself is a mathematical formula related to number theory. The formula is n/2m, where n and m are positive whole numbers (Benson, 2006). More complex time signatures lead to more complicated mathematical relationships. This complexity can be heard, and felt, by the listener. Scales are expressions of mathematical ratios. Broadly classified, scales may be practice-based, just intoned or tempered (Reid, 2007). All are based on mathematical theories. The intervals present in the scales are expressions of mathematical ratios. The process of writing music is mathematical at its heart. It consists of constructing many mathematical relationships that, in some way, still relate to each other. We know what intervals to avoid or, in other words, what frequencies clash in an unpleasing way. Some music takes on geometric properties. A piece in which a theme is repeated and overlapped continually can be described geometrically. The theme is often stretched, overlapped, changed slightly and moved to different keys. All of these are mathematical actions that could be visualized graphically. Technology, the future and Conclusion In the computer age, musicians have a vast array of tools to create new and interesting music. Computers themselves are mathematical machines. Each command is a mathematical problem for the computer to solve. In machines that have vast mathematical capabilities, musicians can explore notational relationships in ways they never thought possible before. There are limitations to the human ear, but technology can use mathematic principles to explore those limitations. The longer a person studies music, the more they become aware of its mathematical roots. Similarly, the longer a person studies mathematics, the more aware they become music is an expression of mathematical concepts. As technology advances, the potential exists for the each field to increase the knowledge of the other. Most musicians innately sense the connection with math. The connections go far beyond the obvious, however. It is a linkage that can be traced all the way back to common origins. Sources Benson, David L. (2006). Music: a Mathematical Offering. New York: Cambridge University Press. Loy, Gareth. (2006). Musimathics: The Mathematical Foundations of Music Vol. 1. Boston: The MIT Press. Reid, Harvey. (2007). â€Å"Of Mathematics and Music†. Accessed 3/22/2007 from: http://www.woodpecker.com/writing/essays/math+music.html

Renaissance Music European Classical Music - 905 Words

Renaissance Music Renaissance music is European classical music written approximately 1400 to 1600. The Renaissance followed on from the Middle Ages the name means ‘rebirth’. This time was also the time of Humanism because it focused on human life and accomplishments (Tripod). Support for the arts led to a surge of interest in music (Grendler). New musical forms emerged in France and the Netherlands in the 1400s and gradually spread to Italy and the rest of Europe. Musicians adopted these new forms and combined them with their local traditions to create distinctive regional styles (Grendler). Three factors contributed to the growth of music during the renaissance; wealthy patrons, advances in printing and Catholic an Protestant†¦show more content†¦Some of the important composers are listed below: †¢ Josquin des Pres, Netherlands, worked in Italy France (1440-1521) †¢ Guillaume Dufay, Netherlands, worked in France, Italy Burgundy †¢ Jean de Ockeghem, Netherlands †¢ Orlando di Lasso, Netherlands / Germany, (1532-1594) †¢ Heinrich Schà ¼tz, Germany, (1585-1672) †¢ Michael Praetorius, Germany, (1571-1621) †¢ William Byrd, England,Show MoreRelatedImpact Of The Renaissance751 Words   |  4 PagesWhenever I think about the renaissance, I think of the of the dark ages. The Renaissance was a period in European history, that took place during the 14th through the 17th century. Accordant Leonardo da Vinci he describes the culture of the Renaissance as â€Å"the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages†. 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