Because it was a holiday weekend here in the U.S. and because today was a very busy day, instead of trying to come up with thoughtful reflections on life I give you ~ a quiz!
This is something I created for a couple of my workshops around creativity. It's based on our preferred learning styles. We all process the world around us differently, but some of prefer certain ways over others. We're never all one way or another, we are of course a mix of several methods. Knowing your preferred learning style can help you figure out how you might best tap into your creativity. Because we are ALL creative! (Shouting this for those of you in the back.) Sometimes it's just a matter of figuring out which way of expressing ourselves speaks to us the most.
Do you know how you best take in information? Do you know your most favorite way of learning? Grab a pen and paper, or use your phone, just keep track of your answers:
1. Which one of these would be your first choice for a vacation?
 A. Museum of contemporary art
 B. Broadway play
 C. Music festival
 D. Ziplining
2.  When assembling a new bookshelf from Ikea…
A. I’d rely on the diagrams provided and figure it out just fine
B. I’d curse the people who neglected to include written instructions
C. I’d reach out to someone who’s already got a bookshelf like this and ask for help
D. I’d find a Youtube video for better explanations
3. Which describes you best?
 A. I love people watching
 B. I love discussing things with and explaining things to others
 C. I notice all the details
 D. I am constantly moving and active
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4. If you were a movie genre, what would you be?
 A. Arthouse/Independent Film
 B. Drama
 C. Musical
 D. Action
5. Which class would you sign up for first?
 A. How to make a comic book
 B. How to be an actor
 C. How to be a DJ
 D. How to ride a unicycle
6. If you could be any animal which would you be?
 A. Peacock
 B. Parrot
 C. Bat
 D. Chimpanzee
7. If you could have a superpower, which would you prefer?
 A. Invisibility
 B. Mind reading
 C. Communicating with the dead
 D. Superhuman strength
8. If you were stranded on a desert island, what item would you most want to have?
 A. Treasure map of where the pirate treasure is buried
 B. A book about the pirate and his buried treasure
 C. Podcast of pirate tales that took place on this island
 D. A shovel to start digging for that buried pirate treasure wherever it is
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9. What’s your favorite way to relax after a long day?
 A. Taking in a sunset from a great vantage point
 B. Journal about the day to vent and release my frustrations
 C. Drinks with my bestie
 D. Working out or a yoga or Zumba class please
If you got mostly "____" answers, your preferred learning style is:
•A’s ~ Visual
•B’s ~ Verbal (read/write)
•C’s ~ Auditory
•D’s ~ Kinesthetic
What if your answers were split equally over two or three styles? This is perfectly fine! Remember, we're all a mix of styles, some of us may lean strongly toward one way, others of us may prefer two or three ways to best learn something. Plus? This quiz was not created with a rigorous scientific method, I created it for personal reflection, and made it fun and accessible. So these questions, and your answers, may not reflect your actual learning style depending on cultural references, your age, or personal likes and dislikes. This is a quiz for fun, for learning about yourself better, not for data gathering!
That being said, to see which style might be the best fit, here are some widely accepted definitions of each one, with some examples of how this style might translate into creative expression. Even though we may prefer one style over the other, we're a combination of all of them depending on context, how we were raised, and so many other factors. See which description resonates with you most. Or which one only a little.
VISUAL learners acquire information most effectively through seeing or interpreting illustrations of material.  You learn best through images, videos, diagrams, and other visual aids. Yet, you also do remarkably well with reading – as this is also a visual skill. Plus, you have the ability to see in your mind the action of what you’ve read and then lock it in. Visual learners have great observational skills too. You do tend to struggle with listening to directions or any information that’s not written out for you though. The type of creative art expression that would best fit your learning style is the visual arts. For artistic expression, you may prefer painting and drawing, photography, graphic design, digital art, sculpture, or film-making. | Those who are strong at expressing themselves through writing and speaking are considered VERBAL learners. Verbal learners learn best through - you guessed it - reading and writing. Verbal learners use scripting, role-playing, and mnemonics to process information. You love anything that has to do with words and are often hungry to play with and learn new vocabulary. Pretty much anything that involves both speaking and writing appeals to you. The type of creative art expression that would best fit your learning style is writing, whether it be fiction or non-fiction. For artistic expression, you may prefer writing poetry, journaling or memoir writing, playwriting, or screenwriting, comic book or graphic novel writing, calligraphy or hand-lettering, typography, or even font design. |
Unlike your visual counterparts, AUDITORY learners are at your best when processing knowledge through hearing and verbal communication. Auditory learners learn best through sounds, music, and spoken words. You thrive on lectures, oral reports, audio books, and reading out loud, as you need to hear information in order to fully understand it. You also enjoy discussing and even debating material in conversations. The type of creative art expression that would best fit your learning style is music and spoken word, such as playing an instrument or reciting poetry. For artistic expression, you may prefer music composition, singing or playing music, spoken word performances, podcasting, or audio book narrating. | KINESTHETIC learners learn best through movement and hands-on experiences. You're someone who best acquires information through physical activities and touch. Unlike visual, auditory, and verbal learners, kinesthetic learners need the experience of movement to absorb knowledge. Therefore, you may struggle in situations with lots of reading or long lectures. You may have trouble sitting still because you thrive on direct experiences such as 3-D art, role-playing, and skits. The type of creative art expression that would best fit your learning style involves some kind of movement or tactile projects. For artistic expression, you may prefer dance, theater, performance art, ceramics or pottery, woodworking or carving or textile arts such as knitting or weaving. |
The idea of this quiz is that it can be a fun way to start thinking about how you can best learn and express yourself through the creative arts. Each and every one of us is creative, it could just be a matter of figuring out the creative expression we love most, and taking it from there.
Also? Take the quiz with friends or family, have a conversation about it. Do this at work with your colleagues. Connect with others around it. Maybe now understand why that one family member or co-worker drives you nuts when you're trying to accomplish a task together. You may be approaching it from completely different places. Getting to know ourselves helps us understand and have some insight into others as well!
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