1

Approach to Learning

Know your preferred learning style• Seek out learning opportunities to suit

Develop other styles to get most from learning• Move outside the comfort zone

Balanced learning means better learning• Take more in, retain more and apply it

more.

2

Experimentand

Integrate

Learning Cycle

LearningExperience

Observeand

Reflect

Generaliseand

ConceptualiseAdapted from Weinstein, p40/41 (1999) and Knasel, Meed & Rossetti, p105 (2000)

ALAPA

3

Passive Reception Active Learning

Directives,Presentations,

lectures

Rules ofthumb

Stories witha moral

Socraticquestioning

Guidedpractice

Guidedobservation

Guidedproblemsolving

Guidedexperimentation

Group-based One-to-One

Active Learning

Lessons? •Recognise ‘deep smarts’•Get them to talk•Transfer knowledge through active learning.

Leonard, D. and Swap W. (2004) Deep Smarts Harvard Business Review , September Issue: 88-97. Edited version

4

How We Think The Brain Works

Neo-Cortex(Higher Order Thinking Skills)

Limbic System (Emotions & Long Term Memory)

Brainstem (Reptilian)(Fight, Flight or Freeze)

Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI)

Cerebellum(Embedded Learning/Habits)

5

Look at the chart and say the colour, not the word …

YELLOW BLUE ORANGEBLACK RED GREENPURPLE YELLOW REDORANGE GREEN BLACKBLUE RED PURPLEGREEN BLUE ORANGE

Left – Right ConflictYour right brain tries to say the colour

Your left brain insists on reading the word

6

Information Retention

20% of what they Read30% of what they Hear 40% of what they See50% of what they Say60% of what they Do90% of what they See, Hear, Say and Do

On average people remember:-

Rose,C. and Nicholl. MJ, Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century

7

Understanding Information

0%

20%

40%

60%

Words

Voice/Tone

Body Movement

Words 7%

Voice/Tone 38%

BodyMovement

55%

% Contribution

93% of understanding comes from body language and expression

Albert Mehrabian

8

Learning StylesHoney and Mumford (1983)

Activist

Enjoys new and challenging experiences

“I’ll try anything once”

Reflector

Learns best when able to sit back

and observe“Look before you

leap”

Theorist

Likes to be able to question logic or

methodology“If it’s logical, it’s

good”

PragmatistNeeds to see link between learning

and practical application

“If it works, it’s good”

TestingDoing

ReflectingWatching

ConcreteFeeling

AbstractThinking

9

Riding a BicycleActivist• Leap on, have a go, learn as you go

Reflector• Watch others, try it, evaluate and try

new technique to improveTheorist• Read the manuals, know the theory,

might never try itPragmatist• Take advice, practical tips and helping

hand

10

Awareness and AbilityStangaards (1981) NLP Model of Learning

ConsciousCompetence

Aware and AbleAware and Unable

ConsciousIncompetenc

e

Unaware and Unable

UnconsciousIncompetenc

e

Unaware and Able

UnconsciousCompetence

Lessons? a. Raise awareness and develop ability, or nothing will change

b. Importance of feedback, disclosure and experimentation.

11

Learning to Lead

Kouzes and Posner (1987, p283)• Their analysis (supported by two other major

studies)of all responses suggests three major categories of opportunities for learning to lead. In order of importance they are :

• Trial and error (experience)• Other People (role models) • Education and formal training.

12

Learning Advice

Learning needs to be grounded in experience

You learn best by using a range of learning styles in a cycle of learning • Be aware of your preferred style and try

out others

You need to review and practice to remember.