Based on experiential learning theory, the learning style inventory was developed by David Kolb Ph.D. with research that began in 1971. It identifies four phases in the learning process. • Experiencing: learning from experiences, being sensitive to feelings and people. • Reflecting: reserving judgment, taking different perspectives, looking for meaning. • Thinking: logically analyzing ideas, planning systematically, using concepts. • Acting: showing an ability to get things done, taking risks, influencing.
Other types of learning styles are as follows: Visual Learners - Visual learners are those who generally think in terms of pictures. They often prefer to see things written down in a handout, text or on the overhead. They find maps, graphs, charts, and other visual learning tools to be extremely effective. They remember things best by seeing something written. Auditory Learners - Auditory learners are those who generally learn best by listening. They typically like to learn through lectures, discussions, and reading aloud. They remember best through hearing or saying items aloud. Kinesthetic Learners- Kinesthetic, also called tactile, learners are those who learn best through touching, feeling, and experiencing that which they are trying to learn. They remember best by writing or physically manipulating the information.
David Kolb published his learning styles model in 1984. The model gave rise to related terms such as Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT), and Kolb's learning styles inventory (LSI). In his publications - notably his 1984 book 'Experiential Learning: Experience As The Source Of Learning And Development' Kolb acknowledges the early work on experiential learning by others in the 1900's, including Rogers, Jung, and Piaget. In turn, Kolb's learning styles model and experiential learning theory are today acknowledged by academics, teachers, managers and trainers as truly seminal works; fundamental concepts towards our understanding and explaining human learning behaviour, and towards helping others to learn. Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Various factors influence a person's preferred style: notably in his experiential learning theory model (ELT), Kolb defined three stages of a person's development, and suggests that our propensity to reconcile and successfully integrate the four different learning styles improves as we mature through our development stages. The development stages that Kolb identified are: • Acquisition - birth to adolescence - development of basic abilities and 'cognitive structures' • Specialization - schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood - the development of a particular 'specialized learning style' shaped by 'social, educational, and organizational socialization' • Integration - mid-career through to later life - expression of non-dominant learning style in work and personal life. Whatever influences the choice of style, the learning style preference itself is actually the product of two pairs of variables, or two separate 'choices' that we make, which Kolb presented as lines of axis, each with 'conflicting' modes at either end: Concrete Experience - CE (feeling) -----V-----Abstract Conceptualization - AC (thinking)
A typical presentation of Kolb's two continuums is that the east-west axis is called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it). These learning styles are the combination of two lines of axis (continuums) each formed between what Kolb calls 'dialectically related modes' of 'grasping experience' (doing or watching), and 'transforming experience' (feeling or thinking).
The word 'dialectically' is not widely understood, and yet carries an essential meaning, namely 'conflicting'.
Kolb meant by this that we cannot do both at the same time, and to an extent our urge to want to do both creates conflict, which we resolve through choice when confronted with a new learning situation. We internally decide whether we wish to do or watch, and at the same time we decide whether to think or feel.
Knowing a person's (and your own) learning style enables learning to be rientated according to the preferred method. That said, everyone responds to and needs the stimulus of all types of learning styles to one extent or another - it's a matter of using emphasis that fits best with the given situation and a person's learning style preferences.
Here are brief descriptions of the four Kolb learning styles:
1.Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) - These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations several different viewpoints. Kolb called this style 'Diverging' because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming. People with a Diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the Diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback.
2.Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO) - The Assimilating learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and concepts are more important than people. These people require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it a clear logical format. People with an Assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value. These learning style people is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.
3. Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE) - People with a Converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects. People with a Converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems. People with a Converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues. A Converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities. People with a Converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications.
4.Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE) - The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on', and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans. They commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an Accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent and useful in roles requiring action and initiative. People with an Accommodating learning style prefer to work in teams to complete tasks. They set targets and actively work in the field trying different ways to achieve an objective.
Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles (or preferences), which are based on a four-stage learning cycle. • Experiencing: learning from experiences, being sensitive to feelings and people. • Reflecting: reserving judgment, taking different perspectives, looking for meaning. • Thinking: logically analyzing ideas, planning systematically, using concepts. • Acting: showing an ability to get things done, taking risks, influencing.
