Mind Mapping

I have been asked to produce a report on a subject that could effect my area of work or study, so in my case this would be Engineering and Defence. I have decided to look into Terroism and the current procedures put in place to prevent and protect us against terrorism but also theethical views on the subject and and insight into specfic examples of terrorism both present and past. Underneath is a mind map of some of my collated ideas:

Look Back On Learning

After having completed the VARK questionnaire, SWOT analysis and learning line it has given me the ability to reflect upon how I feel I learn and how I can improve. As many of these techniques show, I am very much a practical person, which I know from how uncomfortable and agitated I get from sitting in the office the majority of my working week. I learn far better from past experiences and being able to visualise the task at hand.

My reading and writing learning is very low, but I feel this is very visible through out all of my learning from a very young age. Only now am I more likely to read a book at home, but unfortunately the only paper I still seem the read is The Sun, just for the pictures! However, I do not feel I should change as some lectures I have been attending have suggested. If learning by reading and writing is quite obviously a weak point yet many other styles work with me and I am capable of learning and producing high quality work, then why should I focus on something that is going to add to the strain of learning? Learning is currently a major part of my life, why would I wish to decrease my enjoyment and not strive any further, simply by having to conform to academic and standard teaching practice? I am very capable of reading and writing, I just prefer not to when there are, in my own opinion, so much better forms of learning for me.

Overall, although my learning techniques may mean I take a little longer to analyse and understand a problem, I feel the outcome is much better and well thought out if I am able to concentrate and enjoy what I am doing.

SWOT

I was asked to do a strength's, weakness's, oppourtunites and threats table to analyse what I feel I excel at and what things worry me.

VARK Questionnaire

I recently took a questionnaire regarding learning styles which on observation of my results I was able to obtain whether I was a visual, audible, reading, kinetic learner or a mixture of a few. Audible is learning by listening and speaking; visual is learning by looking at pictures and diagrams; reading and writing or repeatedly copying and kinetic refers to more pratical tasks and demonstrations. Then by looking at this information I can begin to enhance the learning styles which I may not be as well practiced in. The results I got from the questionnaire are as follows:

V: 4
A: 4
R: 0
K: 8

I would agree completely with the outcome however, I was surprised at how much more I learn by practical tasks and how little I learn by reading and writing. Although I am quite comfortable and capable with all four types of learning I don't feel this came across in the questionnaire as due to my nature, and slightly short attention span; I occasionally find it hard to concentrate by reading and writing so these are not my preferred methods.