Learning Styles

1
Learning Styles

• University of Toronto
• November 2001

2
Reflection

• Think for a moment about a particularly good
  learning experience youve had OR a particularly
  poor one.
• Choose one and write it down.
• Share this experience with the person next to you.

3
What learners like

• To be challenged
• To be respected
• Variety of techniques
• Real-life experiences
• To get prompt feedback

4
What learners dont like

• To be bored, talked down to.
• Inconsistency in expectations, grading.

5
Learning Style Inventory

• Answer the questions on the Kolb Learning Style
  Inventory
• Rank 4 for things that describe you best, 1
  for things that are least like you
• Copy ranking on to second sheet, add up scores
  for CE, RO, AC, and AE, plot on circle charts.
• Subtract AE-RO and AC-CE scores and plot on grid
  on back side of sheet.

6
Learning Styles
Concrete Experience (CE)
Reflective Observation (RO)
Active Experimentation (AE)
Abstract Conceptualization (AC)
7
Concrete Experience
Learning by experiencing

• Learning from specific experiences
• Relating to people
• Being sensitive to feelings and people

8
Reflective Observation
Learning by reflecting

• Carefully observing before making judgments
• Viewing issues from different perspectives
• Looking for the meaning of things

9
Abstract Conceptualization
Learning by thinking

• Logically analyzing ideas
• Planning systematically
• Acting on an intellectual understanding of a
  situation

10
Active Experimentation
Learning by doing

• Showing ability to get things done
• Taking risks
• Influencing people and events through action

11
Preferred Learning Styles
Concrete Experience
Accommodating
Diverging
Reflective Observation
Active Experimentation
Converging
Assimilating
Abstract Conceptualization
12
Diverging

• Imaginative
• Many perspectives
• Broad cultural interests
• Information seeking

13
Assimilating

• Ability to create theoretical models
• Assimilates disparate observations
• Inductive reasoning

14
Converging

• Practical application of ideas
• Does well on conventional tests
• Hypothetical-deductive reasoning

15
Accommodating

• Puts ideas into action
• Adapts well to changing circumstances
• Intuitive trial and error

16
Retention of Learning

• 20 AC
• 50 AC RO
• 70 AC RO CE
• 90 AC RO CE AE

17
What about your teaching?

• You talking
• Students talking to you
• Students talking to each other
• Students writing
• Students thinking
• Students listening and viewing AV
• Other

18
Plan a session

• Using different Kolb LSI orders, plan an
  instructional session using all 4 types of
  learning activities.

19
(No Transcript)