Other types of learning styles are as follows: Visual Learners - Visual learners are those who generally think in terms of pictures. They often prefer to see things written down in a handout, text or on the overhead. They find maps, graphs, charts, and other visual learning tools to be extremely effective. They remember things best by seeing something written. Auditory Learners - Auditory learners are those who generally learn best by listening. They typically like to learn through lectures, discussions, and reading aloud. They remember best through hearing or saying items aloud. Kinesthetic Learners- Kinesthetic, also called tactile, learners are those who learn best through touching, feeling, and experiencing that which they are trying to learn. They remember best by writing or physically manipulating the information. Uses trial and error rather than thought and reflection. Good at adapting to changing circumstances; solves problems in an intuitive, trial-and-error manner, such as discovery learning. Also tends to be at ease with
Amazing contributions. As we can see, there are many conceptions of learning styles. What about the terms "learning strategies" and "learning preferences"? Try to find out about them and share in the discussion
Noel Entwhistle, a professor at the University of Newcastle, uses the term ‘learning strategies’ and developed the idea of ‘deep’ and ‘surface’ learning (Entwhistle 1984). He defines deep learning as being about searching for meaning, and surface learning as being more concerned with memorising facts or procedures.
A ‘deep’ approach is characterised by: •comprehension learning – where the learner looks for understanding and meaning, and uses questions and analogies to help gain this understanding • intrinsic motivation – where the learner is interested in learning for its own sake •openness – where the learner is open to new ideas, and sees their learning as an opportunity to question values • internality – the learner is driven by the desire to structure their own learning.
A ‘surface’ approach is characterised by: •operation learning – the learner adopts a step-by-step, logical approach with an emphasis on finding and memorising facts •extrinsic motivation – the learner sees learning simply as a way of gaining qualifications or promotion •fear of failure – the learner tends to be anxious about learning and concerned that they may not do well • being syllabus-bound – the learner relies on clear instructions, structure and a defined syllabus.
This implies that what matters is the way the learner tackles their learning rather than the way the information gets into the brain through the senses. Another key concept comes from the work of Pask, who looked at the importance of developing ‘versatile’ ways of learning. Pask found that the most successful learners adapt the way they learn to what they are learning – in other words, they deploy learning styles deliberately as part of a strategy; they do not simply ‘have’ them as a part of a personality trait that is impossible to change. This suggests that really effective learners are versatile and can use different learning modes, not only for different learning tasks but also within the same task, at different stages.
In another words, students will identify and learn how to use their learning preferences and strengths as a learner. The self-awareness will help students gain confidence to become better advocates for themselves, apply their abilities in a variety of contexts and take risks to extend their learning in order to be successful. Students that have the confidence to ask questions, solve problems, explore possibilities, and evaluate choices will be better able to make responsible decisions about their learning. If students know what their learning preferences are, they are better equipped to understand and explain relationships among ideas, and make relevant connections between what they are learning in school and their lives outside school. They will find out how to access and use assistive technologies to support their learning. Additionally, students will explore and use generic and subject-specific strategies to improve their learning across the curriculum. Students will be asked to participate regularly in metacognitive reflection about strategies they implement, set goals, and develop action plans to improve achievement.
Noel Entwhistle, a professor at the University of Newcastle, uses the term ‘learning strategies’ and developed the idea of ‘deep’ and ‘surface’ learning (Entwhistle 1984). He defines deep learning as being about searching for meaning, and surface learning as being more concerned with memorising facts or procedures.
A ‘deep’ approach is characterised by: •comprehension learning – where the learner looks for understanding and meaning, and uses questions and analogies to help gain this understanding • intrinsic motivation – where the learner is interested in learning for its own sake •openness – where the learner is open to new ideas, and sees their learning as an opportunity to question values • internality – the learner is driven by the desire to structure their own learning.
A ‘surface’ approach is characterised by: •operation learning – the learner adopts a step-by-step, logical approach with an emphasis on finding and memorising facts •extrinsic motivation – the learner sees learning simply as a way of gaining qualifications or promotion •fear of failure – the learner tends to be anxious about learning and concerned that they may not do well • being syllabus-bound – the learner relies on clear instructions, structure and a defined syllabus.
This implies that what matters is the way the learner tackles their learning rather than the way the information gets into the brain through the senses. Another key concept comes from the work of Pask, who looked at the importance of developing ‘versatile’ ways of learning. Pask found that the most successful learners adapt the way they learn to what they are learning – in other words, they deploy learning styles deliberately as part of a strategy; they do not simply ‘have’ them as a part of a personality trait that is impossible to change. This suggests that really effective learners are versatile and can use different learning modes, not only for different learning tasks but also within the same task, at different stages. Moreover, students will identify and learn how to use their learning preferences and strengths as a learner. The self-awareness will help students gain confidence to become better advocates for themselves, apply their abilities in a variety of contexts and take risks to extend their learning in order to be successful. Students that have the confidence to ask questions, solve problems, explore possibilities, and evaluate choices will be better able to make responsible decisions about their learning. If students know what their learning preferences are, they are better equipped to understand and explain relationships among ideas, and make relevant connections between what they are learning in school and their lives outside school. They will find out how to access and use assistive technologies to support their learning. Additionally, students will explore and use generic and subject-specific strategies to improve their learning across the curriculum. Students will be asked to participate regularly in metacognitive reflection about strategies they implement, set goals, and develop action plans to improve achievement.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was developed out of efforts by Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs to understand the differences and similarities in human personalities. It is based on the psychological theory of Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist, who disputed that personality traits are inherited or innate. Myers and Briggs used Jung's theory to develop a list of four ranges of personality traits: Introvert-Extravert [I-E], Sensing-Intuitive [S-N], Thinking-Feeling [T-F], Perceiving-Judging [P-J], and numerous combinations.
