Learning Styles

BPS 1023
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
LEARNING STYLES AND LEARNING FACTORS
PREPARED FOR :
MISS ZURINA BT KHAIRUDDIN
PRESENTED BY :
ZUHAIRAH BT PEZI (BDA 13034348)
NURUL NAJIHAH BT OMAR (BDA 13034174)
WAHIDAH BT ROSMIZAM (BDA 13034268)
NURUL NATASHA BT SHAHROM (BDA 13033435)
SITI NUR NAJMIAH BT MOHD NAJMUDDIN (IDD 13033518)
FARAH HAMIZA BT ABD GHANI (BDA 13034396)

Overview
What Is Learning Styles ? - Zuhairah
Field Independence - Zuhairah
Left-and Right-Brain Dominance – Farah
Reflective and Impulsive – Natasha
Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic Styles – Najihah
Autonomy, Awareness and Action – Wahidah
Kolb’s Learning Styles - Natasha
Learning Factors - Najmiah

What Is Learning Styles ?
oStyle refers to a general manner or way of doing something which is
typical or representative of a person, or a certain form of typical
expression.
oLearning styles can be referred as a certain typical way of learning.
oIn the context of educational psychology, learning styles is pupil’s
typical manner to attend, process and acquire information, knowledge
or new experience.
oAccording to cognitive psychologist, learning style can be of various
ways of making perception and processing information to formulate
concept and principle.

o Peterson (1971) interpreted learning styles as a preferred approach of learning by
a student.
o Dunn and Dunn (1978) referred learning styles as an individual’s way to
concentrate his or her attention so as to understand and remember a certain
information or new skills.
o Gregorc (1985) asserted that every individual is born with his own learning style.
According to him, family inheritance and the environment play important roles in
formulating an individual learning style.
o Slavin (1994) related personality with learning styles, and stated that: “As pupils
possess different personalities, they also have different ways of learning.”
o Thus, to summarize, learning style is a typical manner or way of how an individual
reacts to the environment so as to process, interpret and acquire information,
knowledge or skill.
o Learning style is the product of integrating individual factors such as sex, age and
personality, as well as other influences such as family inheritance and the
environment.

According to Slavin (1994), learning styles can be
grouped into two main categories which are:
Dependent Learning Style
Independent Learning Style
Field Independent

The main characteristics of dependent learning style are:
 Perceive a situation or pattern in an overall manner
 Accept general opinion
 Learning activity is based on extrinsic motivation
 Sensitive with opinions and advice of others
 Willing to be led by people whom they highly respect
 Do not have the initiative to learn and depend a lot on the motivation and
teaching of the teachers.
 Unable to determine the learning objective on their own
 Following order and learn whatever is taught without questioning.

Independent Learning Style
People with independent learning style placed the importance of detailed analysis on
every section of the learning materials. Some of the important characteristics of
independent learning style are:
 Make analytical perception
 Interested to determine the learning objective on their own
 Not sensitive with opinion or advice of others
 Possess strong intrinsic motivation
 Able to manage their own learning's
 Possess critical and creative thinking skill
 Learn on their own initiative

o As the child’s brain matures, various functions become lateralized to the left or right.
o A dominance of one side of the brain or the other, effects how a person learns
information and skills.
oLeft-brain or right-brain dominance, each side of the brain controls different types of
thinking.
o Most people fall very close to the middle, where the sides of the brain are almost
equally balanced.
oHowever, some students exhibit signs of being predominately right or left brained.
o Although they can learn by different methods, they get most excited and involved
when they can learn and do assignments in their area of strength.
oThese people will show very obvious traits and this could influence how they learn
and what tasks they excel at.
Left- and Right-Brain Dominance

oThe left hemisphere is associated with:
Logical
Analytical thought
Mathematical
Linear processing of information
oThe right hemisphere perceives and remembers:
Visual
Tactile
Auditory images
More efficient in processing holistic, integrative and emotional
information.
oTorrance (1980) lists several characteristics of left- and right-brain
dominance

Left- Brain Dominance
Intellectual
Remember names
Responds to verbal instructions and
explanations
Experiments systematically and with control
Makes objective judgements
Planned and structured
Prefers established, certain information
Analytical reader
Reliance on language in thinking and
remembering
Prefers talking and writing
Prefers multiple choices test
Controls feelings
Not good at interpreting body language
Rarely uses metaphors
Favours logical problem solving
Right- Brain Dominance
Intuitive
Remember faces
Responds to demonstrated, illustrated or
symbolic instruction
Experiments randomly and with less restraint
Makes subject judgements
Fluid and spontaneous
Prefers elusive, uncertain information
Synthesizing reader
Reliance on images in thinking and
remembering
Prefers drawing and manipulating objects
Prefers open-ended questions
More free with feelings
Good at interpreting body language
Frequently uses metaphors
Favours intuitive problem solving

