Learning styles
On the NHS Education for Scotland's Shared Learning Site, there is a lot of information on learning styles in addition to other tools to support you in identifying your learning needs.
Questions that you may wish to ask yourself are:
How do I learn best?
For example
- Do I like to work through problems on my own or with others?
- Do I learn better through courses or through doing?
What development opportunities are available to me and do they suit my learning style?
For example, depending on your preferred learning style, you might want to learn through secondment (by transfering from your regular organisation for temporary assignment elsewhere) or by taking on new tasks. If you tend towards ‘reflective observation’, you might find mentoring most helpful, because you will have someone to bounce ideas off.
- Are there opportunities for on-the-job learning?
- Does my organisation have a mentoring or coaching scheme?
- Do the courses I am interested in offer options for work-based learning alongside traditional classroom learning?
- How do I prefer to be assessed by exam or portfolio?
Development does not always mean training or courses. Think about:
- Mentoring/coaching
- E-learning
- Experiential/action learning
- Reflective practice
- Shadowing
- Secondments
- Networking
- Conferences
There are many types of learning opportunity in the wider community, e.g. working in a voluntary capacity (school governor, hospital visitor, helping at a youth club or old people's home) can provide you with experience whilst making a contribution to your community.
Other links
The following are commercial sites:
Belbin Associates - get access the latest Belbin® SPI (Self Perception Inventory) questionnaire and receive team-role advice.
Honey and Mumford - find out more about Honey and Mumford learning styles.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment - psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.