SELF ASSESSMENT

Self Assessment Goals

Know Your Learning Modality

You should know about your learning preferences in a class. Whether you are an auditory learner, a visual learner, a kinesthetic learner, or a combination of these modalities should be clear to you. This will help you to appropriately personalize the learning strategies that you need to use in order to learn in your course more effectively. If you are a kinesthetic learner, writing to reinforce your learning will be very effective. If you are an auditory learner then reciting will increase your learning efficiency. These examples illustrate the usefulness of knowing and using your modality strength when personalizing your learning strategies.

Recognize your proficiency in those study skills that you need for learning

You should also be able to describe the characteristics of courses you prefer such as class size, amount of structure to the course, amount of independence of the professor expects, the type of learning required for tests etc. What you will become aware of by knowing this is that even when you are in courses that are not consistent with your preferences there are ways that you can compensate in order to be successful. For example, if you prefer small classes but the course is a large lecture, forming a study group would be very advantageous.

Your work and study habits should be clear to you. You should be aware of those skills that help you be efficient and effective. Yet, those areas that seem to be a hindrance for your success should also be clear. For example, if you are a kinesthetic learner and learn best through writing then you will probably need to use efficient note-taking skills in your course. If you have found that this is not an area of strength, then you have identified a skill that you need to develop.

Attitude and motivation are important factors in learning

Your attitude toward your courses and the motivators that affect your achievement should be clear to you. In a situation that is less than ideal, it is important to recognize what you might need to do in order to compensate for those aspects that are not supportive to your learning. For example, if you are in a class that you are uninterested in and you are externally motivated, then you might need to create incentives for your learning that have value to you. Therefore, to optimize your learning and achievement you may need to address your attitude and/or motivation directly.