The Left-Brain
o A person favouring the left side of their brain will most likely score better on a written
test than a person with the exact same IQ who favours the right side of the brain.
o Strategies for a child who is favouring the left side of their brain:
Prefer verbal instructions.
Write an outline of the lesson on the board.
Usually do things in a planned orderly way.
Discuss vocabulary words because they are interested in words.
Love to think about and discuss abstract concepts.
Need total quiet to perform an activity and get annoyed if they are spoken to or
distracted
Assign individual assignments so students may work alone.
Love to listen to an expert and take notes.
Take advantage of their skills in math and science

o Strategies for a child who is favouring the right side of their brain:
Prefer to be shown how to do something rather than told.
Write the main points on the board or pass out a study guide outline that students
can fill in. These visual clues help students focus even though during lecture.
Use the overhead, the white board, or the chalkboard frequently. Since the students
always miss the points discussed verbally, the visual pointers will help the students
"see" and comprehend the points.
Students with right-brain strengths are intuitive and like to get in touch with their
feelings during the day.
Bring in charts and maps. These make use of the students' strong right-brain visual-
spatial skills.
Prefer group activities than working alone.
Enjoy art projects and hands on activities - often have excellent eye-hand
coordination.
The Right-Brain

oAlthough there are many differences between left- and right-brain
characteristics, it is important that the they operate together as a “team”.
oThrough the corpus collosum (the structure that connects the two
hemispheres of the brain), messages are sent back and forth so that both
hemispheres are involved in much of the neurological activity of the human
brain.
oMost problem solving involves the capacities of both hemispheres and often
the best solutions to problems are those in which each hemispheres has
participated optimally.

o Reflective - Look back over on the previous
experience as a reflection
- Example: Factors effecting success and failure
o Impulsive - Acting without thinking or inability to
wait
Bla..bla..
Reflective and Impulsive Learners

Reflective
 Makes wise decision
 Takes time to thinks and to say things
 Slow in reading
 Analyze fine details
 A systematic learners
 Makes fewer errors
 Adolescents and adults
Characteristics

Impulsive
 Makes immature decision
 Unfocused
 Restless
 Never thinks about the pros and cons in their
actions
 Do not concerned about errors
 Learn faster
 Focused on overall – pictures
 Answer questions fast / without taking times
 Jumps to conclusion easily
 Children

Reflective and Impulsive Learners
 Provide wait-time for them to think
 Stop periodically so they can review what are they doing
 Introduce problem solving-for decision making
 Do lot of reading in class
 Do short summaries after reading
 Make notes-use points/main points only
 Use pictures-try to study the pictures
 Give a short task-concentrated/ focused
The Strategies

oDavid Kolb published his learning styles model in 1984 from which he
developed his learning style inventory
oKolb’s experiential learning theory works on two level:
Four stage cycle of learning
Four separate learning styles
Kolb’s Learning Style
“Learning is the process whereby knowledge
is created through the transformation of
experience” (David A. Kolb, 1984)

1) Concrete Experience (a new experience of situation is encountered, or a
reinterpretation of existing experience).
2) Reflective Observation (of the new experience. Of particular importance are any
inconsistencies between experience and understanding).
3) Abstract Conceptualization (Reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification
of an existing abstract concept).
4) Active Experimentation (the learner applies them to the world around them to
see what results).
o Effective learning is seen when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages:
(1) having a concrete experience followed by (2) observation of and reflection on
that experience which leads to (3) the formation of abstract concepts (analysis)
and generalizations (conclusions) which are then (4) used to test hypothesis in
future situations, resulting in new experiences.
The Experiential Learning Cycle

Concrete
Experience
(Feeling)
Reflective
Observation
(Watching)
Abstract
conceptualisation
(Thinking)
Active
experimentation
(Doing)

o Kolb's learning theory (1975) sets out four distinct learning styles, which are based on
a four-stage learning cycle.
o Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning
style and various factors influence a person's preferred style. For example, social
environment, educational experiences, or the basic cognitive structure of the
individual.
o The product of two pairs of variables, or two separate 'choices' that we make, which
Kolb presented as lines of axis.
o 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).
o Kolb believed that we cannot perform both variables on a single axis at the same
time. For example, think and feel.
Learning Styles

