Assessments Explained

Assessments Explained

Holland Code Explained:

According to John Holland's theory, most people are one of six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. The characteristics of each of these are described below

Realistic: Prefer work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions, such as designing, building, and repairing machinery. They tend to enjoy working outside with plants and animals or using tools and machinery. Realistic types prefer to work with things rather then people. Realistic occupations generally require workers to have physical and mechanical abilities.

• Likes to work with animals, tools, or machines; generally avoids social activities like teaching, healing, and informing others;
• Has good skills in working with tools, mechanical or electrical drawings, machines, or plants and animals;
• Values practical things you can see, touch, and use like plants and animals, tools, equipment, or machines; and
• Sees self as practical, mechanical, and realistic.

Investigative: Individuals prefer analytical or intellectual activities such as reading, studying, investigating, evaluating, and problem solving. Investigative types generally prefer to work with ideas rather then with people or things. Investigative occupations generally require workers to have mathematical and scientific abilities.

• Likes to study and solve math or science problems; generally avoids leading, selling, or persuading people;
• Is good at understanding and solving science and math problems;
• Values science; and
• Sees self as precise, scientific, and intellectual.

Artistic: Individuals prefer work that involves expressing oneself in original activities like writing, dancing, singing, sculpting, and painting. They tend to enjoy working In a setting where the work cab be done without following a clear set of rules. Artistic types generally prefer to work with ideas then things. Artistic occupations generally require workers to have artistic abilities and good imaginations.

• Likes to do creative activities like art, drama, crafts, dance, music, or creative writing; generally avoids highly ordered or repetitive activities;
• Has good artistic abilities -- in creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art;
• Values the creative arts -- like drama, music, art, or the works of creative writers; and
• Sees self as expressive, original, and independent.

Social: Individuals generally like activities that involve personal interaction with people such as helping , teaching, counseling, or otherwise be a service to others. Social types prefer to work with people rather to work with objects, machines, or data. Social occupations generally require personal interactions and communication skills and abilities.

• Likes to do things to help people -- like, teaching, nursing, or giving first aid, providing information; generally avoids using machines, tools, or animals to achieve a goal;
• Is good at teaching, counseling, nursing, or giving information;
• Values helping people and solving social problems; and
• Sees self as helpful, friendly, and trustworthy.

Enterprising: Individuals prefer work that involves persuading, influencing, and directing others and are often interested in economics and politics. They enjoy work activities such as sales, supervision, and project or business management. They like work that is fast paced, requires a lot of responsibility and decision making, and requires taking risks for profit. Enterprising types prefer to work with people and ideas rather then things. Enterprising occupations generally require workers to have leadership, sales, and speaking abilities.

• Likes to lead and persuade people, and to sell things and ideas; generally avoids activities that require careful observation and scientific, analytical thinking;
• Is good at leading people and selling things or ideas;
• Values success in politics, leadership, or business; and
• Sees self as energetic, ambitious, and sociable.

Conventional: individuals tend to prefer work activities that involve establishing or maintaining orderly and accurate records, procedures, and routines. They like working with things, data, or machines and applying precise standards in a setting where there is a clear line of authority. Conventional types prefer working with data and details more then with ideas. Conventional occupation generally requires workers to have clerical, organizational, and arithmetic abilities.

• Likes to work with numbers, records, or machines in a set, orderly way; generally avoids ambiguous, unstructured activities
• Is good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic, orderly way;
• Values success in business; and
• Sees self as orderly, and good at following a

VARK Expained

Information about students' learning style is important to both the instructors and the students because:

• Instructors need to understand their students' learning styles in order to adapt their teaching methods accordingly.
• Students who knows their own learning style become better learners.
• Instructors will better understand the differences among the students.
• If an instructor's learning style differs from that of many of his or her students, the instructor may need to make adjustments in how material is presented.

Visual (V)

This preference includes the depiction of information in charts, graphs, flow charts, and all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other devices that instructors use to represent what could have been presented in words. /

Aural / Auditory (A)

This perceptual mode describes a preference for information that is "heard." Students with this modality report that they learn best from lectures, tutorials, tapes, group discussion, speaking, web chat, talking things through.

Read/write (R)

This preference is for information displayed as words. Not surprisingly, many academics have a strong preference for this modality. This preference emphasizes text-based input and output — reading and writing in all its forms. /

Kinesthetic (K)

By definition, this modality refers to the "perceptual preference related to the use of experience and practice (simulated or real)." Although such an experience may invoke other modalities, the key is that the student is connected to reality, "either through experience, example, practice or simulation."

Multiple Intelligence Explained

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at HarvardUniversity. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. These intelligences are:
Dr. Gardner says that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live. Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t receive much reinforcement for them in school. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled "learning disabled," "ADD (attention deficit disorder," or simply underachievers, when their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical classroom. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes a major transformation in the way our schools are run. It suggests that teachers be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, inner reflection.