Understanding their own personality type can help students understand and appreciate diversity, read their instructors better, manage their studies more wisely, develop sounder relationships, and plan majors and careers more realistically. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can assist students in determining their personality type. It does not define individuals, it simply tell us general things about ourselves, like a zip code tells us what part of the country we live in but not the exact street or house number. Each person is different and unique even though we may share many preferences. Knowing what we have in common with others, how we differ, and what is unique about ourselves can be both empowering and critical to our success in college and beyond.
The eight traits from the MBTI are arranged in four continuums or preference scales: Extravert (E) ..... Introvert (I) Sensing (S) ..... Intuitive (N) Thinking (T) ..... Feeling (F) Perceiving (P) ..... Judging (J)
Extravert - Introvert (E-I)
This scale explains where people tend to focus their attention and get their energy.
Extraverts (E) tend to focus on the outer world of people, things, and activity and are energized by interaction with others. They love to talk, participate, organize, and socialize. They are people of action and therefore can be impatient with slow, tedious jobs and complicated procedures. They prefer to figure out things while they are talking. Extraverted Types (Es) and Learning: Extraverted types learn best by talking and physically engaging the environment. Talking helps their thoughts to form and become clear. Their attention will naturally flow towards external things and events.
Introverts (I) are energized by the inner world of reflection, thought, and contemplation. They direct their energy and attention inward and receive energy from reflecting on their thoughts, memories and feelings. They can be sociable but need space and time alone to recharge their batteries. Introverts want to understand the world. They prefer to figure out things before they talk about them.
Sensing-Intuitive (S-N)
This scale suggests how people take in information and ways that they become aware of things, people, events, or ideas. It has the biggest impact on how people learn. Sensing (S) people rely heavily on their five senses to take in information. They take in information that is real and tangible - what is actually happening. They are observant about the specifics of what is going on around them and are especially attuned to practical realities, and therefore they are practical and realistic. They focus on details and may ignore the big picture. They tend to be literal in their words and would rather do than think.
Intuitive (N) people seek out patterns and relationships among the facts they have gathered. They trust their hunches and intuition and look for the "big picture." Their focus is on conceptual information. Since they see the big picture, they often ignore the details. They strive to grasp patterns and are attuned to seeing new possibilities. Their focus is on the future. They would rather think than do.
This is continue from the above - The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Thinking-Feeling (T-F)
This scale explains the ways people evaluate and come to conclusions about information and how they make decisions. Thinking (T) people look at the logical consequences of a choice or action and decide on the basis of logic, analysis, and reason. They critique and analyze to identify what's wrong with something so they can solve the problem. They strive to find a standard or principle that will apply in similar situations. They follow their head rather than their heart, value truth over tact, and sometimes appear blunt and uncaring about the feelings of others. Ts usually have strongly held principles, value fairness over everything, and need purpose.
Feeling (F) people, when making decisions, like to consider what is important to them and to others involved. Appreciating and supporting others and looking for qualities to praise energizes them. They strive to create harmony and treat each person as a unique individual. They decide on the basis of their feelings, personal likes and dislikes. They want others to like them so find it difficult to say no or disagree with others. Fs need and value kindness and harmony and are distressed by interpersonal friction. They feel rewarded when they can help others.
Judging-Perceiving (J-P)
This range suggests the type of life style and work habits people prefer. Judging (J) people like to live in a planned, orderly way, seeking to regulate and manage their lives. They want to make decisions, come to closure, and move on. They tend to be structured and organized and like to have things settled. Getting things done energizes them. They focus on completing the task, only want to know the essentials, and take action quickly (sometimes too quickly).
Perceiving (P) types are spontaneous and don't like to be boxed in by deadlines or plans. They like to postpone action and seek more data, gathering more information before making a decision. Detailed plans and final decisions feel confining to them; they prefer to stay open to new information and last-minute options. They work at many things at once. Ps are flexible and often good in emergencies when plans are disrupted.
The Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model There are 21 elements or components of the model. The model is divided into five strands: •environmental •emotional •sociological •physiological •psychological
The environmental strand looks at, •Whether you like to have sound present while you work or whether you prefer silence, •How much light you need. The younger we are the less light we need, so young children can often read in very dim light and will find reading with too much light difficult because the light hurts their eyes. •What temperature needs you have – we tend to dress our children according to our own needs. •And finally the design element - whether you like to sit on a formal/hard chair at a desk or whether you prefer to study more informally on the floor with cushions, a sofa or on your bed.
The emotional strand looks at, •Motivation, which can fluctuate according to many factors •Persistence - whether you like to concentrate on and finish one task at a time or whether you are gifted with the ability to do several things simultaneously and are unable to limit yourself to single task focus •The responsibility element refers to whether you are conforming or non-conforming o We go through three periods of non-conformity in our lives: the terrible twos; the teenage years; the middle age crisis. However some of us are non-conformist for life and there are ways of relating to us without offending or upsetting us. •Structure is the final element in this strand. It refers to whether you need precise information on exactly how to do something or not. In general as we grow older we have less need for structure.
The sociological strand examines how we like to learn, •Alone •With a friend •In a group or a team learning situation •With an adult or expert in the field present •Or perhaps we have a need for variety, doing it a different way everyday!
In the physiological strand we find the elements of •Mobility - 50% of students need to move in order to be able to learn, only 25% like to sit and be passive), •Intake – the need for food and drink, often needed as frequently as every 45 mins in small children to keep the blood sugar levels up and the brain alert and able to learn new and difficult information. On the other hand there are others who prefer not to eat while they study. •The time of day is another important element in learning. The best time for each of us to sit down and study can vary from early morning to those night owls who only come alive at night and we need to take that into account in deciding/knowing when it is best for us to learn. •Finally there is the matter of perceptual modes. This refers to the way in which we are able to take in information.
The Psychological Strand The final strand in the model looks at different processing styles. •Do you like to build things up bit by bit from facts and figures, or do you prefer to get the big picture first, find out why it’s relevant to you to learn about this and the slot the small bits in? •Do you prefer to use the left side of your brain (analytical) or use the right side of your brain (creative, the arts)? •Are you impulsive (calling out answers, talking to make sense of things) or are you reflective (need time to assess and determine what it is you want to say)?
A learning style refers to the way individuals process information and learn. There is no better or best learning style, all are of value and represent different ways of gaining knowledge. Many ways of categorizing learning styles have been developed. One of the most prominent is the Kolb Model which looks at how learners perceive and process information. Kolb's model is based on two continuums. The first, is called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task - from doing to watching). The second, is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it, - from thinking to feeling). These continuums are represented by horizontal and vertical axis that intersect to form four quadrants. According to Kolb there are four learning styles, represented by the four quadrants formed by the two axis. The four styles are: diverging (feeling/watching) assimilating (watching/thinking) converging (thinking/doing) accommodating (doing feeling)
Differences Among Students' Learning Styles There are four factors that significantly differ between groups and among individuals: global versus analytic processing styles, age, gender, and high- versus low-academic achievement (Dunn & Griggs, 1998). The educational implications of these four variables are important to fully comprehend and employ because they provide direction and structure for effective teaching strategies, especially for low-achieving students. 1. Global and analytic. When learning new and challenging topics, people tend to have one of two processing styles-global or analytic. Certain learning-style elements cluster to form these two processing styles in the following ways. Global learners prefer to work in an environment with soft lighting and informal seating. People with this processing style need breaks, snacking, mobility, and sound. Analytic learners prefer to work in an environment with bright light and formal seating. They work best with few or no interruptions, in a quiet environment, and little or no snacking. The majority of young children are global processors. 2. Age. Learning styles change with age. Some learning styles are developmental and many people's styles alter as they grow older. These style elements are: sociological, motivation, responsibility, and internal vs. external structure. Children tend to prefer to work with peers instead of alone and prefer an authoritative versus a collegial teacher. For many people auditory and visual perceptual elements strengthen with age. 3. Gender. Boys and girls, and men and women, tend to learn differently from each other. The perceptual strengths of males are often visual, tactile, and kinesthetic. They tend to need more mobility than females, and function better in an informal environment. Frequently, males are peer-motivated and nonconforming. On the other hand, females tend to be more auditory, need quiet while studying, work best in a formal setting, and need less mobility. Often they are more conforming, authority-oriented, and parent- and self-motivated than males. 4. High- versus low-academic achievement. High and low achieving students learn in statistically different ways from one another. In other words, the teaching strategies that are successful for one group will not produce similar outcomes in the other group (Dunn, R 2000)
Kolb's learning styles has six mainb characteristic which is; -learning is best conceived as a proscess,not in terms of outcomes -learning is a continous process grounded in experience -learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposed modes of adaptation to the world -learning is a holistic approach of adaptation -learning involves transaction between the person and the environment -learning is the proscess creating knowledge that is the result of the transactionbetween social knowledge and personal knowledge.
Based on experiential learning theory, the learning style inventory was developed by David Kolb Ph.D. with research that began in 1971. It identifies four phases in the learning process.
ReplyDelete• Experiencing: learning from experiences, being sensitive to feelings and people.
• Reflecting: reserving judgment, taking different perspectives, looking for meaning.