Diverging (feel and watch)
o Being imaginative.
o Understanding people .
o Recognizing problems
o Brainstorming.
o Open-minded
Accomodating
(feel and do)
o Getting things done
o Leading
o Taking risks
o Initiating
o Being adaptable
o Being practical
Assimilating
(think and watch)
o Planning
o Creating models
o Defining problems
o Developing theories
o Being patient
Converging (think and do)
o Solving problems
o Making decisions
o Reasoning
o Defining problems
o Being logical
Concrete
Experience
(Feeling)
Reflective
Observation
(Watching)
Abstract
conceptualisatio
n
(Thinking)
Active
experimentation
(Doing)

oAble to look at things from different perspectives.
oThey are sensitive.
oThey prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use
imagination to solve problems.
oThey are best at viewing concrete situations several different viewpoints.
oKolb called this style 'diverging' because these people perform better in
situations that require ideas-generation. For example, brainstorming.
oPeople with a diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to
gather information.
oThey are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend
to be strong in the arts.
oPeople with the diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open
mind and to receive personal feedback.
Diverging (feeling and watching)
Concrete Experience / Reflective Observation

o The Assimilating learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and
concepts are more important than people.
o These people require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity.
o Excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it a clear logical
format.
o Less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts.
o More attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical
value.
o These learning style people is important for effectiveness in information and
science careers.
o In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures,
exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.
Assimilating (watching and thinking)
Abstract Conceptualization / Reflective Observation

oPeople with a converging learning style can solve problems and will
use their learning to find solutions to practical issues.
oPrefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and
interpersonal aspects.
oThey can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to
questions and problems.
oMore attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or
interpersonal issues.
oLike to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with
practical applications.
Converging (doing and thinking)
Abstract conceptualization / Active Experimentation

oThe Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on', and relies on intuition
rather than logic.
oThese people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a
practical, experiential approach.
oAttracted to new challenges and experiences.
oThey are good at actively engaging with the world and actually doing
things instead of merely reading about and studying them.
Accommodating (doing and feeling)
Concrete experience / Active experimentation

o Kolb includes this cycle of learning as a central principle his experiential learning theory, typically
expressed as four-stage cycle of learning, in which 'immediate or concrete experiences' provide a
basis for 'observations and reflections'. These 'observations and reflections' are assimilated and
distilled into 'abstract concepts' producing new implications for action which can be 'actively
tested' in turn creating new experiences.
o Kolb says that ideally (and by inference not always) this process represents a learning cycle or
spiral where the learner 'touches all the bases', ie., a cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking,
and acting. Immediate or concrete experiences lead to observations and reflections. These
reflections are then assimilated (absorbed and translated) into abstract concepts with
implications for action, which the person can actively test and experiment with, which in turn
enable the creation of new experiences.

oPeople who have a clear learning style preference, for whatever
reason, will tend to learn more effectively if learning is orientated
according to their preference.
oFor instance, people who prefer the 'Assimilating' learning style will
not be comfortable being thrown in at the deep end without notes
and instructions.
oPeople who like prefer to use an 'Accommodating' learning style are
likely to become frustrated if they are forced to read lots of
instructions and rules, and are unable to get hands on experience as
soon as possible.

Autonomy
o Definition of autonomy (1981: 3, cited in Benson & Voller, 1997: 1)
o On a general note, the term autonomy has come to be used in at least five
ways (see Benson & Voller, 1997: 2):
1) for situations in which learners study entirely on their own;
2) for a set of skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed
learning;
3) for an inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education;
4) for the exercise of learners' responsibility for their own learning;
5) for the right of learners to determine the direction of their own learning.
Autonomy, Awareness and Action

o Autonomous learners can be characterized as:
 willing and have the capacity to control or supervise learning
 knowing their own learning style and strategies
 motivated to learn
 good guessers
 choosing materials, methods and tasks
 exercising choice and purpose in organizing and carrying out the chosen task
 selecting the criteria for evaluation
 taking an active approach to the task

 making and rejecting hypotheses
 paying attention to both form and content
 willing to take risks
o Versions of autonomy
 Technical.
 Psychological.
 Political.
 Social.

Awareness
o Auditory learning is when someone learns through using their sense of
hearing. They listen carefully to what is being said, as they absorb information
and facts that they have heard or discussed.
o Visual learning is when someone learns best by using their sense of sight in
order to understand and take in information. They prefer to learn through
visual displays such as graphs, diagrams, drawings images and so on. Visual
learners often use their own imagination to give them a mental image of
things, which will help them learn in a quicker way.
o Kinesthetic learning is when someone learns in a practical way, by engaging in
physical activity and practical classes. They prefer to learn by using a hands on
approach when participating in activities. This will help them to explore and
develop a better understanding of their surroundings.

