Inquiry Tools-Put into Practice

I am now collating the findings of the various investigative tools employed during my inquiry. This consisted of:

• Interviews with  3 x teaching professionals, focusing on their views on learning styles and how this affects their teaching tactics
• A test class with a group of Year 9 and 10 Dance students to test the different VARK methodologies and their adaptability between these styles of learning
• A follow up focus group with the same cohort to gain feedback as to their experiences in this workshop
• A questionnaire, also for the above group, to enable some quantitative data to be gathered
• Ongoing literature investigation

Below is a video recording of the focus group I formed with my students after observing them. The lesson  investigated each of the four VARK learning methods by asking them to learn a relatively technical piece of dance, each section being taught by myself in a different way - Visually, Aurally, via Read/Write and Kinaesthetically. Additionally, this focus activity aimed to gain some insight into the level of awareness they have of the teaching styles of their various teachers learning a routine using all of the learning styles.

This session has provided an excellent practical session for me to closely examine individuals' learning styles. Key points arising:

• Read / Write method appears to only be of benefit where technical and vocabulary understanding is more advanced
• Visual aids were more relied on for a smaller number of students, but in those cases it improved overall ability to learn the dance
• Kinaesthetic methods provided the clearest and most cohesive method for the group to move forward at a similar pace
• Auditory methods, similar to Read/Write, required a certain level of technical understanding, but left room for confusion with certain individuals
• Students were very engaged with this investigation, and developed an understanding and appreciation of the notion that learning can be undertaken in a variety of ways, and that understanding their own preference can assist in a variety of learning situations

This focus group has provided me with some excellent findings which I will discuss in my critical reflection.

Note: I will be uploading specific sections of the teaching exercise onto my YouTube channel.