Learning+Styles

** What is a "learning style"? **
Have you ever noticed that you learn better by writing things down, while your friend needs to physically do something before they can retain the knowledge of that process? This is an example of a learning style. At its most basic a learning style is your preferred method of "taking in, organizing, and making sense of information" (U. of Western Ontario, 2009). According to Cranton (2005) as quoted in //Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide,// learning styles are "preferences for certain conditions or ways of learning, where learning means the development of meaning, values, skills, and strategies" (Merriam et al., 2007, 407).

Why is this important?
Learning styles are important to learners because they maximize their learning experience. But learning styles are just as important for instructors because in any given class there could be learners with a variety of learning styles. Without comprehending and accommodating the variety of learning styles, you may not be getting your message across to all the learners. The Student Development Centre at the University of Western Ontario lists four benefits to understanding your learning style:
 * people learn most effectively when the strategies used are closely matched with their preferred learning style
 * often we can improve our learning by understanding and capitalizing on your strengths
 * we can also improve our learning by understanding our weaknesses and trying to improve our skills in those areas or supporting our weaknesses with tools (for example, those that are bad at math can use a calculator)
 * learning involves a variety of situations that require different learning styles, by working to expand our learning styles we have a large repertoire to draw upon (2009).

There are a number of different approaches to learning styles. Cranton (2005) identified six approaches which include experience, social interaction, personality, multiple intelligences or emotional intelligence, and conditions or needs (Merriam et al., 2007, 408). Here we will be discussing three of the most common approaches, the Kolb Theory of Learning Styles, Fleming's VAK/VARK Model, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences.
 * How do I know what learning style I am? **

It is important to remember that learning styles are situational and can change over time. This should be used as a tool to help you understand how you learn best but it does not mean you are locked into one style.

Kolb's Theory of Learning Styles
David A. Kolb introduced his model of learning styles in 1984 in his book, //Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development// (Wikipedia, 2013). Kolb sees learning as functioning along a two continuums, a **processing continuum** that moves between **Active Experimentation** and **Reflective Observation**, and a **perception continuum** which runs between **Concrete Experience** and **Abstract Conceptualization**.


 * 1) **Active Experimentation (AE)** involves "using theories to solve problems and make decisions" (School of Communication, 2013).
 * 2) **Reflective Observation (RO)** involves "watching others or developing observations about own experience" (School of Communication, 2013).
 * 3) **Concrete Experience (CE)** involves "being involved in a new experience" (School of Communication, 2013).
 * 4) **Abstract Conceptualization (AC)** involves "creating theories to explain observations" (School of Communication, 2013).

The ideal learning process includes experience in all four of the above states. Kolb understood learning as a process in which the learner would experience all of these but often come to prefer or develop a strength in a particular area (School of Communication, 2013). These preferences or strengths resulted in the following combination learning styles:


 * 1) ** Accommodators (CE/AE) ** : combine the dominant learning abilities of **Concrete Experience** and **Active Experimentation**. They are motivated to answer the question, "**what if**" or "**why not**". Their greatest strength lies in **doing things** and involving oneself in the **experience** (School of Communication, 2013, Wikipedia, 2013).
 * 2) **Divergers (CE/RO)**: combine the dominant learning abilities of **Concrete Experimentation** and **Reflective Observation**. They are motivated to answer the question "**why**". Their greatest strength lies in **imaginative ability** and seeing things from **different perspectives** (School of Communication, 2013, Wikipedia, 2013).
 * 3) **Assimilator (AC/RO)**: combine the dominant learning abilities of **Abstract Conceptualization** and **Reflective Observation**. They are motivated to answer the question "**what is there to know**". Their greatest strength is in **creating theoretical models** by means of **inductive reasoning** (School of Communication, 2013, Wikipedia, 2013).
 * 4) **Convergers (AC/AE)**: combine the dominant learning abilities of **Abstract Conceptualization** and **Active Experimentation**. These learners are motivated to discover the **relevancy** or "**how**" of a situation. Their greatest strengths lie in the **practical application of ideas** (School of Communication, 2013, Wikipedia, 2013).

