Theories on Learning Styles David Kolbs Learning Styles

Theories on Learning Styles

David Kolb’s Learning Styles Model - 1984 Individual have different learning styles • Three Stages of Development • Four Learning Styles

Stages of Development • Acquisition – birth to adolescence – development of basic abilities • Specialization – schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood – the development of a particular learning style is shaped by social, educational, and organizational structures • Integration – mid career to later life – expressions of non -dominant learning styles in work and personal life

Concrete Experience CE feeling Active Experimentation AE doing Reflective Observation RO watching thinking Abstract Conceptualization AC

Four Learning Styles Doing Experimentation Feeling Concrete Experience CE Thinking Abstract Conceptualization AC Active AE Watching Reflective Observation RO Accommodating CE/AE Diverging CE/RO Converging AC/AE Assimilating AC/RO

Diverging (feeling and watching) • Look at things from different perspectives • Sensitive and emotional – interest in people • Prefer to watch rather than do • Gather information and use imagination to solve problems • Perform best in situations that require idea generation brainstorming • Prefer to work in groups, listen with an open mind and receive personal feedback

Accommodating (doing & feeling CE/AE) • Hands – on • Relies on intuition rather than logic – gut instinct • Prefer to take an experiential approach to problem solving • Attracted to new challenges and experiences • Prefer to work in teams to complete tasks

Converging (doing & thinking AC/AE) • Prefer technical tasks • Less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects • Best at finding practical uses for ideas theories • Like to experiment with new ideas and work with practical applications

Assimilating (watching & thinking AC/RO) • Preference for a concise logical approach • Ideas and concepts are more important than people • Require clear explanations rather than practical opportunity • Excel at understanding wide range of information • Prefer reading, lectures, exploring analytical models

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory • Rejects the idea that people are intelligent or not intelligent • People are intelligent in different ways • People posses a set of intelligences • Intelligence is a mixture of several abilities - 7 • Most people are strong in 3 of the 7 learning types but no one is good at all of them • Need to think beyond IQ

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory Intelligence Type Capability & Perception Linguistic words and language Logical – mathematical logic and numbers Musical music, sound, rhythm Kinesthetic body movement Spatial-Visual images and space Interpersonal other persons feelings Intrapersonal self-awareness

Additional Intelligences - Gardner Intelligence Type Capability & Perception Naturalist natural environment Spiritual/Existential religion & ultimate issues Moral ethics, humanity, value of life