Learner Inventory/ Giamatti Questions

I have just completed the Vark Questionaire and have tested as a "multimodal (AR) learning preference. My scores were: Visual - 2, Aural - 5, Read/Write - 6, and Kinesthetic - 3. I am not entirely sure what these scores mean, but my guess would be that I learn in multiple ways. I think I am the kind of person that that learns differently in different situations. In science class for example, I learn by demonstration, same goes for math. In my opinion this is a pretty accurate assumption of my learning capabilities, but I know that I am also the type of learner that has to study material over and over to commit it to my long term memory. I suppose a strategy to help me with my studies this year would be to go over my notes from class and make more notecards than I am used to.

Giamatti defines liberal learning as such: Liberal education is defined by the attitude of the mind toward the knowledge the mind explores and creates. It rests on the supposition that our humanity is enriched by the pursuit of learning for its own sake, increasing the value of life. Liberal learning goes past ones career, into a deeper, more meaningful idea. It surpasses our lives in this world and lives on with us forever and ever. A liberal education desires to foster a freedom of the mind that will also contribute to the freedom of others.

Wartburg's Mission is "dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning."

Giamatti's idea of a liberal education seems to fit very well with Wartburg College's mission statement. Here are Wartburg, every one of us students and faculty members is challenged individually and as a group. The whole concept of liberal learning is to challenge oneself individually as well as benefiting the rest of the community. In order to be in a liberal education, one must be a leader, for one cannot liberally learn without leading themselves and others. Giamatti said that liberal learning is pleasing to the mind, and helps to strengthen our intellectual freedom. At Wartburg, I feel that that rings true because of our system of education and our idea that we can characterize ourselves as distinctive, well rounded individuals.