Learning styles

Why they are important

Low satisfaction or poor performance can be
misinterpreted as lack of knowledge or ability
when it is difficulty with learning
Teachers who understand learning styles are
better able to adapt their teaching methods
Varied teaching methods lead to more motivated
and engaged learners
Students who know their styles are better
learners and better achievers

Why they are important

A teacher who knows his/her learning style
is more aware of the disparities among the
class members and can adapt their
teaching
Styles have strengths and weaknesses
and can be mixed

Classifications
Kolb is the guru of learning styles
He developed a cycle of learning in which
immediate/concrete experiences provide
the basis for observations and
reflections
These observations can be distilled into
abstract concepts which produce actions
which can be actively tested to create a
new experience

Honey and Mumford

Developed a learning styles questionnaire
based on Kolbs theories
Postulated that peoples preferred styles
vary with situational change (horses for
courses)
Their cycle is having an experience
reflecting on it - Drawing conclusionsputting theory into practice

Honey and Mumford Cycle

The 4 Styles
Reflectors

Theorists

Prefer to watch, think,

review

Think through step by step

Journals and brainstorm

Lectures case studies

Expert lectures

Reading

Pragmatist

Activists

Apply new learning to actual

practice

Challenge of the new

experience

Field work and lab work

Role play Small groups

Feedback and coaching

Involvement with others

What kind of car does ~ drive

ACTIVISTS - Red and racy

PRAGMATISTS - Fords
REFLECTORS - Old Cars
THEORISTS - Volvo
(practical)/Astra (economic)

What is a ~ favourite breakfast

cereal?
ACTIVIST - Snap crackle and pop
or free toy
PRAGMATIST - Whichever pack
needs emptying or the kids wont
eat
REFLECTOR - Porridge
THEORIST - Muesli with fruit/fresh
juice

What would ~ name a baby

ACTIVIST - Willow Storm Forest

PRAGMATISTS - John Susan
REFLECTORS - Amy Matthew
THEORISTS - Anything timeless
shortenable and untainted

What is ~ favourite song?

ACTIVIST - Agadoo or the Birdy

song
PRAGMATIST - We can work it out
REFLECTOR - Sitting on the Dock
of the Bay
THEORIST - Dem bones dem
bones

Another way of looking at it

Visual (spatial)
Aural
Verbal
Physical (kinesthetic)
Logical (mathematical)
Social (interpersonal)
Solitary

Minimising weaknesses
In groups:
1. Look at the strengths and weaknesses of your
learning style
2. What compensation strategy would you use to
minimise one of your weaknesses
3. What strategies would you like your tutor to
use

Index of learning styles

Active or reflective (Processing)
Active learner
Strengths Work well in groups
Experiment
Evaluate
Find solutions
Potential
Weaknesses

Do not learn much in

passive situations eg
lectures/reading

Reflective learner
Work well alone
Theoreticians
Observers
Define problems and
solutions
Do not learn well when they
cannot reflect eg lectures

Index of learning styles 2

Sensing or intuitive (perception)
Strengths

Sensing

Intuitive

Like facts and data

Use standard solutions
Patient with detail
Memorise facts
Practical and careful
Concrete experiments

Like theories & principles

Welcome complications
Grasp new concepts
Work faster
Comfortable with symbols
Abstract conceptualisation

Potential
Difficulty problem solving
Weaknesse Difficulty dealing with
s
complications

Work more slowly

Repetition
Bored with detail
Careless

Index of learning styles

Visual or verbal (Input)
Visual

Verbal

Strengths

Reading and writing

Understand charts and
graphs
Good sense of direction
Manipulate images
Visual metaphors
Practical construction

Listening & speaking

Story telling & teaching
Use humour
Good memory
Argue their viewpoint
Analyse language

Potential
weaknesses

Poor listening skills

Speak less well

Read and write less

Index of learning styles

Sequential or Global (understanding)
Sequential

Global

Strengths

Work with material they dont

fully comprehend
Convergent thinking and
analysis
Organised and focussed
Consistent
Objectivity

Divergent thinking
See the big picture
Cooperate in groups
Paraphrase
Multitasking
Read body language
See relationships
Sense of fairness

Potential
weaknesses

Generalities
Multitasking
May miss the main idea

May skip steps and

details
Having to explain
themselves analytically

In groups
List what and how you would
present to Auditory, Visual and
Kinesthetic learners

How/what to present

Development Styles
Indirect
Interactions

COACHING

MENTORING

Direct
Interactions

TRAINING

TEACHING

Specific topic

General topics

Leadership Styles

Visionary
Commanding
Coaching
Affiliative
Democratic
Pacesetting
Charismatic

Visionary
Use when need new
direction
Goal is to move towards
shared dreams
Leaders articulate goal but
NOT how it will be achieved
Followers free to innovate
experiment and take risks

Commanding
Classically military
Most often used and
least effective
Rarely uses praise
Undercuts morale and
job satisfaction
Effective in a crisis

Pacesetting
High performance
standards
Obsessive about doing
things better/faster
Can undercut morale and
people feel as if failure
Pacesetting spoils the
climate

Coaching
One on one
Develops individuals
Connects individual and
organisational goals
Works where people show
initiative and want to develop
Can be seen as
micromanaging and hence
undermining

Affiliative

Emphasizes teamwork
Creates group harmony
Increases morale
Improves communication
May let individual poor
performance go
uncorrected

Democratic
Draws on knowledge and
skills
Creates group
commitment
Works best when goals
unclear
Uses group wisdom
Disastrous in crisis

Charismatic
Have style personality and
confidence
Visions expressed as ideal
goals
Can inspire followers
Self confident
Often lead into bad things

And finally.