1. Learning styles

2. Why they are important Low satisfaction or poor performance can be misinterpreted as lack of knowledge or ability when it is difficulty with learning Teachers who understand learning styles are better able to adapt their teaching methods Varied teaching methods lead to more motivated and engaged learners Students who know their styles are better learners and better achievers

3. Why they are important A teacher who knows his/her learning style is more aware of the disparities among the class members and can adapt their teaching Styles have strengths and weaknesses and can be mixed

4. Classifications Kolb is the ”guru” of learning styles He developed a cycle of learning in which immediate/concrete experiences provide the basis for observations and reflections These observations can be distilled into abstract concepts which produce actions which can be actively tested to create a new experience

5. Honey and Mumford Developed a learning styles questionnaire based on Kolb’s theories Postulated that people’s preferred styles vary with situational change (horses for courses) Their cycle is having an experience – reflecting on it - Drawing conclusions- putting theory into practice

6. Honey and Mumford Cycle

7. The 4 Styles Reflectors Prefer to watch, think, review Journals and brainstorm Expert lectures Theorists Think through step by step Lectures case studies Reading Pragmatist Apply new learning to actual practice Field work and lab work Feedback and coaching Activists Challenge of the new experience Role play Small groups Involvement with others

8. What kind of car does ~ drive ACTIVISTS - Red and racy PRAGMATISTS - Fords REFLECTORS - Old Cars THEORISTS - Volvo (practical)/Astra (economic)

9. What is a ~ favourite breakfast cereal? ACTIVIST - Snap crackle and pop or free toy PRAGMATIST - Whichever pack needs emptying or the kids won’t eat REFLECTOR - Porridge THEORIST - Muesli with fruit/fresh juice

10. What would ~ name a baby ACTIVIST - Willow Storm Forest PRAGMATISTS - John Susan REFLECTORS - Amy Matthew THEORISTS - Anything timeless shortenable and untainted

11. What is ~ favourite song? ACTIVIST - Agadoo or the Birdy song PRAGMATIST - We can work it out REFLECTOR - Sitting on the Dock of the Bay THEORIST - Dem bones dem bones

12. Another way of looking at it Visual (spatial) Aural Verbal Physical (kinesthetic) Logical (mathematical) Social (interpersonal) Solitary

13. Minimising weaknesses In groups: 1. Look at the strengths and weaknesses of your learning style 2. What compensation strategy would you use to minimise one of your weaknesses 3. What strategies would you like your tutor to use

14. Index of learning styles Active or reflective (Processing) Active learnerReflective learner Strengths Work well in groups Experiment Evaluate Find solutions Work well alone Theoreticians Observers Define problems and solutions Potential Weaknesses Do not learn much in passive situations eg lectures/reading Do not learn well when they cannot reflect eg lectures

15. Index of learning styles 2 Sensing or intuitive (perception) SensingIntuitive Strengths Like facts and data Use standard solutions Patient with detail Memorise facts Practical and careful Concrete experiments Like theories & principles Welcome complications Grasp new concepts Work faster Comfortable with symbols Abstract conceptualisation Potential Weakness es Difficulty problem solving Difficulty dealing with complications Work more slowly Repetition Bored with detail Careless

16. Index of learning styles Visual or verbal (Input) VisualVerbal StrengthsReading and writing Understand charts and graphs Good sense of direction Manipulate images Visual metaphors Practical construction Listening & speaking Story telling & teaching Use humour Good memory Argue their viewpoint Analyse language Potential weaknesses Poor listening skills Speak less well Read and write less

17. Index of learning styles Sequential or Global (understanding ) SequentialGlobal StrengthsWork with material they don’t fully comprehend Convergent thinking and analysis Organised and focussed Consistent Objectivity Divergent thinking See the big picture Cooperate in groups Paraphrase Multitasking Read body language See relationships Sense of fairness Potential weaknesses Generalities Multitasking May miss the main idea May skip steps and details Having to explain themselves analytically

18. List what and how you would present to Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic learners In groups

19. How/what to present

20. Development Styles Indirect Interactions COACHINGMENTORING Direct Interactions TRAININGTEACHING Specific topicGeneral topics

21. Leadership Styles Visionary Commanding Coaching Affiliative Democratic Pacesetting Charismatic

22. Visionary Use when need new direction Goal is to move towards shared dreams Leaders articulate goal but NOT how it will be achieved Followers free to innovate experiment and take risks

23. Commanding Classically military Most often used and least effective Rarely uses praise Undercuts morale and job satisfaction Effective in a crisis

24. Pacesetting High performance standards Obsessive about doing things better/faster Can undercut morale and people feel as if failure “Pacesetting spoils the climate”

25. Coaching One on one Develops individuals Connects individual and organisational goals Works where people show initiative and want to develop Can be seen as micromanaging and hence undermining

26. Affiliative Emphasizes teamwork Creates group harmony Increases morale Improves communication May let individual poor performance go uncorrected

27. Democratic Draws on knowledge and skills Creates group commitment Works best when goals unclear Uses group wisdom Disastrous in crisis

28. Charismatic Have style personality and confidence Visions expressed as ideal goals Can inspire followers Self confident Often lead into “bad” things

29. And finally….