Warm up March 18Warm up March 18

What learning strategies have you tried in What learning strategies have you tried in the past two weeks?the past two weeks?

Did they work for you? What successes Did they work for you? What successes (no matter how small) have you (no matter how small) have you experienced?experienced?

What new technique are you going to try What new technique are you going to try between now and Monday. between now and Monday.

Accommodation ExerciseAccommodation Exercise

Read the story provided twice. Put the story Read the story provided twice. Put the story aside. aside.

Rewrite the story. Include as much detail as Rewrite the story. Include as much detail as possible. possible.

Put your version of the story in the center of Put your version of the story in the center of the table. the table.

Have the original and the Have the original and the final version in front of final version in front of youyou How different is the final story How different is the final story

from the original version?from the original version? How did you use accommodation How did you use accommodation

and assimilation in this activity?and assimilation in this activity?

David David KolbKolb

ELT & LSIELT & LSI

Experiential learning theory (ELT), and learning Experiential learning theory (ELT), and learning styles inventory (LSI).styles inventory (LSI).

44 distinct learning styles distinct learning styles (or preferences), (or preferences), based on based on a four-stage learning cyclea four-stage learning cycle. .

Way to understand Way to understand individual people's individual people's different learning stylesdifferent learning styles, and also an , and also an explanation of explanation of a cycle of experiential a cycle of experiential learning that applies to us alllearning that applies to us all..

Cycle of learningCycle of learning

Kolb includes this 'cycle of learning' as a Kolb includes this 'cycle of learning' as a central principle in his experiential learning central principle in his experiential learning theory. theory. ““immediate or concrete experiences'immediate or concrete experiences' provide a provide a

basis for basis for 'observations and reflections''observations and reflections'. These . These 'observations and reflections' are assimilated and 'observations and reflections' are assimilated and distilled into distilled into 'abstract concepts''abstract concepts' producing new producing new implications for action which can be implications for action which can be 'actively 'actively tested'tested' in turn creating new experiences. in turn creating new experiences.

Learning CycleLearning Cycle

Kolb's model therefore works on two Kolb's model therefore works on two levels - levels - a four-stage cyclea four-stage cycle::

Concrete Experience - (CE)Concrete Experience - (CE) Reflective Observation - (RO) Reflective Observation - (RO) Abstract Conceptualization - (AC)Abstract Conceptualization - (AC) Active Experimentation - (AE)Active Experimentation - (AE)

Learning StylesLearning Styles

Four-type definition of learning stylesFour-type definition of learning styles, (each , (each representing the combination of two preferred representing the combination of two preferred styles, rather like a two-by-two matrix of the styles, rather like a two-by-two matrix of the four-stage cycle styles, as illustrated below), four-stage cycle styles, as illustrated below), for which Kolb used the terms: for which Kolb used the terms:

Diverging (CE/RO)Diverging (CE/RO) Assimilating (AC/RO)Assimilating (AC/RO) Converging (AC/AE)Converging (AC/AE) Accommodating (CE/AE)Accommodating (CE/AE)

AxisAxis

A typical presentation of Kolb's two continuums is that A typical presentation of Kolb's two continuums is that the east-west axis is called the Processing Continuum the east-west axis is called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it).response, or how we think or feel about it).

These learning styles are the combination of two lines These learning styles are the combination of two lines of axis (continuums) each formed between what Kolb of axis (continuums) each formed between what Kolb calls 'dialectically related modes' of 'grasping calls 'dialectically related modes' of 'grasping experience' (doing or watching), and 'transforming experience' (doing or watching), and 'transforming experience' (feeling or thinking):experience' (feeling or thinking):

In layman’s termsIn layman’s terms

In other words we choose our In other words we choose our approach to the approach to the task or experiencetask or experience ( ('grasping the 'grasping the experience'experience') by opting for 1(a) or 1(b):) by opting for 1(a) or 1(b):

1(a) - though watching others involved in the 1(a) - though watching others involved in the experience and reflecting on what happens experience and reflecting on what happens (('reflective observation' - 'watching''reflective observation' - 'watching') or ) or

1(b) - through 'jumping straight in' and just 1(b) - through 'jumping straight in' and just doing it (doing it ('active experimentation' - 'doing''active experimentation' - 'doing') )

And And at the same timeat the same time we choose how to we choose how to emotionally transform the experienceemotionally transform the experience into something meaningful and useful by into something meaningful and useful by opting for 2(a) or 2(b):opting for 2(a) or 2(b):

2(a) - through gaining new information by 2(a) - through gaining new information by thinking, analyzing, or planning (thinking, analyzing, or planning ('abstract 'abstract conceptualization' - 'thinking'conceptualization' - 'thinking') or ) or

2(b) - through experiencing the 'concrete, 2(b) - through experiencing the 'concrete, tangible, felt qualities of the world' tangible, felt qualities of the world' (('concrete experience' - 'feeling''concrete experience' - 'feeling') )

Doing (Active Doing (Active Experimentation Experimentation

- AE)- AE)

Watching Watching (Reflective (Reflective

Observation - Observation - RO)RO)

Feeling Feeling (Concrete (Concrete

Experience - CE)Experience - CE)

Accommodating Accommodating (CE/AE)(CE/AE)

Diverging Diverging (CE/RO)(CE/RO)

Thinking Thinking (Abstract (Abstract

ConceptualizatioConceptualization - AC)n - AC)

Converging Converging (AC/AE)(AC/AE)

Assimilating Assimilating (AC/RO)(AC/RO)

HandoutHandout

Read the handout titled “Kolb’s Learning Read the handout titled “Kolb’s Learning Styles”Styles”

Which sounds most like you?Which sounds most like you? Over the next few days, watch yourself in Over the next few days, watch yourself in

your new experiences. How do you your new experiences. How do you learn?learn?

Are you RO, AE, CE or AC?Are you RO, AE, CE or AC?