Learning Styles

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Learning style a consistent pattern of behaviour within a range of individual variability

(Cornet, 1983);

a student's consistent way of responding to and using stimuli in a learning environment (Claxton & Ralston, 1978);

how individuals process information and prefer to learn (Garity, 1985);

the way individuals organise information and experiences (Laschinger & Boss, 1984);

a person's characteristic style of acquiring and using information (Haynsake, 1981) and;

an expression of psychological differentiation within characteristic modes of information processing (Witkin & Goodenough, 1971, 1981).

A bit like Harry Potter’s Sorting Hat...

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"You might belong in Gryffindor,Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalrySet Gryffindors apart”

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"Here in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind,

Those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind."

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"Here you are in Slytherin,Where you'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends."

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"You belong in Hufflepuff,Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid to toil"

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"Here you are in Slytherin,Where you'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends."

"You might belong in Gryffindor,Where dwell the brave at heart,

There daring, nerve, and chivalrySet Gryffindors apart”

"Here in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind,

Those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind."

"You belong in Hufflepuff,Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid to toil"

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Learning Styles ModelsMeyers-Briggs Type Indicator

History of Learning Styles

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Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung (1875 – 1961) was a Swiss

psychiatrist, an influential thinker and the founder of analytical psychology (also known as Jungian psychology).

Two processes that are important in learning

how we take in information

what we do with the information once it is in our brains

He called the first PERCEPTION and the second JUDGEMENT

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Carl Jung: Perception Two types of perceivers

those who can only process on sense at a time, i.e. they can look but can’t listen

And those can taken in all senses simultaneously and bring all the sense data together to make a holistic overview

He called the first type of person a SENSOR and the second an INTUITOR

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Carl Jung: Judgment Two types of judgers

those who can make decisions based on their heart

And those make decisions based on their head

He called the first type of person a FEELER and the second an THINKER

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JudgementPerception

FeelingThinking

Perception

Sensing

Intuiting

Carl Jung’s Model of Learning Styles

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Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Designed to measure psychological preferences in how people

perceive the world and make decisions.

These preferences were based on Carl Jung’s ideas

The original developers of the personality inventory were Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers.

Began creating the indicator during World War II, believing that a knowledge of personality preferences would help women who were entering the industrial workforce for the first time identify the sort of war-time jobs where they would be "most comfortable and effective.

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Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

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Wants to talk through their ideas in order to clarify them.

LEARNS BY TEACHING OTHERS

Gathers information from numerous sources. Likes to reflect and clarify before speaking

CONCERNED WITH THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING

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Interested in the patterns and relationships between the facts, discovery learning, they try to develop new original solutions

LIKE SIMULATIONS OR EXPERIMENTS

Focus on facts and details. Like structured lectures, guidelines and objectives. Tend to apply standard solutions

CONCERNED WITH WHAT MUST BE KNOWN

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Subjective in their decision making and consider how their decisions affect others, like small group exercises

OPEN-ENDED CONSTRUCTIVISTIC FORMATS

Reply on analysis, logic and existing principles. Like tests to measure progress.

ANALYSE CASE STUDIES

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Prefer flexibility and adaptability, often postpone doing work until the very last minute

SEEK INFORMATION UNTIL THE DEADLINE (AND OFTEN BEYOND)

Prefer structure and organisation, appreciate any resources that can help them plan their work

DEADLINES ARE SACRED

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Other Learning Styles Models

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Keirsey Temperament SorterGuardians

Idealists Artisans

Rationals

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Keirsey Temperament Sorter Guardians are sensible, down-to-earth people who are the backbone of

institutions and the true stabilisers of society.

Idealists believe that friendly co-operation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. They dream of removing the walls of conflict and selfishness that divide people

Whatever their field, Rationals set out to comprehend the natural world in all its complexity.

Artisans are most at home in the external world of solid objects that can be made and manipulated, and of real-life events that can be experienced in the here and now.

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Relationship between Keirsey Temperament Sorter and MBTI

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Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory

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Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory Theorists: Like case studies, theory readings, and thinking alone. Their

strengths lie in their ability to create theoretical models.

Pragmatists: peer feedback; activities that apply skills; self-directed autonomous learner. The pragmatist's greatest strength is in the practical application of idea.

Activists: like practising the skill, problem solving, small group discussions, peer feedback; trainer should be a model of a professional, leaving the learner to determine her own criteria for relevance of materials.

Reflectors: like lectures with plenty of reflection time; trainer should provide expert interpretation - taskmaster/guide; judge performance by external criteria. Their strengths lie in an imaginative ability.

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Hermann Brain Dominance

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Lewin’s Learning Cycle

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Honey-Mumford Model

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Gregorc Learning Style

Concrete

Sequential

Concrete

Random

Abstract

Sequential

Abstract

Random

Try out the Gregorc Inventory...