The home of QuickScan and StudyScan
the original dyslexia screening programme
the original dyslexia screening programme
In September 1998, West Kent College decided to assess all first year students for their preferred learning styles as part of the tutorial system. The aim was to empower students to perform better in their studies by gaining greater self-awareness about the ways they learn. This knowledge should also enable the College and the staff to provide a learning environment better suited to the needs of individual students.
This decision came about as a result of two complementary projects with which the College was involved in the 1998/1999 academic year which were found to be of benefit to students.
This article first appeared in the journal Assessment Matters
We began by using the StudyScan Suite, a computer diagnostic programme, (produced by Pico and written by Dorota Zdzienski) from the time it first became available in December 1997. The StudyScan Suite assesses a student in two ways. There are three programmes that make up the StudyScan suite:
QuickScan - a short computer-administered questionnaire designed to look at learning styles, preferences and study skills, as well as indicators of dyslexia
StudyScan - a battery of diagnostic tests to evaluate cognitive skills and performances in a range of computer-administered exercises
StatScan -a programme to provide immediate feedback on completed StudyScan test items and to generate reports.
The student has to answer 110 questions; this takes approximately 20 minutes. As a result of the way in which each student answers the computer questionnaire, he or she is given a printout on his or her learning style. The categories used by QuickScan are Kinaesthetic, Visual, Auditory or combinations of the three modalities. Visual learners prefer ‘mental imagery’ using mindmaps, flowcharts, colour-coding and ‘visually’ categorising information or watching someone demonstrate a particular skill. Auditory learners tend to find thinking, planning, organising and revising are usually easiest when the material can be verbalised or listened to. Kinaesthetic learners like to ‘get to grips’ with a subject and learn best when they are able to place events or information within a dramatic or experiential context. A person who uses all three is called Metacognitive. QuickScan also informs the students whether they might benefit from additional support from the Study Centre, or if they display any dyslexic tendencies.
The second part of the StudyScan Suite is a series of 14 cognitive, memory, literacy and numerical tests which produces a comprehensive evaluation of a student's strengths and weaknesses, giving recommendations about dyslexia support. Dyslexic students generally need further guidance in study skills, and we found that by helping them to utilise their preferred learning styles, and work to their strengths, their ability to learn greatly improved.
At the same time, the College was involved with a FEDA project on learning styles. The FEDA project produced a series of materials recommending ways of improving learning. The categories it used were very similar to the QuickScan categories: it produced materials for use with Visual, Auditory and Practical learners. We used this material with the dyslexic students and to ensure that learning became as multi-sensory as possible, we suggested that they also tried out recommendations relating to material from the other learning styles.
It very soon became apparent that all students could benefit from this greater awareness, not only students with dyslexia. We decided that, as part of the inclusivity policy, all first year students should be assessed using the QuickScan programme as part of their initial screening.
Once students were aware of their learning style, they could be advised about improved study skills during tutorial periods. (Many students will be involved with Key Skills from September 1999 and will need to know details of their own learning style). Additionally, the 1998 Education Act stated that appropriate provision should be made for all students with special needs and QuickScan (which claims to be 95% accurate) highlights those students in need of additional support or dyslexia support.
When we were involved with the FEDA project, we had tried a variety of questionnaires. (LIST) We found that students preferred QuickScan’s questionnaire to ascertain learning styles as it is interactive. Only one question appears at a time on the screen, which makes the questionnaire seem less daunting. Students appreciate the greater confidentiality of having to respond to a computer and liked the instant feedback which they received in the form of a printout which gave advice on ways of improving learning.
We have, however, still encountered some problems with QuickScan. Students do not always read the questions accurately and it does require a reasonably high comprehension level. We have had an easier version on trial, as well, but it does make demands on students with low literacy levels. Some questions are a bit ambiguous. The printouts use complex language beyond the level of some of our students. Despite these difficulties, we still found it to be the most student-friendly of the questionnaires, and quick and easy to administer. In general, student responses have been very favourable and most say they have thought it beneficial to their studies.
Unfortunately, we ran into problems with the screening of all first year students in September. We were unable to use the software with our networking system and hence we were not able to begin to QuickScan students with their tutors until we had five machines of our own set up with the StudyScan Suite in November 1998. Since that time we have succeeded in assessing over 700 students. The results at April 30th, were as follows:
The breakdown of the 600 students assessed was as follows:
Metacognitive 225
Kinaesthetic 96
Visual 75
Auditory 29
Auditory/Kinaesthetic 105
Auditory/Visual 34
Visual/Kinaesthetic 35
Students showing dyslexic tendencies 99
Students in need of study centre help 101
Assessing students within the tutorial system has obviously resulted in additional and essential follow-up work. We have needed to have staff insets on learning styles and a more holistic approach to study skills. Some staff have found the implications very challenging but others have welcomed the information and have changed their teaching styles to accommodate specific group needs.
The students need to have time to discuss the learning styles and ways of improving their study techniques. This means that students who need additional support can be offered this facility; although many students say they do not require this, many others have been grateful to receive help. Some students with dyslexic tendencies refused help when it was first offered, but have come requesting help subsequently when they encountered problems with their studies. Currently, we are supporting an additional 19 dyslexic students as a direct result of using QuickScan with tutor groups; these students were not referred by any other way.
Originally, we thought that it would have been beneficial to have networked the software to enable us to see more students at a time. However, we soon discovered that there were great benefits in having only 5 at a time. Many students were unaware of learning styles and wished to discuss their particular learning style or knowledge of learning styles in general. Any students who were informed that they needed additional support generally needed counselling as well. Those with dyslexic tendencies needed to be given the opportunity to make an appointment to see someone to discuss dyslexia, even if they decided that they did not require any assistance.
The experiences of this year have enabled us to decide on the best methods of implementing the assessment and follow-up work for the future. Our plans are as follows: we intend to assess all first year students in September 1999 and plan to have our own ten machines set up with the StudyScan Suite for this purpose.
This means that all students should know their learning style from the beginning of the year to enable them to maximise their potential. Any students who need additional support can be offered appropriate assistance from the beginning of their courses. The retention rate amongst students who receive support is particularly good. Information about students’ learning styles can be put on the database so that it is available to all tutors; currently, we have only been able to send this information to course tutors and it obviously has implications for all teachers to provide a higher quality of service. Additional insets will be given to staff during the summer and it may be necessary to provide additional study skills sessions for students in the tutorial period.
Success in achieving qualification aims and retention figures will both need to be examined carefully over the next couple of years to see how far the introduction of these methods has enabled students to achieve their goals. This year has enabled us to realise how we can use this means of assessment for improving the students' abilities to learn more effectively.
Author: Isabel Martin
West Kent College