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Define learning styles

Explain cognitive psychology characterization


Describe styles based on Kolb's model

Learning Styles:

Aristotle said that each child possessed specific talents and skills and he noticed
individual differences in young children

Starting here and basing in what I have been reading I understand that Learning Styles
should be defined as the way in a person can learn.
Some consider that is the manner in which learners perceive, interact with, and
respond to learning environment .It components are the cognitive, affective and
physiological elements, all influence by personals culture background.

Others describe Learning styles as a set of factors, behavior and attitude


that facilitate learning in a given situation. Style influences in how students
learn, how teachers teach and how the two interact. Styles can be consider as
construct, because what learners bring to learning experience considered much
as a part of the context as features of the experience itself. Learners have
particularly preferred way of retention. They learn differently from each other
and It have been determined that the brain structure has influence in language
structure acquisition.(both hemispheres contains different perception avenues).
(Source http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/Introduction.htm)

Apart from that I read on Teach.com that the term Learning speaks of the
understanding that every learner learns differently. It refers to the preferential
way in which the student absorbs processes, comprehends and retains
information for example when a student have to build a clock ,some of them
understand the process by verbal instructions while others have to physically
manipulate the clock.
To teachers is important to understand the differences in their students
learning styles in order to implement best practice strategies into their daily
activities. (Source: https://teach.com/what/teachers-teach/learning-styles/).

Explain cognitive psychology characterization

According to Self-access booklet, the most descriptive characteristic of learning


styles drift from cognitive psychology applied to teaching. It be explained by
Field Independence vs Field Dependence, which are the depictions developed
by Witkin(1977).So, while Field Independence comprises people who have
impersonal orientation, who are analytics ,independent, and socially sensitive
,they develop greater skills in interpersonal relationship.
However, when Witkin refers to Field Independence he points out to people
who have impersonal orientation (depending on references while processing
information), who are holistic (perceives field as a whole), who are dependent
where self-views come from others and to people who are not sociable having
less skill in social relationships.
Describe styles based on Kolb's model

Kolb proposes that experiential learning has six main characteristics:

o Learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of outcomes.


o Learning is a continuous process grounded in experience.
o Learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically opposed
modes of adaptation to the world (learning is by its very nature full of tension).
o Learning is a holistic process of adaptation to the world.
o Learning involves transactions between the person and the environment.
o Learning is the process of creating knowledge that is the result of the
transaction between social knowledge and personal knowledge.

Kolb believes that learning styles are not fixed personality traits, but
relatively stable patterns of behaviour that is based on t heir background
and experiences better thought as learning preferences, rather than styles

o Diverging (concrete, reflective) - Emphasizes the innovative and


imaginative approach to doing things. Views concrete situations from
many perspectives and adapts by observation rather than by action.
Interested in people and tends to be feeling-oriented. Likes such
activities as cooperative groups and brainstorming.
o Assimilating (abstract, reflective) - Pulls a number of different
observations and thoughts into an integrated whole. Likes to reason
inductively and create models and theories. Likes to design projects
and experiments.
o Converging (abstract, active)- Emphasizes the practical application of
ideas and solving problems. Likes decision-making, problem-solving,
and the practical application of ideas. Prefers technical problems over
interpersonal issues.
o Accommodating (concrete, active) - Uses trial and error rather than
thought and reflection. Good at adapting to changing circumstances;
solves problems in an intuitive, trial-and-error manner, such as
discovery learning. Also tends to be at ease with people.

(Source. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/kolb.html)

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