Bodily-Kinesthetic

This area has to do with movement and doing. In this category, people are generally adept at physical activities such as sports or dance and often prefer activities which utilize movement. They may enjoy acting or performing, and in general they are good at building and making things. They often learn best by physically doing something, rather than reading or hearing about it. Those with strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence seem to use what might be termed muscle memory; i.e., they remember things through their body, rather than through words (verbal memory) or images (visual memory). It requires the skills and dexterity for fine motor movements such as those required for dancing, athletics, surgery, craftmaking, and computer engineering, etc.Careers which suit those with this intelligence include athletes, dancers, actors, surgeons, comedians, builders, soldiers and artisans.

Interpersonal

This area has to do with interaction with others. People in this category are usually extroverts and are characterized by their sensitivity to others' moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations, and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group. They communicate effectively and empathize easily with others, and may be either leaders or followers. They typically learn best by working with others and often enjoy discussion and debate.Careers which suit those with this intelligence include politicians, managers, teachers, social workers and diplomats.

Verbal-Linguistic

Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words and dates. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, and via discussion and debate. They are also frequently skilled at explaining, teaching and oration or persuasive speaking. Those with verbal-linguistic intelligence learn foreign languages very easily as they have high verbal memory and recall, and an ability to understand and manipulate syntax and structure.Careers which suit those with this intelligence include writers, lawyers, philosophers, journalists, politicians and teachers.

Logical-Mathematical

This area has to do with logic, abstractions, inductive and deductive reasoning, and numbers. While it is often assumed that those with this intelligence naturally excel in mathematics, chess, computer programming and other logical or numerical activities, a more accurate definition places emphasis less on traditional mathematical ability and more reasoning capabilities, abstract pattern recognition, scientific thinking and investigation, and the ability to perform complex calculations.Those who automatically correlate this intelligence with skill in mathematics criticize this intelligence by arguing that logical ability is often more strongly correlated with verbal rather than mathematical ability: for example, in the Graduate Record Examination, a test often used in the United States to decide who will be admitted to graduate school, the old Analytic section correlated more strongly with the Verbal section than the Mathematical. One possibility is that formal, symbolic logic and strict logic games are under the command of mathematical intelligence, while skills such as fallacy hunting, argument construction, etc. are under the command of verbal intelligence.Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and economists.

Naturalistic

This area has to do with nature, nurturing and relating information to one's natural surroundings. This is the eighth and newest of the intelligences, added to the theory in 1999, and is not as widely accepted as the original seven. This type of intelligence was not part of Gardner's original theory of Multiple Intelligences. Those with it are said to have greater sensitivity to nature and their place within it, the ability to nurture and grow things, and greater ease in caring for, taming and interacting with animals. They may also be able to discern changes in weather or similar fluctuations in their natural surroundings. They are also good at recognizing and classifying different species. "Naturalists" learn best when the subject involves collecting and analyzing, or is closely related to something prominent in nature; they also don't enjoy learning unfamiliar or seemingly useless subjects with little or no connections to nature. It is advised that naturalistic learners would learn more through being outside or in a kinesthetic way.The theory behind this intelligence is often criticized, much like the spiritual or existential intelligence (see below), as it is seen by many as not indicative of an intelligence but rather an interest. However it might have been a more valuable and useful intelligence in prehistoric times when humans lived closer to nature.Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, naturalists, conservationists, gardeners and farmers.

Intrapersonal

This area has to do with introspective and self-reflective capacities. Those who are strongest in this intelligence are typically introverts and prefer to work alone. They are usually highly self-aware and capable of understanding their own emotions, goals and motivations. They often have an affinity for thought-based pursuits such as philosophy. They learn best when allowed to concentrate on the subject by themselves. There is often a high level of perfectionism associated with this intelligence.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include philosophers, psychologists, theologians, writers and scientists.

Spatial

This area has to do with vision and spatial judgment. People with strong visual-spatial intelligence are typically very good at visualizing and mentally manipulating objects. They have a strong visual memory and are often artistically inclined. Those with visual-spatial intelligence also generally have a very good sense of direction and may also have very good hand-eye coordination, although this is normally seen as a characteristic of the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.Some critics [4] point out the high correlation between the spatial and mathematical abilities, which seems to disprove the clear separation of the intelligences as Gardner theorizes. Since solving a mathematical problem involves reasoningly manipulating symbols and numbers, spatial intelligence is involved in visually changing the reality. A thorough understanding of the two intelligences precludes this criticism, however, as the two intelligences do not precisely conform to the definitions of visual and mathematical abilities.[citation needed] Although they may share certain characteristics, they are easily distinguished by several factors, and there are many with strong logical-mathematical intelligence and weak visual-spatial, and vice versa.[citation needed]Careers which suit those with this intelligence include artists, engineers, and architects.

Musical

This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones, and music. They normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to sing, play musical instruments, and compose music. Since there is a strong aural component to this intelligence, those who are strongest in it may learn best via lecture. In addition, they will often use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information, and may work best with music playing in the background. Careers which suit those with this intelligence include instrumentalists, singers, conductors,disc-jockeys, and composers.