The diagram below illustrates how Kolb brings the two continuum, learning states, and learning styles together:



The official Kolb's Learning Style inventory is licensed to the Hay Group and can be taken for a fee but there are a number of other questionnaires that are based on the Kolb model that can be found for free such as this one, Kolb's Learning Style Questionnaire

Fleming's VAK/VARK Model
The VAK/VARK model is one of the most common approaches to learning styles. The acronym VAK stands for:
 * ** V ** isual
 * **A**uditory or aural
 * ** K ** inesthetic or tactile

A variation of the VAK model is VARK which includes Reading and Writing.


 * Visual learners** learn best through seeing; often they think in pictures (Wikipedia, 2013). These learners need visual aids such as overhead slides, diagrams, handouts, maps, flowcharts, and concept mapping (Fleming, 2012).


 * Auditory or Aural** learners have a preference for hearing and listening. These learners learn best from lectures, discussions, tapes or recorded material. Reading aloud or talking concepts through out loud is also beneficial for auditory or aural learners (Fleming, 2012).


 * Reading/Writing** learners have a preference for information displayed as words. These learners often gravitate towards dictionaries, manuals, reports, essays, diaries, and written assignments (Fleming, 2012).

**Kinesthetic or Tactile** learners learn best through experience. These are the hands-on learners who need physicality, moving, and touching as well as learning that is based on real-life experiences. These learners often excel at things such as experiments, simulations, case studies, or dance (Fleming, 2012).

A fifth category of the VARK model includes those who are said to be **multimodal** and these are learners who do not demonstrate a strong preference for any of the above preferences but rather score well across the board (Fleming, 2012).

The VAK/VARK model questionnaire is available from [|http://www.vark-learn.com].

**Gardner's Multiple Intelligence**
In 1983, Howard Gardner published his book, //Frames of Mind// in which he introduced the idea of multiple intelligences. Gardner argues that contrary to popular thought at the time, that intelligence was not a single entity that could be measured by an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test but rather he originally distinguished seven intelligences which represented "different kinds of minds and therefore [students] learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways" (Lane, n.d., n.p.). As Gardner's research continued he identified up to 3 more possible intelligences; naturalist, spiritual/existential, and moral. Listed below are the 10 intelligences with a brief description:
 * 1) **Linguistic** - preference for words and language
 * 2) **Logical/Mathematical** - preference for logic and numbers
 * 3) **Musical** - preference for music, sound, and rhythm
 * 4) **Bodily/Kinesthetic** - preference for body, movement and control
 * 5) **Spatial/Visual** - preference for images and space
 * 6) **Interpersonal** - preference for other people's feelings
 * 7) **Intrapersonal** - preference for self-awareness
 * 8) **Naturalist** - preference for natural environment
 * 9) **Spiritual/Existential** - preference for religion and 'ultimate issues'
 * 10) **Moral** - preference for ethics, humanity, and value of life

Gardner states that the idea of different intelligences or ways of thinking, learning and perceiving the world around us, "**challenge an educational system that assumes that everyone can learn the same materials in the same way** and that a uniform, universal measure suffices to test student learning. Indeed, as currently constituted, **our educational system is heavily biased towards linguistic modes of instruction and assessment** and, to a somewhat lesser degree, toward logical-quantitative modes as well" (my emphasis; as quoted in Lane, n.d., n.p.).

The **Gardner Multiple Intelligence questionnaire** is available from @http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm

References:
Chapman, Alan. (2012). Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved from @http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm.

EduNova (2012). Learning Style Test (VAK diagram). Retrieved from []

Fleming, Neil. (2012). //VARK: A Guide to Learning Styles//. Retrieved from [].

The Hay Group. (n.d.). //Hay Group website//. Retrieved from [].

Honey, P and Mumford, A. (2006). //Brainbase: Learning Styles//. Retrieved from [].

Lane, Carla. (n.d.). Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. //The Distance Learning Technology Resource Guide//. Retrieved from http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html.

Merriam, Sharan B., Caffarella, Rosemary S. and Baumgartner, Lisa M. (2007). //Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide.// San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.

School of Communication Sciences and Disorders: McGill University. (2013). Kolb's Theory of Learning Styles. Retrieved from @http://www.mcgill.ca/files/scsd/Kolb_Theory_of_Learning_Styles.pdf.

University of Western Ontario. (2009). //Student Development Centre: Learning Styles.// Retrieved from []

Wikipedia. (2013). //Learning Styles//. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles.