Class notes, May 1st, 2008 - Subject: Experiential Learning/Learning Styles

We focused our discussion on the theories of a couple people: David A. Kolb (Learning Styles) and Bernice McCarthy (The 4MAT System: Teaching to Learning Styles); McCarthy was highly influenced by Kolb’s theory.

Kolb developed his theory on Learning Styles in the 60’s and early 70’s. According to Wikipedia, “His model is built upon the idea that learning preferences can be described using two continuums: active experimentation-reflective observation and abstract conceptualization-concrete experience. The result is four types of learners: converger (active experimentation-abstract conceptualization), accommodator (active experimentation-concrete experience), assimilator (reflective observation-abstract conceptualization), and diverger (reflective observation-concrete experience). The LSI is designed to determine an individual's learning preference.”

A few thoughts I wrote from our class lecture:
• In the last years his theory made a come back, specially in the business field
• We are not one-dimensional beings
• Kolb’s theory makes sense for technical people but maybe not for people in the research field

A questions that came up in our class – What do we think it is a good environment for learning?
• Practical
• Authentic learning
• Meaningful
• Individualized

In the discussion about the points (listed above), our teacher makes connections between Kolb’s theory and things we learned about communities of learning (cognitive apprenticeship).

Another question is raised sometime after the discussion above; how can we design a lesson that will give current learners to experience all areas of Kolb’s Learning Styles Theory?

By emphasizing the following areas (for our current times):
• Auditory – learn by listening – example given mp3 podcasts
• Visual – books with a lot of pictures
• Kinesthetic; 5% of population, part of population that love games and don’t hear things well

We watched a video about The 4MAT System. The system is based on Kolb’s theory and has 4 main areas of learning styles; Dynamic, Imaginative, Common Sense Learner, Analytical.

Then, we broke up in groups of 3 and discussed between ourselves examples of The 4 MAT System.

Preview for next class – we will discuss the motivation model; please refer to iLearn to see what is due in our next class.