Action
o Action learning is a learning and problem-solving strategy for organizations,
whether commercial, government or non-profit.
o The focus is to increase employees learning capacity within an organization
while responding to a real world challenge in a cross-departmental
team. Reflection is an important part of the experience.
 Takes advantage of its members’ own actions and experience
The experience of "exchange" can generate fresh approaches across
departmental lines (networking), and help build systemic innovation and
learning capacity within the organization.
 Begins with a period of strategic questioning of the problem

 Sets action items and goals
 Regroups to analyze progress
Reflects upon, and documents, the process
o Groups are formed to solve real problems, not to make
recommendations.
o They are empowered and trusted with the necessary resources to take
on the issue, and as a derivative can present the organization with new
procedures that build the productive power of the organization

Characteristics of Visual Learners:
o Mind sometimes strays during verbal activities
o Observes rather than talks or acts
o Organized in approach to tasks
o Likes to read
o Usually a good speller
o Memorizes by seeing graphics and pictures
VISUAL LEARNING
STYLES

o Not too distractible
o Finds verbal instructions difficult
o Has good handwriting
o Remembers faces
o Uses advanced planning
o Doodles
o Quiet by nature
o Meticulous, neat in appearance
o Notices details

o Use graphs, charts, illustrations or other visual aids
o Include outline, concept maps, agendas , handouts, etc for reading
and taking notes
o Invite question to help them stay alert in auditory environments
o Supplement textual information with illustrations whenever
possible
o Have the learners envision the topic or have them act out the
subject matter
Strategies for Visual Learners

o Characteristics of Auditory Learners:
 Talks to self aloud
 Enjoys talking
 Easily distracted
 Has more difficulty with written directions
 Likes to be read to
 Memorizes by steps in a sequence
AUDITORY LEARNING STYLES

o Enjoys music
o Whispers to self while reading
o Remembers faces
o Easily distracted by noises
o Hums or sings
o Outgoing by nature
o Enjoys listening activities

o Begin new materials with a brief explanation
o Learners to draw as much information from them as possible
and then fill in the gaps
o Include auditory activities (brainstorming, buzz group,
Jeopardy)
o Have the learners verbalize the question
Strategies for Auditory Learners

o Characteristics of Kinaesthetic Learners:
 Likes physical rewards
 In motion most of the time
 Likes to touch people when talking to them
 Taps pencil or foot while studying
 Enjoys doing activities
 Reading is not a priority
KINAESTHETIC
LEARNING STYLES

o Poor speller
o Likes to solve problems by physically working through them
o Will try new things
o Outgoing by nature
o Expresses emotions through physical means
o Uses hands while talking
o Dresses for comfort
o Enjoys handling objects

o Use activities that get learners up and moving
o Play music during activities, when appropriate
o Use coloured markers to emphasize key points on flipcharts or
whiteboards
o Provide toys such as balls and Play-Dough
o Provide highlighters, coloured pens/pencils
o Guide learners through a visualization of complex tasks
o Have them transfer information from the text to another medium such as
keyboard or a tablet
STRATEGIES FOR KINAESTHETIC
LEARNERS

Dunn and Dunn Model
Rita and Kenneth Dunn (1978) define Learning Styles as, “The way in
which each learner begins to concentrate, process and retain new and
difficult information. That interaction occurs differently for everyone.”
This model is a comprehensive model that identifies each individual’s
strengths and preferences across the full spectrum of five categories.

o Environmental
o Emotional
o Sociological
o Physical
o Psychological
There Are Five Categories

o Sound – the noise level (quiet or noisy)
o Light – bright or low
o Temperature – cool or warm
o Design – formal (e.g: desks and chairs) or
informal (e.g: pillows, sofa or floor)
Environmental

o Motivation – motivated or unmotivated
o Persistence – e.g: long-term project
o Responsibility – e.g: finish the project
o Structure – time / schedule (e.g: due dates)
Emotional

o Self – preferred to work alone
o Paired – work with a partner
o Peers – work with friends
o Groups – work in a teams
o Adult – e.g: with teachers
o Varied – all of the above
Sociological

o Perceptual – e.g: visual, kinesthetic, auditory
o Intake – what do they eat or drinks when
studying. (e.g: sugary foods)
o Mobility – whether they move around or
o they are able to sit still.
o Time of the day – e.g: morning, afternoon
Physiological

o Analytic – e.g: focus on the details
o Global – e.g: focus on the big pictures
o Reflective – they will pause and reflect the
problems first (e.g: they planned)
o Impulsive – they immediately jump into the
problems (e.g: just go along with
the problems)
Psychological

THE END
THANKS FOR LENDING YOUR EARS

Learning Styles

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