We have all discovered through school and undergrad that some learning styles suit you better than others. I like writing notes, rewriting content, while others prefer mind maps, reciting out loud, being questioned and having to answer, etc. Some may even prefer reading over listening to a teacher or a speaker. Whatever your style preference is, by now I would guess that you know it. However, when it comes to furthering your veterinary education, many seem to believe that attending online webinars for CPD is the best way to gain CE points.
Webinar vs Wet Lab
Although the convenience of webinars gives you:
- Access to high quality CPD material from all around the world
- Ability to attend lectures from speakers you previously would not have access to
- Time to attend evening events without traveling
- Ability to attend several week/month long courses without disrupting your normal workday
- Easy e-CPD point
It may not be the perfect fit for your personality type or learning style. On the other hand, wet labs teach you practical, hands-on skills, but if you are shy and do not feel confident to take the lead, there are not enough test animals, mannequins or models for you to practice on, you may not walk out with the practical skills you wished to have mastered in a wet lab.
Learning styles defined
There are 4 major learning styles: Auditory, Visual, Read/Write and Kinaesthetic (commonly known as the VARK model). Each of these styles reflect what an individual may prefer in order to retain information optimally.
Visual learners benefit from flash cards, maps, mind-maps, graphics and visuals, charts and diagrams and images as they learn by sight. Whilst auditory learners benefit from group discussions, sound recordings, speaking, listening, mnemonic devices and verbal repetition as they learn best by hearing. Read/Write learners learn best when they can view information in word, rewrite them into notes, reading, writing and making detailed notes. Kinaesthetic learners benefit from tactile representations, materials and models, movement, physical interactions, experience and practice and hands-on approaches as they learn by touch (1).
At Platinum CPD, we try to incorporate each of these learning styles in our CPD courses. Even our online courses have practical elements and the veterinarians are encouraged to bring their own cases to class for discussions. We encourage vets and vet nurses to try and vary between practical courses and online events as we believe in a more balanced approach to CPD.
What are your thoughts? What is your ideal learning style? And how do you ensure that you get the most out of your CPD to accommodate your learning style?
Reference:
1. https://www.uow.edu.au/student/learning-co-op/effective-studying/identify-your-learning-style
