Learning Styles

CCPH Summer Service-Learning Institute

July 24-27, 2009

Bobby Gottlieb
Karen Yoder

Concrete
Experience
Feeling/ Sensing

feel & do

Active
Experimentation
Doing/Planning

Processing
How we
Pragmatists
(Converger)

Perception Continuum

(Accommodator)

How we think about things

Reflectors

Activists

(Diverger)
feel & watch

Continuum

Reflective
Observation

do things

Watching/Reviewing

think & do

Theorists
(Assimilator)
think & watch

Abstract
Conceptualization
Thinking/Concluding

Adapted from Alan Chapman 2005

Learning Styles Inventory

Instructions
There are nine sets of four words listed below. Rank order each set of four words
assigning a:
4 to the word which BEST characterizes your learning style
3 to the word which NEXT BEST characterizes your learning style
2 to the NEXT MOST characteristic word and,
1 to the word which is LEAST characteristic of you as a learner.
BE SURE TO ASSIGN A DIFFERENT RANK NUMBER TO EACHOF THE FOUR
WORDS IN EACH SET. DO NOT MAKE TIES.
1. ___

discriminating

___

tentative

___

involved

___

practical

2. ___

receptive

___

relevant

___

analytical

___

impartial

3. ___

feeling

___

watching

___

thinking

___

doing

4. ___

accepting

___

risk-taker

___

evaluative

___

aware

5. ___

intuitive

___

productive

___

logical

___

questioning

6. ___

abstract

___

observing

___

concrete

___

active

7. ___

present-oriented

___

reflecting

___

future-oriented

___

pragmatic

8. ___

experience

___

observation

___

conceptualization

___

experimentation

9. ___

intense

___

reserved

___

rational

___

responsible

CE ________________

234578

RO ____________

136789

AC _______________

AE _______________

234589
136789
SCORING THE LEARNING STYLE INVENTORY
To obtain your score on the four dimensions measured by the inventory, Concrete Experience (CE), Reflective
Observation (RO), Abstract Conceptualization (AC), and Active Experimentation (AE), sum each column using only those
words whose item number appears under the place for the total score. For example, for CE total the ranks you gave for
words 2,3,4,5, 7 and 8 in the first column. For RO, total the ranks you gave for words 1,3,6,7, 8, and 9 in the second
column, and so on for AC and AE. Ignore non-scored words in each column. Transfer the four raw scores to the Learning
Style Profile on the next page by placing a mark next to the number you scored on each of the four dimensions. Connect
these four marks with straight lines.

Four Types of Learning Styles

Reflector (Diverger)

Theorist (Assimilator)

Pragmatist (Converger)

Activist (Accommodator)

REFLECTOR

Ponders experiences and observes

Seeks data and considers thoroughly
Postpones decision making until all
information is collected
Watches and listens before
offering an opinion

THEORIST

Approaches problems using vertical,

step by step approach
Pulls together disparate fact into
coherent theories
Seeks perfection
Dislikes flippancy and
uninformed decision-making

PRAGMATIST

Displays practical problem-solving

and decision-making skills
Sees problems as opportunities
Acts quickly and confidently to
implement ideas
Dislikes ruminating and openended discussion

ACTIVIST

Acts first, considers the consequences later

Focuses on the present
Ill try anything once philosophy
Tackles problems by
brainstorming
Thrives on challenges;
bored by implementation

Learning to ride a bike

Reflectors think about riding and watch

others ride
Theorists want a clear grasp of the concept
of riding a bike
Pragmatists Seek practical tips from a
biking expert
Activists Leap on the bike and give it a try

Concrete
Experience
Feeling/ Sensing

feel & do

Active
Experimentation
Doing/Planning

Processing
How we
Pragmatists
(Converger)

Perception Continuum

(Accommodator)

How we think about things

Reflectors

Activists

(Diverger)
feel & watch

Continuum

Reflective
Observation

do things

Watching/Reviewing

think & do

Theorists
(Assimilator)
think & watch

Abstract
Conceptualization
Thinking/Concluding

Adapted from Alan Chapman 2005

Using the Kolb Learning

Cycle in Service-learning
Barbara Gottlieb
Borrowing heavily from Elizabeth Armstrong and
Ramin Pars-Parsi

Kolbs Four Basic Learning Styles

Kolb, DA. Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall, 1984; 42

activist

pragmatist

reflector

theorist

Working through all 4 quadrants

Learners prefer to learn by working in their

own strongest style
Teachers and educational experiences
should encourage students to work through
all 4 quadrants
Learning begins in quadrant 1 and moves
through the cycle

Curriculum Planning Framework

Armstrong and Parsa-Parsi
Academic Medicine, volume 80, No. 7, July 2005 pp680-684.