• Thinking: logically analyzing ideas, planning systematically, using concepts.
• Acting: showing an ability to get things done, taking risks, influencing.
Other types of learning styles are as follows:
Visual Learners - Visual learners are those who generally think in terms of pictures. They often prefer to see things written down in a handout, text or on the overhead. They find maps, graphs, charts, and other visual learning tools to be extremely effective. They remember things best by seeing something written.
Auditory Learners - Auditory learners are those who generally learn best by listening. They typically like to learn through lectures, discussions, and reading aloud. They remember best through hearing or saying items aloud.
Kinesthetic Learners- Kinesthetic, also called tactile, learners are those who learn best through touching, feeling, and experiencing that which they are trying to learn. They remember best by writing or physically manipulating the information.
David Kolb published his learning styles model in 1984. The model gave rise to related terms such as Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT), and Kolb's learning styles inventory (LSI). In his publications - notably his 1984 book 'Experiential Learning: Experience As The Source Of Learning And Development' Kolb acknowledges the early work on experiential learning by others in the 1900's, including Rogers, Jung, and Piaget.
ReplyDeleteIn turn, Kolb's learning styles model and experiential learning theory are today acknowledged by academics, teachers, managers and trainers as truly seminal works; fundamental concepts towards our understanding and explaining human learning behaviour, and towards helping others to learn.
Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Various factors influence a person's preferred style: notably in his experiential learning theory model (ELT), Kolb defined three stages of a person's development, and suggests that our propensity to reconcile and successfully integrate the four different learning styles improves as we mature through our development stages. The development stages that Kolb identified are:
• Acquisition - birth to adolescence - development of basic abilities and 'cognitive structures'
• Specialization - schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood - the development of a particular 'specialized learning style' shaped by 'social, educational, and organizational socialization'
• Integration - mid-career through to later life - expression of non-dominant learning style in work and personal life.
Whatever influences the choice of style, the learning style preference itself is actually the product of two pairs of variables, or two separate 'choices' that we make, which Kolb presented as lines of axis, each with 'conflicting' modes at either end:
Concrete Experience - CE (feeling) -----V-----Abstract Conceptualization - AC (thinking)
Active Experimentation - AE (doing )-----V----- Reflective Observation - RO (watching)
A typical presentation of Kolb's two continuums is that the east-west axis is called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it).
These learning styles are the combination of two lines of axis (continuums) each formed between what Kolb calls 'dialectically related modes' of 'grasping experience' (doing or watching), and 'transforming experience' (feeling or thinking).
The word 'dialectically' is not widely understood, and yet carries an essential meaning, namely 'conflicting'.
ReplyDeleteKolb meant by this that we cannot do both at the same time, and to an extent our urge to want to do both creates conflict, which we resolve through choice when confronted with a new learning situation. We internally decide whether we wish to do or watch, and at the same time we decide whether to think or feel.
Knowing a person's (and your own) learning style enables learning to be rientated according to the preferred method. That said, everyone responds to and needs the stimulus of all types of learning styles to one extent or another - it's a matter of using emphasis that fits best with the given situation and a person's learning style preferences.
Here are brief descriptions of the four Kolb learning styles:
1.Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) - These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations several different viewpoints. Kolb called this style 'Diverging' because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming.
People with a Diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the Diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback.
2.Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO) - The Assimilating learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and concepts are more important than people. These people require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it a clear logical format. People with an Assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value. These learning style people is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.
3. Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE) - People with a Converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects. People with a Converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems. People with a Converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues. A Converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities. People with a Converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications.
4.Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE) - The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on', and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans. They commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an Accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent and useful in roles requiring action and initiative. People with an Accommodating learning style prefer to work in teams to complete tasks. They set targets and actively work in the field trying different ways to achieve an objective.
Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles (or preferences), which are based on a four-stage learning cycle.
Delete• Experiencing: learning from experiences, being sensitive to feelings and people.
• Reflecting: reserving judgment, taking different perspectives, looking for meaning.
• Thinking: logically analyzing ideas, planning systematically, using concepts.
• Acting: showing an ability to get things done, taking risks, influencing.
Other types of learning styles are as follows:
Visual Learners - Visual learners are those who generally think in terms of pictures. They often prefer to see things written down in a handout, text or on the overhead. They find maps, graphs, charts, and other visual learning tools to be extremely effective. They remember things best by seeing something written.
Auditory Learners - Auditory learners are those who generally learn best by listening. They typically like to learn through lectures, discussions, and reading aloud. They remember best through hearing or saying items aloud.
