KOLB'S LEARNING STYLES

KOLB'S LEARNING STYLES

References  book :                                                                                                

An invitation to psychology- dr.beena, dr.parameswaran – 282-283

Reflective teaching &learning - Sue Dymoke &Jeenifeer Harrison-53-54

Best teaching practice          -      Donna Walker Tileston    -           21-24

web

www.kolb-hk.com

www. psychology.org

www. learning and teachinginfo.org

Kolbleaning styles

v  Author-Introduction

v  Learning style – Definitions

v  Kolb's Experiential Learning Model

v  Preference dimensions

v  Kolb’s learning styles - matrix view

v  Kolb's Learning Styles

v  charaterstic of the four Kolb learning styles:

v  conclusion 

Author Introduction

• Kolb was born in 1939,joined the school in 1946
• Bachelor of arts from Knox college n 1961
• Master degree from Harvard in 1964 and is PhD in 1967
• David Kolb - Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Case Western Reserve University,
• Published his learning styles model in 1984
• He is credited with launching the learning styles movement in the early seventies and is perhaps one of the most influential learning models developed.

Learning style – definitions:

“Learning styles is the way that individuals concentrate or absorb and retain new or difficult materials or skills”-Dunn and Dunn,

“An individual’s learning style is the way that person begins to process, internalize and concentrate on new material”-Gremli.

Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory

 Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles, which are based on a four-stage learning cycle.

• Concrete experience
• Abstract conceptualization
• Active experimentation
• Reflective observation

 1. Concrete experience(CE):

·         Here the dominate behaviour is feeling,

·         Concrete perceives absorb information through direct experience by doing acting sensing and feeling.

2.Reflective observation(RO):

·         Here the dominate behaviour is watching

·         Reflective processors make sense of an experience by reflecting on and thinking about it.

3.Abstract conceptualization(AC):

·         Here the dominate behaviour is thinking,

·         Abstract perceivers however, take in information through  analysis, observation and thinking

4.Active experimentation (AE):

·         Here the emphasis is on doing

·         Ability to get things done, through action.

·         Active processors make sense of an experience by immediately using the information.

                                    Preference dimensions

Perception dimension

Concrete experience(CE)(feeling)- vs. - Abstract conceptualization (AC)(thinking)

 A typical presentation of Kolb’s continuum is that the North-South axis is called processing continuum .

Processing dimension

Active experimentation(AE)(dong)-vs.- Reflective observation(RO)(watching)

A typical presentation of Kolb’s continuum is that the North-South axis is called processing continuum

 These learning styles are combination of two line of axis (ie) processing perception continuums ) each formed between what Kolb calls dialectically two related modes or two pairs of variables are,

Transforming  Experience (feeling or thinking)

Grasping Experience (doing or watching).

The Learning Cycle

This matrix provides a learning cycle that involves four processes that must be present for learning to occur..

Kolb called this Experiential Learning since experience is the source of learning and development (1984). Each ends of the continuums (modes) provide a step in the learning process:

                       Kolb’s learning styles - matrix view

Kolb’s learning styles in terms of a two –by-two matrix. The diagram also high lights

Kolb’s terminology for the four learning styles.

	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)

Kolb's Learning Styles

Kolb theorized that the four combinations of perceiving and processing determine one of four learning styles of how people prefer to learn. Kolb believes that learning styles are not fixed personality traits, but relatively stable patterns of behaviour that is based on their background and experiences. Thus, they can be thought of more as learning preferences, rather than styles.

Characterstics of the four Kolb learning styles:

Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) :

Meaning : To move away from a point.

§  able to look at things from different perspectives.

§  sensitive.

§  prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems.

§  have broad cultural interests and like to gather information.

§  interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts.

§  prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback.

§  Ex: arts , entertainment and services

Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO) :

Meaning : To fully understand an idea.

·         preference is for a concise, logical approach.

·         Ideas and concepts are more important than people.

·         require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity.

·         excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organising it a clear logical format.

·         less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts.

·         more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value.

·         important for effectiveness in information and science careers.

·         prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.

Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE) :

Meaning: To move towards a place from different directions and meet/to move towards each other and meet at a point.

§  can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues.

§  prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects.

§  best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories.

§   can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems.

§  more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues.

§  enables specialist and technology abilities.

§  like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications.

§  Ex : specialised profession and technical careers

Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE) :

Meaning: Willing to help and do things for other people.

§  'hands-on', and relies on intuition rather than logic.

§  use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach.

§  attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans.

§  commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis.

§  tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis.

§  prevalent and useful in roles requiring action and initiative.

§  prefer to work in teams to complete tasks.

§  set targets and actively work in the field trying different ways to achieve an objective.

§  Ex : marketing and sales

conclusion :

·          Learning style also helps to identify one major factor contributing to either very successful learning or at the other end, very unsuccessful learning.

·         Nevertheless most people clearly exhibit clean strong preferences for a given learning style, The ability to use or ‘Switch between’ different styles is not one that we should assume comes easily or naturally to many people.

·         Simply people who have a clear learning style preference , for whatever reason, will tend to learn more effectively if learning is oriented according  to their preference.

·         For instance-people who prefer the ‘ Assimilating’ learning style will not be comfortable being thrown in at the deep end without notes and instructions.

·         People 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.

Answering the following questions

1.what is the dominate behaviour of concrete experience

a).feeling   b).watching c).doing.

2. what is the dominate behaviour of active experience

a).feeling   b).watching c).doing.

3.in which year kolb has published his learning style modle

a).1984         b).2008          c).1985.

4.diverging people has quality of

 a).logical approach   b).sensitive  c).experiential approach.

5. accommodating people are specialised in

a).marketting  b).technical careers  c).arts.

Answering the following questions (5mark)

1.what do you mean by accommodating in learning

2.what is abstract conceptualization as suggested by Kolb

3.what do you mean by convergent in learning

Answering the following essay questions (10mark)

Describe in detail about the learning styles of Kolb.