LEARNING STYLES

CONCEPTS AND APPLICATION OF

KOLB’S MODEL
 LEARNING STYLES

• LEARNIG OUTCOMES:
By the end of this topic we should be able to:
1. Define what a learning style is.
2. Knowing the different learning styles.
3. Applying the different learning styles.
 Definition

 Learning style refers to the preferential way in

which the student absorbs, processes,

comprehends and retains information.

LEARNING STYLES

•We process information in three ways: seeing,

hearing and doing
•Your preferred learning style is the one
you use the most
•Visual Learners
•Auditory Learners
•Tactile Learners
 Visual Learners

• Prefer to see information such as graphics, charts, and power-

points
• Visualize what they hear
• Can become distracted in lectures when visual aids are not used.
 VISUAL LEARNERS MAY BENEFIT
FROM:
 Visiting textbook on-line companion sites, bringing power point presentations
to class, and taking notes along side them

 Pre-reading the chapter and taking notes as you read

 Taking notes during class and revising them as soon as possible after class

 Color coding main ideas and sub-topics

 Creating study aides such as note cards, drawing diagrams, making charts.
 Auditory Learners

• Prefer to hear information out loud

• Prefer lecture style classes

• May not need extensive notes

• May read aloud

 Auditory learners may benefit from:

 Lecture style class

 Study groups in order to hear others discuss concepts
 Taping lectures and listening to them after class
Reading aloud.
 Tactile or kinesthetic learners

• Prefer to take interactive classes

• Learn through experience and physical activity

 Tactile or kinesthetic learners benefit
from:
• Creating charts, diagrams and graphs

• Taking notes

• Making flash cards

• Transcribing hand-written notes onto the computer

• Completing practice problems when applicable

• Participating in demonstrations such as labs and group presentations

APPLYING YOUR PREFERRED LEARNING
STYLE TO LECTURE CLASSES
 Visual and tactile learners should take detailed notes during a lecture
 Tactile learners may also benefit from rewriting/typing notes, or
making flashcards.

 Auditory learners who prefer lecture classes should work on

strengthening their visual and tactile skills by taking notes.
 APPLYING YOUR PREFERRED LEARNING STYLE
TO VISUAL PRESENTATIONS

• Tactile and auditory learners may benefit by sitting in the front of the class

• They should also take notes during the presentation, and soon after class make
additions to class notes

• Auditory learners may benefit from study groups to reinforce information that
was delivered through visual presentations

• Tactile learners could recreate visuals as a way to connect with new material
 APPLYING YOUR PREFERRED
LEARNING STYLE TO LABS

• Works well for tactile learners

• Visual and auditory learners can enhance their abilities by taking

notes on class procedures and using lab time for additional

practice
Build your skills across the learning styles

 Maximize your learning style

 Practice skills that do not come easily to you

 Try new things and new ways to learn

 Use multiple modalities to enhance learning

 CONCEPTS AND APPLICATION OF KOLB’S
MODEL

• LEARNING OUTCOMES;
• By the end of this sub-topic, we ought to;
1. Define experimental learning theory
2. Discuss the four process of learning
3. Explain the four learning stages
4. Apply experimental learning theory in education.
 WHO IS DAVID KOLB?

• David Kolb is an American psychologist, professor and educational

theorist known for his work in experiential learning and his learning

styles model, which has influenced the educational sector.

 Summary of Kolb's theory

• Kolb's theory encourages learners to integrate new observations

with current understanding (converting experience into

knowledge).
 Experimental Learning Theory

• Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation

of experience (Kolb, 1984,p. 38).

• Integrating new information into existing one.

• Involving the whole person.

• Transacting (conducting) between the person and the environment.

 Theoretical background

• John Dewey === Education is a holistic process that combines

knowledge with life experiences, encouraging students to integrate

thinking skills with tangible results.

• Learning grounded in experience.

 Cont.…

• Kurt Lewin===== argued for the importance of group,

experiential, and action research.

• Being active in learning.

• PIAGET===== Resulting from interaction of the person and the
environment.
 FOUR PROCESSES of LEARNING
• Watching:
Sense----- perceiving information
• Thinking
Mind……reflecting how it impacts.
• Feeling
Emotion-----fitting into learners experience.
• Doing
Muscle…….performing new ways to act
FOUR LEARNING STAGES
 CONCRETE EXPERIENCE

Doing or having an experience

 Reflective observation

Reviewing or reflecting on the experiment

 Abstract Conceptualization

Concluding or learning from experience

 Active experiment

Planning or trying out what you have

learned
FOUR LEARNING STYLES
 ACCOMMODATOR

• Learns through concrete experience

• Transforms learning into abstract experimentation

• Leaders, risk takers, needs mentors, strength in doing, likes examples.

• Teaches students by encouragement, molding,

 Diverger

• Learns through concrete experience

• Transforms learning by reflective observation.

• Likes brainstorming, solves problems, imaginative, emotional, people person.

• Teaches through lecture and motivates students to learn.

 Converger

• Learns through abstract conceptualization

• Transforms information through active experimentation by doing

• Prefers objects, dislikes group activities like questioning, problem solver,

unemotional.

• Teaches by questioning and encouraging students.

 Assimilator

• Learn through abstract conceptualization

• transforms learning through reflective observation.

• Likes reading, research, organizing, working alone, likes class calendar.

• Teaches students through lecturing traditional classroom.

KOLB’S EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING
CYCLE
 Contribution to education

• It provides a powerful foundation for learning and development

by describing the ideal processes where knowledge is created
through experience.