Kinesthetic Learners- Kinesthetic, also called tactile, learners are those who learn best through touching, feeling, and experiencing that which they are trying to learn. They remember best by writing or physically manipulating the information. Uses trial and error rather than thought and reflection. Good at adapting to changing circumstances; solves problems in an intuitive, trial-and-error manner, such as discovery learning. Also tends to be at ease with
Amazing contributions. As we can see, there are many conceptions of learning styles. What about the terms "learning strategies" and "learning preferences"? Try to find out about them and share in the discussion
ReplyDeleteNoel Entwhistle, a professor at the University of Newcastle, uses the term ‘learning strategies’ and developed the idea of ‘deep’ and ‘surface’ learning (Entwhistle 1984). He defines deep learning as being about searching for meaning, and surface learning as being more concerned with memorising facts or procedures.
DeleteA ‘deep’ approach is characterised by:
•comprehension learning – where the learner looks for understanding and meaning, and uses
questions and analogies to help gain this understanding
• intrinsic motivation – where the learner is interested in learning for its own sake
•openness – where the learner is open to new ideas, and sees their learning as an opportunity to question values
• internality – the learner is driven by the desire to structure their own learning.
A ‘surface’ approach is characterised by:
•operation learning – the learner adopts a step-by-step, logical approach with an emphasis on finding and memorising facts
•extrinsic motivation – the learner sees learning simply as a way of gaining qualifications or promotion
•fear of failure – the learner tends to be anxious about learning and concerned that they may not do well
• being syllabus-bound – the learner relies on clear instructions, structure and a defined syllabus.
This implies that what matters is the way the learner tackles their learning rather than the way the information gets into the brain through the senses. Another key concept comes from the work of Pask, who looked at the importance of developing ‘versatile’ ways of learning. Pask found that the most successful learners adapt the way they learn to what they are learning – in other words, they deploy learning styles deliberately as part of a strategy; they do not simply ‘have’ them as a part of a personality trait that is impossible to change. This suggests that really effective learners are versatile and can use different learning modes, not only for different learning tasks but also within the same task, at different stages.
In another words, students will identify and learn how to use their learning preferences and strengths as a learner. The self-awareness will help students gain confidence to become better advocates for themselves, apply their abilities in a variety of contexts and take risks to extend their learning in order to be successful. Students that have the confidence to ask questions, solve problems, explore possibilities, and evaluate choices will be better able to make responsible decisions about their learning. If students know what their learning preferences are, they are better equipped to understand and explain relationships among ideas, and make relevant connections between what they are learning in school and their lives outside school. They will find out how to access and use assistive technologies to support their learning. Additionally, students will explore and use generic and subject-specific strategies to improve their learning across the curriculum. Students will be asked to participate regularly in metacognitive reflection about strategies they implement, set goals, and develop action plans to improve achievement.
Noel Entwhistle, a professor at the University of Newcastle, uses the term ‘learning strategies’ and developed the idea of ‘deep’ and ‘surface’ learning (Entwhistle 1984). He defines deep learning as being about searching for meaning, and surface learning as being more concerned with memorising facts or procedures.
DeleteA ‘deep’ approach is characterised by:
•comprehension learning – where the learner looks for understanding and meaning, and uses questions and analogies to help gain this understanding
• intrinsic motivation – where the learner is interested in learning for its own sake
•openness – where the learner is open to new ideas, and sees their learning as an opportunity to question values
• internality – the learner is driven by the desire to structure their own learning.
A ‘surface’ approach is characterised by:
•operation learning – the learner adopts a step-by-step, logical approach with an emphasis on finding and memorising facts
•extrinsic motivation – the learner sees learning simply as a way of gaining qualifications or promotion
•fear of failure – the learner tends to be anxious about learning and concerned that they may not do well
• being syllabus-bound – the learner relies on clear instructions, structure and a defined syllabus.
This implies that what matters is the way the learner tackles their learning rather than the way the
information gets into the brain through the senses. Another key concept comes from the work of Pask, who looked at the importance of developing ‘versatile’ ways of learning. Pask found that the most successful learners adapt the way they learn to what they are learning – in other words, they deploy learning styles deliberately as part of a strategy; they do not simply ‘have’ them as a part of a personality trait that is impossible to change. This suggests that really effective learners are versatile and can use different learning modes, not only for different learning tasks but also within the same task, at different stages.
Moreover, students will identify and learn how to use their learning preferences and strengths as a learner. The self-awareness will help students gain confidence to become better advocates for themselves, apply their abilities in a variety of contexts and take risks to extend their learning in order to be successful. Students that have the confidence to ask questions, solve problems, explore possibilities, and evaluate choices will be better able to make responsible decisions about their learning. If students know what their learning preferences are, they are better equipped to understand and explain relationships among ideas, and make relevant connections between what they are learning in school and their lives outside school. They will find out how to access and use assistive technologies to support their learning. Additionally, students will explore and use generic and subject-specific strategies to improve their learning across the curriculum. Students will be asked to participate regularly in metacognitive reflection about strategies they implement, set goals, and develop action plans to improve achievement.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was developed out of efforts by Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs to understand the differences and similarities in human personalities. It is based on the psychological theory of Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist, who disputed that personality traits are inherited or innate.
