LEARNING APPROACHES SURVEY
MASTER IN TEACHING PROGRAM
2003 - 05
First Name: Last Name:
Your answers to these questions will help us plan learning experiences for this program. Before we begin the program, we would like to get a better idea of the ways you approach learning, your interests, and your skills in studying, writing, and participating in group work. We want to both support you in your strengths AND help you extend your boundaries and challenge your comfort zones. Please respond honestly to each of the following items by selecting the choice that best represent you, or by providing short responses. If none of the multiple response choices is adequate, please enter your own response in the space for Other Response. There are no right or wrong answers!
1. When I am learning something new, the first step I would PREFER to take is to
talk with other people about the ideas or skill and then read read a book or listen to a tape and then think about the ideas or try the new skill try figuring out the idea or skill by working on a project that I develop and then reading some information watch a demonstration of the skill or listen to a lecture and then try a project or read other
2. When I read a book to prepare for a discussion, I MOST OFTEN
start at the beginning and read straight through skim the book to get a sense of the major ideas and then write down questions I want to answer skim the book for major ideas and then read the concluding sections make a list of what I know and what I want to find out and then read other
3. When I am preparing for a discussion of a book, I MOST OFTEN
write summaries of what I know after I read highlight as I read draw diagrams or pictures take notes while I am reading list questions that haven’t been answered or points with which I disagree other
4.My PREFERENCE about the size of a group for discussion is
it doesn’t matter - I can talk comfortably in any size group talk initially in a small group and then in a larger group I don't like to participate in discussion groups other
5. When I am working in a discussion group of 12 to 20 people, I PREFER
that everyone come with questions and ideas they want to discuss that the faculty provide guidance about the topics for discussion that the group set an agenda at the beginning of the discussion other
6. In group discussions about a book with 12 - 20 people, I PREFER
to share my feelings about, and reactions to, the book to mainly listen to other people’s ideas to participate in a conversation about the authors’ ideas or style to participate in lively arguments other
7. When asked to do a task in a setting or method I DO NOT PREFER
I try to find ways to avoid it I bite my tongue and do it anyway I try to negotiate a different possibility I sometimes enjoy taking a risk other
8. Which of the following do you think best describes you as a learner?
I like to try and relate what I am learning to my own life and to learn new ideas through listening to others, reading, writing, and thinking. I like to work on projects, try out new experiences, and figure out what is true and not true. I like to figure out how new things relate to my own life by involving myself in art or music or community activities or projects. I like to learn facts and concepts through reading reliable books and through working with knowledgeable people. other
For the following, please provide brief responses.
9. What would you like to know about the MIT program or about Evergreen?
10. Are you planning on working while you go to school? If you are, how many hours a week do you plan to work?
11. What roles can you play in a discussion group or in a small research group that will help everyone learn as much as possible?
12. What are your strengths as a writer?
13. What kinds of help would you like in order to further develop your writing as a graduate student?
14. If you could choose any way you wanted to demonstrate what you had learned to a teacher or professor, what would you choose to do?
15.When you're not in school, what do you like to do?
16. On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being low), (a) how would you rate your math skills? 1 2 3 4 5 (b)how would you rate your attitude about math? 1 2 3 4 5 (c) how would you rate your group process skills? 1 2 3 4 5 (d) how would you rate your knowledge of U.S. history from a multicultural perspective? 1 2 3 4 5
17. Do you dance, act, sing, write creatively, or play an instrument? What?
18. Are there any skills, abilities, or knowledge that you have that you would like to help your peers in the program learn? If yes, what are they?
19. Will child-care be an issue or problem for you? Do you need information about child-care in Olympia?
20. What do you need from the faculty and your peers to support your ability to learn and participate in this program?
21. What are the most important questions you hope to answer by taking this program?
22. What do you think are the most valuable assets you bring to our learning community?
23. Evergreen provides a variety of services to support student learning. These include: counseling services, services for students with diagnosed learning needs, advising and career counseling services, support for students who are the first generation of their family to attend college, gender and sexual orientation support groups, support for students of color, religious support groups, and a variety of sports and social activities.
The faculty also want to help you develop the skills you need to be successful at Evergreen. All of the faculty on this team have spent considerable time helping students develop productive learning strategies and coping skills, and all of us have worked extensively with students to help them improve their writing. However, we cannot help you unless we know your needs.
Do you have any special needs the faculty should know about in order to support your learning? If so, please contact the faculty directy about them. You are not required to provide this information to us but it would help us.
IF YOU HAVE A DIAGNOSED LEARNING DISABILITY or any physical, mental, or emotional condition that affects your schooling AND you intend to request accommodations provided for under ADA, you MUST contact Linda Pickering in Access Services and work with her to develop an accommodation plan.
24. Please respond to the following question. We will use this piece of writing to gain some initial understandings about you as a writer and a learner. Please write your answer as an essay rather than as a list.
Describe a course that would represent the ideal learning experience for you. Please be as specific and concrete as possible about what this course would include; use as much detail as you think is necessary to present clearly this ideal situation. For example, you might want to discuss what the content or subject matter would be, what the atmosphere or environment would be like, what the teacher/s would be like, your responsibilities as a student, the evaluation procedures that would be used, and so on. Please explain why you feel the specific course aspects you discuss are "ideal" for you. (Note that the space to write your response is larger than the space shown. It will scroll down as you type.