LEARNING STYLES

Susan Groh, Chemistry & Biochemistry

Harry Shipman, Physics & Astronomy
Session Outline
• Why worry about learning styles?
• Learning style models
• What’s your style?
• Experience it yourself: teaching task
• Examples: teaching to all types
What is a Learning Style?

The “characteristic strengths and

preferences in the ways that [learners]take
in and process information”
- R. Felder
Why Worry About Learning Styles?

STUDENT

INSTRUCTOR CURRICULUM
Why is There a Gap?
One view of the education system is that it
is a giant sorting system that selects out
individuals who tend to:
• learn in certain ways
• teach in the ways that they’ve been taught
• select out individuals who learn in the same
way that their professors did
Goals: Using Learning Styles
• To be aware of differences in how our
students take in and process information

• To balance instruction so that all learning

styles are addressed at least some of the
time
Three Learning Style Models
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• Kolb Model
• Felder-Silverman Model
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Based on Jung’s psychological types:
predictable patterns of behavior stemming
from differences among people in
• Perception: taking in information
• Judging: organizing/evaluating information
• Preferred domain: external or internal
Opposite Preferences in …..

Perception Sensing (S) Intuition (N)

Judgement Thinking (T) Feeling (F)

Domain Extraversion (E) Introversion (I)

Attitude Judging (J) Perceiving (P)

Is the person interested mostly
in …..
The external world of The internal world of
action, people, and ideas and thoughts?
materials?

• EXTRAVERSION • INTRAVERSION

after G. Lawrence, “People Types and Tiger Stripes”, 1982

Does the person tend to
perceive….
Actual, concrete, and Concepts , “big-picture”
tangible data, facts, connections, and
and details from possibilities through
observation and insight and
experience? imagination?

• SENSING • INTUITION

after G. Lawrence, “People Types and Tiger Stripes”, 1982

Does the person tend to make
judgments….
Impersonally, based on Subjectively, based on
logic, analysis and values and potential
objectivity? impact on others?

• THINKING • FEELING

after G. Lawrence, “People Types and Tiger Stripes”, 1982

Is the person’s approach to
life…
Organized and managed Spontaneous, flexible,
according to and open to new
preconceived plans? possibilities?

• JUDGMENT • PERCEPTION

after G. Lawrence, “People Types and Tiger Stripes”, 1982

Myers-Briggs Types
• Type is determined by the preferred mode
for each of these four areas
• 16 possible combinations:
– Thinking Types: ESTJ, ENTJ, ISTP, INTP
– Intuitive Types: ENTP, ENFP, INFJ, INTJ
– Feeling Types: ESFJ, ENFJ, ISFP, INFP
– Sensory Types: ESTP, ESFP, ISJ, ISTJ
Keirsey Temperaments
Four broader type groups sharing many
common characteristics (temperament)
• SP: Artisan -observing, adaptable, tolerant
• SJ: Guardian -observing, ordered, detailed
• NF: Idealist -sympathetic, insightful
• NT: Rational -rational, theoretical, abstract
 Kolb Learning Style Inventory
• Based on 4-stage learning cycle
Concrete Experience (CE)

Active Experimentation (AE) Reflective Observation (RO)

Abstract Conceptualization (AC)

Stages in the Learning Cycle
• Concrete Experience (CE): learning from
feeling and personal involvement
• Reflective Observation (RO): learning by
watching and listening
• Abstract Conceptualization (AC): learning
by thinking
• Active Experimentation (AE): learning by
doing
Learner Types and Strengths
• Converger (AC+AE) • Practical application
of ideas
• Diverger (CE+RO) • Imagination and
innovation
• Creation of theoretical
• Assimilator (AC+RO)
models
• Action, carrying out
• Accommodator
plans
(CE+AE)
Felder-Silverman Model
Five Learning Dimensions:
• Sensing vs. intuitive perception
• Visual vs. verbal input
• Inductive vs. deductive organization
• Active vs. reflective processing
• Sequential vs. global understanding
Learning Style Dilemma
You and a friend (with an opposite learning
style) buy identical build-it-yourself computer
desks at Lowe’s. You get yours assembled
that afternoon, just before your friend calls to
report that his/her box had no instructions.
Knowing your friend’s learning style, what
advice would you give him or her?
Teaching to Learning Styles: M-B
• Extraverted students • Groups, think-pair-share
• Introverted students • Time for reflection
• Connect material
• Sensing students • Structure, organization
• Hands-on activities
• Intuitive students • Discovery methods
• Concept maps
Teaching to Learning Styles: M-B
• Thinking students • Clear objectives, fairness
• Feeling students • Collaborative groups
• Supportive instructor
• Judging students • Advice on reviewing
work, exam answers
• Perceptive students • Subassignments for large
project
• Feedback
Teaching to Learning Styles: Kolb
• Converger • Decision-making, problem-
solving, hands-on work
• Diverger • Cooperative groups,
brainstorming
• Model/theory creation
• Assimilator
• Design projects/experiments
• Discovery learning
• Accommodator
• Activities, projects
Teaching to Learning Styles: Felder
• Active learners • Discussion, debate
• Group work
• Reflective learners • Time for reflection, journals
• Sensing learners • Real-world applications
• Hands-on activities
• Intuitive learners • Connections: concept maps
• Open-ended, speculative
assignments
Teaching to Learning Styles: Felder
• Visual learners •Diagrams, charts, movies
•Demonstrations
• Verbal learners •Discussions, oral reports
•Writing projects
•Outlines, stepwise
• Sequential learners
presentations
• Topic overviews
• Global learners • Connections to other
material