Learning Styles Learning for Outcome Based Learning

What do we DO?
 Learning Styles – The Kolb model
 Learning Styles – The Felder - Silverman Model
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What are Learning Styles?
Learning Styles are different methods of learning
and understanding new information.
Learning Styles are the way a person takes in
understands , expresses and remembers
information. N
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David Kolb
 David Kolb did his PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard
University. He Published his principles of learning styles in 1984
Kolb shows how people perceive and process information
through a learning cycles and Learning styles
 The learning cycle involves four processes
 Then developed four learning Styles
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David Kolb
 Constructivism
 6 Principles
 Experimental Learning
 “Learning is the process whereby knowledge created
through transformation of experience”
 Learning Styles N
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Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory
"Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created
through the transformation of experience. Knowledge
results from the combination of grasping experience and
transforming it. " Kolb (1984, 38)
Kolb’s experiential learning theory is recognised as
launching the modern learning style movement (Coffield et
al., 2004)
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Kolb’s Six principles of Experimental Learning
 Learning as a process
 Learning is Relearning
 Emotional reflection
 Holistic Learning
 Environmental Learning
 Constructivism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1HJQZMh9Q4
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Learning as a Process
 Learning is a continuous process grounded in experience.
Knowledge is continuously derived and tested out in the
experiences of the learner.
 Application : Constantly building on previous content,
scaffolding.
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Learning is Relearning
 Student’ ideas must be drawn out , discussed and
redefined
 Application : Use of group work, theory testing and critical
thinking exercises
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Emotional Reflection
Learning requires a resolution of “dialectically opposed
modes of adaption of the world” that is learners’ must
move between “opposing modes of reflection and action
and feeling and thinking”
Application : Allow time for students to reflect. Have
learners keep journals
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Holistic
 Learning affects the entire learner
 Application – Use of cross disciplinary curriculum. Always
improve every aspect of the learner’s education.
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Environmental
 Learning involves interaction between the learner and the
environment
 Application : Allow time for experimentation and
application of the learner’s ideas.
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Constructivism
 Constructivism views learning as a process in which the
learner constructs knowledge based on their past
experiences.Knowledge is constantly building upon itself.
 Application: Account for differing viewpoints between
students. Each learner’s experience is constantly growing and
creating a unique lens for the student
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 Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles (or
preferences), which are based on a four-stage learning cycle
(which might also be interpreted as a 'training cycle').
Four Stages of learning cycle
Concrete Experience - (CE)
Reflective Observation - (RO)
Abstract Conceptualization - (AC)
Active Experimentation - (AE)
Kolb's experiential learning theory (learning styles)
http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm
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Four-stage learning cycle:
Concrete Experience
(Do something)
Reflective Observation
(Think about what you did)
Abstract
Conceptualization (Make
generalization)
Active
Experimentation
(Bearing in mind your
conclusion)
http://skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/preview/content/models/02.shtml
Concrete Experience
Life is full of experiences we can
learn from. Whether at home or at
work or out and about, there are
countless opportunities for us to
'kick-start' the learning cycle.
Reflective Observation
Reflection involves thinking about
what we have done and
experienced. Some people are
naturally good at this. Others train
themselves to be more deliberate
about reviewing their experiences
and recording them.
Abstract conceptualization
(thinking): Logical analysis of
ideas and acting on intellectual
understanding of a situation.
Active experimentation (doing):
Ability to get things done by
influencing people and events
through action. Includes risk-
taking.
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Example of learning Cycle
Learning to ride a bicycle:
Reflective observation - Thinking about riding and watching another
person ride a bike.
Abstract conceptualization - Understanding the theory and having a
clear grasp of the biking concept.
Concrete experience - Receiving practical tips and techniques from a
biking expert.
Active experimentation - Leaping on the bike and have a go at it.
http://www.nwlink.com/~%E2%80%89donClark/hrd/styles/kolb.html
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Example of learning Cycle
Learning algebra:
 Abstract conceptualization - Listening to explanations on what
it is.
Concrete experience - Going step-by-step through an equation.
Active experimentation - Practicing.
