Combo Learner

After doing my VARK learning styles test I found out I am a visual and kinaesthetic learner. It was interesting to read what they thought my prefered learning styles where and how knowing this I could improve my learning. Since then I have tried to pay more attention to when I understand things better and when I struggle to see if there is a correlation. Is it easier for me to learn when someone demonstrates a skill? Do I find it harder to grasp things when they are simply just said to me? It turns out that my VARK test was pretty much correct. In lectures I found it much easier anc quicker to pick up new skills when something was being demonstrated or I was given a diagram to help me create something. I found that when I was just being spoken to, for one I would find it harder to concentrate on what was being said and two I had to ask lots of questions before it made sense to me. I found it slightly frustrating however becoming aware of this since I feel as though I should try and be good in all areas of learning and so maybe I should work harder at boosting my aural and reading/writing learning styles. Maybe this should be something I should look to improve over the year as I am sure it will become beneficial to me in the future.

Making the right choice

Looking at my feedback and seeing my first mark of my university life I saw I had got a first. I remember thinking, what did I do to get this? How can I make sure that I always have this feeling of pride and accomplishment? Only now on reflection do I look at what I put into the project and see which contributions made the difference between a good and bad grade. Doing my SWAT analysis I see my strengths and weaknesses and see what contributed to my good grade and what I can do to improve in the future even more. I spoke to my mum about my view on why I did well and how I could do better. She made the observation that time management would have helped a lot of my problems and made them easier to deal with. Looking back I realise her observation makes sense, with better time management I would have had more time to develop my ideas and explain certain aspects of my work that may not have been obvious to those who I am unable to get my ideas across too verbally. I realise above all though that the choice to follow my passion into design now gives me a sense of accomplishment in knowing that my choice has paid off.

Where's the time gone?

 

 

 

Where's the time gone?

While writing my SWOT analysis I've realized that my strengths and weakness have something to do with the time management. Very organized in managing everyday life, but also tendency to leave things for the last minute. How can I be good and not so good at the same thing? Situations like this one give us a great opportunity to think about how we going through tasks in our lives. In my case there is a necessity to be organized on the everyday bases so I can manage when things go tough and I have to complete a great amount of work just before the deadline. Or is it the other way round? Maybe I tend to leave my tasks for later just because I am aware that I can organize myself well enough to be able to deliver. Recalling my first six weeks at the university I remember to telling myself how important it is to progress with my work steadily. It helped and I felt more committed to it this time than in my previous courses. Although there is still a long way to go for me, the SWOT diagram is a very important step in this journey.

 

Barbican




The Barbican Centre visit

We visited the Barbican Centre as part of our "39 Steps..." assignment. It was an interesting experience to make our way through many different levels of  floors and mezzanines. How many were there?   We possibly wouldn't have enough time to find out. I grew up surrounded by similar to Brutalist style  buildings in my native country Slovakia, but it was the first time I've stopped and appreciated this controversial architecture. Why I have not payed enough attention to this before? I guess it is because I've always felt very comfortable with simple shaped buildings without ornamental distraction.   We all found the tour and the talk very inspiring and we hope this experience will be reflected in our projects.