ReplyDeleteMyers and Briggs used Jung's theory to develop a list of four ranges of personality traits: Introvert-Extravert [I-E], Sensing-Intuitive [S-N], Thinking-Feeling [T-F], Perceiving-Judging [P-J], and numerous combinations.
Understanding their own personality type can help students understand and appreciate diversity, read their instructors better, manage their studies more wisely, develop sounder relationships, and plan majors and careers more realistically.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can assist students in determining their personality type. It does not define individuals, it simply tell us general things about ourselves, like a zip code tells us what part of the country we live in but not the exact street or house number. Each person is different and unique even though we may share many preferences. Knowing what we have in common with others, how we differ, and what is unique about ourselves can be both empowering and critical to our success in college and beyond.
The eight traits from the MBTI are arranged in four continuums or preference scales:
Extravert (E) ..... Introvert (I)
Sensing (S) ..... Intuitive (N)
Thinking (T) ..... Feeling (F)
Perceiving (P) ..... Judging (J)
Extravert - Introvert (E-I)
This scale explains where people tend to focus their attention and get their energy.
Extraverts (E) tend to focus on the outer world of people, things, and activity and are energized by interaction with others. They love to talk, participate, organize, and socialize. They are people of action and therefore can be impatient with slow, tedious jobs and complicated procedures. They prefer to figure out things while they are talking.
Extraverted Types (Es) and Learning: Extraverted types learn best by talking and physically engaging the environment. Talking helps their thoughts to form and become clear. Their attention will naturally flow towards external things and events.
Introverts (I) are energized by the inner world of reflection, thought, and contemplation. They direct their energy and attention inward and receive energy from reflecting on their thoughts, memories and feelings. They can be sociable but need space and time alone to recharge their batteries. Introverts want to understand the world. They prefer to figure out things before they talk about them.
Sensing-Intuitive (S-N)
This scale suggests how people take in information and ways that they become aware of things, people, events, or ideas. It has the biggest impact on how people learn.
Sensing (S) people rely heavily on their five senses to take in information. They take in information that is real and tangible - what is actually happening. They are observant about the specifics of what is going on around them and are especially attuned to practical realities, and therefore they are practical and realistic. They focus on details and may ignore the big picture. They tend to be literal in their words and would rather do than think.
Intuitive (N) people seek out patterns and relationships among the facts they have gathered. They trust their hunches and intuition and look for the "big picture." Their focus is on conceptual information. Since they see the big picture, they often ignore the details. They strive to grasp patterns and are attuned to seeing new possibilities. Their focus is on the future. They would rather think than do.
This is continue from the above - The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
ReplyDeleteThinking-Feeling (T-F)
This scale explains the ways people evaluate and come to conclusions about information and how they make decisions.
Thinking (T) people look at the logical consequences of a choice or action and decide on the basis of logic, analysis, and reason. They critique and analyze to identify what's wrong with something so they can solve the problem. They strive to find a standard or principle that will apply in similar situations. They follow their head rather than their heart, value truth over tact, and sometimes appear blunt and uncaring about the feelings of others. Ts usually have strongly held principles, value fairness over everything, and need purpose.
Feeling (F) people, when making decisions, like to consider what is important to them and to others involved. Appreciating and supporting others and looking for qualities to praise energizes them. They strive to create harmony and treat each person as a unique individual. They decide on the basis of their feelings, personal likes and dislikes. They want others to like them so find it difficult to say no or disagree with others. Fs need and value kindness and harmony and are distressed by interpersonal friction. They feel rewarded when they can help others.
Judging-Perceiving (J-P)
This range suggests the type of life style and work habits people prefer.
Judging (J) people like to live in a planned, orderly way, seeking to regulate and manage their lives. They want to make decisions, come to closure, and move on. They tend to be structured and organized and like to have things settled. Getting things done energizes them. They focus on completing the task, only want to know the essentials, and take action quickly (sometimes too quickly).
Perceiving (P) types are spontaneous and don't like to be boxed in by deadlines or plans. They like to postpone action and seek more data, gathering more information before making a decision. Detailed plans and final decisions feel confining to them; they prefer to stay open to new information and last-minute options. They work at many things at once. Ps are flexible and often good in emergencies when plans are disrupted.
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ReplyDeleteThe Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model
ReplyDeleteThere are 21 elements or components of the model. The model is divided into five strands:
•environmental
•emotional
•sociological
•physiological
•psychological
The environmental strand looks at,
•Whether you like to have sound present while you work or whether you prefer silence,
•How much light you need. The younger we are the less light we need, so young children can often read in very dim light and will find reading with too much light difficult because the light
hurts their eyes.