Quadrant 1 WHY?
Personal meaning and motivation

What are some teaching/learning activities

that accomplish this?






Activate prior knowledge

Ask for goals
Bio-sketches learn about one another
Encourage reflection
Create an experience, analyze the experience for
its personal meaning

Quadrant 2 What?
Acquisition of new knowledge and concepts

What are some teaching/learning strategies

that accomplish this?







Select a specific problem/issue & present data

Consider alternative solutions
Lecture
Journal reading
Observations, debriefs
Collect data,use data to build theory

Quadrant 3 How?
Practical application

What are some teaching/learning strategies

that accomplish this?







Planning activities
Simulations
Role plays
Case discussions
Activities in the real world
Evaluate consequences of specific strategies and
solutions

Quadrant 4 If?
Synthesis and extension

What are some teaching/learning strategies

that accomplish this?



Implementation plans
Plans for next steps

Applying this to service learning

Curriculum planning
Faculty development
Student reflections

Exercise

Consider the following student reflections

While each reflection may suggest several learning
styles, decide which learning style dominates
Imagine a response/reflection back to the student.


How would you acknowledge the learning style that you

identify?
How would you move him or her around the cycle?

Students reflections - 1
In participating in this experience. 2 things struck me about myself that I think will
be important to be cognizant of in the future. The first is that I am very taskfocused. I like getting things done. With a large ongoing project like this it is
important for me to break down what needs to be done into smaller pieces that I
can identify as being completed and mentally check off for myself to indicate
progress. Psychologically, this keeps me from feeling overwhelmed and
motivates me to be happy with working consistently toward a larger goal. While it
is important to do this to keep my motivation high it is equally important for me not
to lose sight of the larger goal that we are striving for by being bogged down in
details and tasks. Also, interaction with community members became a clearly
important motivator for me. While I know that there is a balance that needs to be
struck between direct involvement with the community and more
systems/administratively focused work in many job positions it is clear to me that
my happiness is linked to the proportion of community involvement staying high. It
is not just an ideal that I hold to, but also a key part of who I am, what I am good
at, and what makes me happy.

Student 1, part 2
Equally important for me to know about myself are the areas in
which I really need to grow and develop in order to be most
effective. First, is that I need to be more patient with the process.
In many ways related to being task focused, I can become easily
frustrated and disheartened when things are not moving forward
as quickly as I would like them to. Building patience with the
process is something that I think I can continue to work on
especially if I use my commitment to quality and the importance
of inclusion of many stakeholders as the motivators. I also think I
need to continue to work towards trusting in ways that literature
can truly be a useful guide to practical work when synthesized
appropriately

Students reflections - 2
One pretty great thing about this project is that I find myself reflecting
personally on my own attitudes and body image more throughout the
day after working a shift at ---. Even though I consider myself to have a
fairly positive body image, I have actually had situations since starting
this practicum when I think to myself, for example, Am I being
assertive, passive or aggressive in this situation? If this real life
situation were a role-play for the boys, what would be the correct way to
handle this? I know it sounds kind of silly, but spending so much time
thinking about the positive messages we ant to teach the students has
helped to reinforce some positive traits in myself.

Students reflections - 3
I think that this project is challenging in the sense that there is a lot of
information that I will need to collect from non-traditional sources and
synthesize in order to complete my work. I am hopeful that with enough
patience, time and focus I will be able to accomplish all that is required of
me. Although it is difficult, I appreciate the process that I am going
through because I am learning how to be resourceful and think outside of
the box, which are skills that cant be taught in my traditional med school
courses. It is for this reason that I am appreciative of this project and the
challenges that I face. I believe that I will grow tremendously as I
continue through the next couple of months.

Students reflections - 4
It was somewhat frustrating to realize how difficult it would be to navigate
the political subtleties of this organization. There are not a few hidden
landmines that may be difficult to see before steeping no them. In
working with --- a collaboration of different non-profit agencies working
for domestic violence victims I have been impressed by the challenges
presented by the asymmetry of different working groups. I had
anticipated that the differences in perspective would present the most
daunting challenges for example, when worldviews or purposes
conflict. However, those differences are often remediable by common
ground and practicality. Leadership can present clear choices, elucidate
conflicts, and offer reasoning that enlists the support of different partners
in realizing a commonly beneficial goal.

Discussion Topic
How does awareness of personal primary and
secondary learning style contribute to moving
through the learning cycle?