Reflective observation - Recording your thoughts about
algebraic equations in a learning log.
http://www.nwlink.com/~%E2%80%89donClark/hrd/styles/kolb.html
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Kolb's learning styles
Kolb's two continuums -
 East-West axis is called the
Processing Continuum (how we
approach a task) -
 North-South axis is called the
Perception Continuum (our
emotional response, or how we
think or feel about it)
http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm
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Four-stage learning styles:
1. Diverging Style
2. Assimilating Style
3. Converging Style
4. Accommodating Style
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Kolb's learning styles - matrix view
Doing (Active
Experimentation - AE)
Watching (Reflective
Observation - RO)
Feeling (Concrete
Experience - CE)
Accommodating
(CE/AE)
Diverging (CE/RO)
Thinking (Abstract
Conceptualization -
AC)
Converging (AC/AE) Assimilating (AC/RO)
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Diverging Style
 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.
 These people perform better in situations that require ideas-
generation, for example - brainstorming.
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Assimilating Style
 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 organising 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
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Converging Style
 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.
 They 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
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Accommodating Style
 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.
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Learning Styles – The Felder -
Silverman Model
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The Felder - Silverman Model
Felder and Silverman identify five different learning style
dimensions:
Processing Active Learner Reflective Learner
Perception Sensory Lerner Intuitive Learner
Input Visual Learner Verbal Learner
Understanding Sequential Learner Global Learner
Organization Inductive Leraner Deductive Learner
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"Index of Learning Styles" (ILS)
There are many measures of learning styles, but the one we are
considering here is Felder and Soloman’s Index of Learning Styles
(ILS).
 It was developed to help students and teachers of undergraduate
science and engineering courses.
The Index of Learning Styles is an on-line instrument used to assess
preferences on four dimensions (active/reflective, sensing/intuitive,
visual/verbal, and sequential/global) of a learning style model
formulated by Richard M. Felder and Linda K. Silverman. The
instrument was developed by Richard M. Felder and Barbara A.
Soloman of North Carolina State University.
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Active Learners:
 Active learners tend to retain and understand
information best by doing something active with it -
discussing or applying it or explaining it to others.
 "Let's try it out and see how it works" is an active
learner's phrase.
 Prefer group work
 Finds it difficult to sit in lectures just taking notes is
difficult for Active Learners
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Reflective Learners:
 Retain and understand information best by
thinking about it first
 “Let’s think it through first”
 Prefer working alone
 Needs thinking time during lectures
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Sensing Learners:
 Like to learn facts
 Like to solve problems using well established methods and
dislike complications and surprises
 Tend to be patient with details and are good at memorising
facts and doing hands on work, e.g. labs. and projects
 Tend to be more practical and careful
 Do not like courses that have no apparent connection to the
real world
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Intuitive learners:
 Prefer discovering possibilities and relationships
 Like innovation and dislike repetition
 May be better at grasping new concepts and are more
comfortable with abstract material and mathematical
formulations
 Tend to work faster and are more innovative but may be
careless
 Do not like courses that involve a lot of memorisation and
routine calculation
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Visual Learners:
You learn best when information is presented visually and in
written language format –
1. Textbooks and class notes
2. List the essential points of a lecture
3. Colour coding & highlighting
4. Summarize key information
Visual learners remember best what they see: pictures diagrams,
flowcharts, time lines, films, demonstrations. If something is
simply said to them, they will probably forget it.
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Verbal Learner:
 Get most out of written and spoken explanations.
 Benefit from:
Writing summaries or outlines of course material
Working in groups to hear classmates’ explanations
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Verbal Learner:
In most college classes very little visual information is
presented: students mainly listen to lectures and read
material written on chalkboards and in textbooks and
handouts.
 Unfortunately, most people are visual learners, which
means that most students do not get nearly as much as they
would if more visual presentation were used in class
 Good learners are capable of processing information
presented either visually or verbally.
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Sequential Learners:
The learners
 Gain understanding in small sequential, logical steps
 Tend to follow logical stepwise paths while problem solving
 May not understand material fully but are still able to solve
problems and pass tests
 May know a lot about specific aspects of a subject, but may
have trouble relating them to different aspects of same or
different subjects
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Global Learners:
The learners
Seem to learn in large jumps, absorbing material almost randomly
without seeing connections, then suddenly "getting it“
 May be able to solve complex problems quickly, or put things
together in a novel way once they have grasped the big picture
 Strongly global learners may have severe difficulties in solving
problems when they have not grasped everything
 May have difficulty in explaining their knowledge
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Inductive Learners
Start with observations - Prefer to learn a body of material by
seeing specific cases first (observations, experimental results,
numerical examples)
 Prefer to begin with general principles and to deduce
consequences and applications.
Infer, explain (natural human learning style)
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Deductive Learners
 Start with principles
 Deduce, derive (natural college teaching style)
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Learning Styles Learning for Outcome Based Learning

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