•What temperature needs you have – we tend to dress our children according to our own needs.
•And finally the design element - whether you like to sit on a formal/hard chair at a desk or
whether you prefer to study more informally on the floor with cushions, a sofa or on your bed.
The emotional strand looks at,
•Motivation, which can fluctuate according to many factors
•Persistence - whether you like to concentrate on and finish one task at a time or whether you are gifted with the ability to do several things simultaneously and are unable to limit yourself
to single task focus
•The responsibility element refers to whether you are conforming or non-conforming
o We go through three periods of non-conformity in our lives: the terrible twos; the teenage years; the middle age crisis. However some of us are non-conformist for life and there are ways of relating to us without offending or upsetting us.
•Structure is the final element in this strand. It refers to whether you need precise information on exactly how to do something or not. In general as we grow older we have less need for structure.
The sociological strand examines how we like to learn,
•Alone
•With a friend
•In a group or a team learning situation
•With an adult or expert in the field present
•Or perhaps we have a need for variety, doing it a different way everyday!
In the physiological strand we find the elements of
•Mobility - 50% of students need to move in order to be able to learn, only 25% like to sit and be passive),
•Intake – the need for food and drink, often needed as frequently as every 45 mins in small children to keep the blood sugar levels up and the brain alert and able to learn new and difficult information. On the other hand there are others who prefer not to eat while they study.
•The time of day is another important element in learning. The best time for each of us to sit down and study can vary from early morning to those night owls who only come alive at night and we need to take that into account in deciding/knowing when it is best for us to learn.
•Finally there is the matter of perceptual modes. This refers to the way in which we are able to take in information.
The Psychological Strand
The final strand in the model looks at different processing styles.
•Do you like to build things up bit by bit from facts and figures, or do you prefer to get the big picture first, find out why it’s relevant to you to learn about this and the slot the small bits in?
•Do you prefer to use the left side of your brain (analytical) or use the right side of your brain (creative, the arts)?
•Are you impulsive (calling out answers, talking to make sense of things) or are you reflective (need time to assess and determine what it is you want to say)?
A learning style refers to the way individuals process information and learn. There is no better or best learning style, all are of value and represent different ways of gaining knowledge. Many ways of categorizing learning styles have been developed. One of the most prominent is the Kolb Model which looks at how learners perceive and process information. Kolb's model is based on two continuums. The first, is called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task - from doing to watching). The second, is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it, - from thinking to feeling). These continuums are represented by horizontal and vertical axis that intersect to form four quadrants. According to Kolb there are four learning styles, represented by the four quadrants formed by the two axis. The four styles are: diverging (feeling/watching) assimilating (watching/thinking) converging (thinking/doing) accommodating (doing feeling)
ReplyDeleteDifferences Among Students' Learning Styles
ReplyDeleteThere are four factors that significantly differ between groups and among individuals: global versus analytic processing styles, age, gender, and high- versus low-academic achievement (Dunn & Griggs, 1998). The educational implications of these four variables are important to fully comprehend and employ because they provide direction and structure for effective teaching strategies, especially for low-achieving students.
1. Global and analytic. When learning new and challenging topics, people tend to have one of two processing styles-global or analytic. Certain learning-style elements cluster to form these two processing styles in the following ways. Global learners prefer to work in an environment with soft lighting and informal seating. People with this processing style need breaks, snacking, mobility, and sound. Analytic learners prefer to work in an environment with bright light and formal seating. They work best with few or no interruptions, in a quiet environment, and little or no snacking. The majority of young children are global processors.
2. Age. Learning styles change with age. Some learning styles are developmental and many people's styles alter as they grow older. These style elements are: sociological, motivation, responsibility, and internal vs. external structure. Children tend to prefer to work with peers instead of alone and prefer an authoritative versus a collegial teacher. For many people auditory and visual perceptual elements strengthen with age.
3. Gender. Boys and girls, and men and women, tend to learn differently from each other. The perceptual strengths of males are often visual, tactile, and kinesthetic. They tend to need more mobility than females, and function better in an informal environment. Frequently, males are peer-motivated and nonconforming. On the other hand, females tend to be more auditory, need quiet while studying, work best in a formal setting, and need less mobility. Often they are more conforming, authority-oriented, and parent- and self-motivated than males.
4. High- versus low-academic achievement. High and low achieving students learn in statistically different ways from one another. In other words, the teaching strategies that are successful for one group will not produce similar outcomes in the other group (Dunn, R 2000)
Kolb's learning styles has six mainb characteristic which is;
ReplyDelete-learning is best conceived as a proscess,not in terms of outcomes
-learning is a continous process grounded in experience
-learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposed modes of adaptation to the world
-learning is a holistic approach of adaptation
-learning involves transaction between the person and the environment
-learning is the proscess creating knowledge that is the result of the transactionbetween social knowledge and personal knowledge.