• His Learning styles can be used to design effective training

interventions.
Application of Kolb's Learning Theory

1. CLASSROOM; Kolb's learning styles and cycle help educators design and create more appropriate
and personalized training interventions, which help learners learn more effectively.

• Experiential activities inside the classroom , incudes;

• Field trips

• Art projects

• Science experiments
Application of Kolb's Learning Theory

• Role-playing exercises

• Reflection and journaling

• Opportunities for internship

• Interactive classroom games

Application of Kolb's Learning Theory

• Creating training interventions that reflect all four components

of the learning cycle is an ideal approach to support each
student's learning preference and challenge them to develop
their non-dominant learning modes.
Application of Kolb's Learning Theory

2. Coaching and Mentoring;

Kolb's theory is useful for creating effective coaching and mentoring

sessions and integrating new ideas into learning experiences, as it helps

to tailor the learning experience to each learning style's preferences.

Application of Kolb's Learning Theory

2. Business;

Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory can be used to create effective content in

other fields, such as marketing collateral and sales pitches. Sales and marketing

representatives should use different types of demonstrations, explanations, and

presentations to cater to all styles.

 Critique

 Cultural consideration are not included

 Little research support

 Stages of learning may be sequenced differently.

 Does not apply in all types of learning situation.

 Insufficient information on reflection.

 Does not explore nature of knowledge in depth

 Smith, 2001.
Video
 THINKING STYLES

Sub-topic outcome

By the end of this sub-topic, learner should be able to;

Define what thinking is.
Know the meaning and nature of thinking.
The different thinking styles and their functions
 THINKING
“I think, therefore I am”

These words of the philosopher

Rene Descartes. Illustrates the
importance of thinking

We exist because we think

 “I think, therefore I am”

• (philosophy) I am able to think, therefore I exist. A

philosophical proof of existence based on the fact that

someone capable of any form of thought necessarily exists.

 Thinking; Meaning and Nature
• Thinking may be described as mental processing of information.
• Thinking is essentially a cognitive activity.
• It is always directed toward achieving some purpose.
• It is a problem solving behavior.
• It is done voluntarily or involuntarily.
• It is a symbolic activity.
 Thinking; Meaning and Nature

• Thinking may be in form of fantasizing, day dreaming, reasoning

and problem-solving.

• Systemic thinking act as a filter and helps in separating the

important from the unimportant.

 Thinking Styles

• According to psychologist Robert Sternberg, people acquire their

thinking styles through socialization. However, it is also possible

to teach thinking styles.

 Sternberg’s conception of Thinking Styles are
based on the following hypothesis;

1. Thinking styles are preferences in the use of abilities, and not

the abilities themselves.

2. A match between styles and abilities creates a synergy which is

more than mere sum of its parts.

 Cont.…..
1. The life choices we make should fit styles as well as abilities.
2. People have profiles of styles, not just a single style.
3. Styles vary across tasks, situations as well as across the life
span.
4. The value of styles may change.
5. Styles are not or bad-its question of suitability.
 FUNCTIONS OF THINKING STYLES
Our thinking styles help us to carry out three functions.
1. LEGISLATIVE STYLE:
• People with legislative style of thinking like doing things their own
way.
• The legislative style of thinking favors creativity.
• Individuals with this style likes activities such as creative writing,
inventing new things, start new business etc.
 Cont.….
2 EXECUTIVE THINKING:
• Here people prefer the need of guidelines that WHAT to do and
HOW to do.
• This type of thinking is valued in schools and organizations.
• Individuals with this style like activities such as solving well
defined mathematical problems, applying rules, giving lessons on
others ideas.
 Cont.….
3 JUDICIAL THINKING:
This type of thinking prefers evaluating rules and procedures and
judging situations. They favor problems which can be analyzed and
evaluated.
• This style of thinking is often not given importance it deserves.
• Individuals with this style like activities like giving opinions,
writing critiques, judging people, and their work etc.
FORMS/TYPES OF THINKING STYLES

• Sternberg also distinguished between four different types/forms

of thinking styles and they include;
1. Monarchic form
2. Hierarchic form
3. Oligarchic form
4. Anarchic form
 Explanation of each

• MONARCHIC individuals are single-minded and driven, focusing on one

thing at a time.

• HIERARCHIC people have a preference for tasks, projects, and situations

that allow them to create a hierarchy of goals and prioritize them differently.
 Cont.…

• The OLIGARCHIC individual has difficulty setting priorities for

competing demands but adapts well if they are of equal priority.

• ANARCHIC individuals have a tendency to take a random approach

to problems, making them difficult to understand.

 LEVELS OF THINKING STYLES

• Sternberg identifies two levels of thinking styles;

1. LOCAL THINKING STYLE, individuals enjoy tasks that require them to focus on

concrete details.

2. GLOBAL THINKING STYLE, individuals enjoy tasks that require them to think

about big ideas and not worry about details.

 Limitations of Sternberg thinking theory

• Participants were not selected using a strict sampling procedure.

• Self-report data does not necessarily correspond to behavioral measures.

 Contributions

• Led to accepting the alterations about how individuals think.

• Led understanding that most of the thinking styles within the education

environment.

• Helps teachers to understand the student's ability at different levels of

Education (Richmond et al., 2006).

 Conclusion

• The Sternberg theory is used to improve and develop the learning process

in an learning environment; the theory leads to understanding the

differences in the way people think and it helps teachers to understand the

student's ability at different levels of Education.