Do you find you just can’t sit still when trying to learn something? Do you pick up more information from audiobooks than books? Or do you, like me, sleep at night amongst a big pile of graphs, maps, and pie charts? Whether or not you recognise it by name, chances are you’ve probably encountered the VAK model.
Yes, VAK. Sounds like an Invader Zim character, is actually an acronym for three learning styles identified by psychologist Walter Burke Barbe and fellow colleagues. VAK stands for Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic, and refers to three identified strength areas when it comes to learning new information. Most of us would claim to have a preference for learning by one of these methods (watching, listening, or doing) though research shows a mixed approach is generally gets the best results. With so many different learning styles how can we create something that will be memorable for all types of learners? How can animated video reach across the whole VAK audience?