learning+styles

http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/proj/nd3103b.doc


 * Most simply conceived, learning style is the typical way an individual likes to go about learning. Although there are characteristics of learning style that are quite stable in an individual across different learning tasks and contexts, there can still be variation in the same learner. ||

How do learners come to understand their own learning style?
For learners, understanding of style and preference will sometimes have resulted from their own reflection about their learning; and at other times it will have come through piecing together their good learning experiences with their bad ones. Instructors can assist students by sharing observations and suggestions with the learner, and by challenging them to think about their likes and dislikes in learning.

Everyone is different—and one person can have several different learning styles
Take Peter, for example, one of the authors of this booklet. He prefers different learning styles depending on the situation and skill he is learning. He says: I like to learn about historical events by listening to someone speak, by watching a documentary presentation or a docu-drama, and I also like to learn through reading and discussing with others. Most of these ways of learning history are, as you can see, rather passive and are represented in verbal or visual ways. But I don’t want to learn how to cast a fishing rod in those ways. Then I want someone to demonstrate and tell me (visual and verbal again) but, more importantly, then I want to try it for myself and have someone tell me where I have gone right or wrong. So I want to be hands-on with some verbal critique and discussion. You can see I am quite verbal in my learning style, but I also like a social context as well. Peter Smith But not everybody is like Peter. Some people like to learn history by watching dramatisations of historical events as television or film. For them the visual is very important. Other people like to simply get out there with the fishing rod and do it by themselves, with hands-on and practice only, so that cast after cast they improve their technique. The verbalisation of it, and the social component, are not things that they like.

Learning styles, preferences and strategies
Now, the whole notion of ‘learning styles’ is a little confused and needs a bit of unpacking. Commonly there is a distinction made between ‘learning style’, ‘learning preference’, and ‘learning strategies’, and we need to talk about those. We rather like the way that a British writer (Sadler-Smith 1996, p.186) made the distinctions, which are described below. Learning style is a distinctive and habitual manner of acquiring knowledge, skills or attitudes through study or experience. This indicates that the style is reasonably static and is the typical way an individual learner approaches learning. In the example above, Peter’s style is characterised by being verbal, visual and social.
 * ==== // Learning style // ====

// Learning preference //
Learning preference is the favouring of one particular mode of teaching over another. These preferences can vary within the same learner depending on the task and context. So again in our example, you can see Peter’s preference for the way he learns was different between history and fishing rod casting.

// Learning strategies //
Learning strategies represent the plan of action adopted in the acquisition of knowledge, skills or attitudes through study or experience. This is the way we decide to go about a learning task, such that in Peter’s fishing example he decided on the course of action which included demonstration and discussion, but then some practice. These represented his strategies, and you can see how they rather suited his habitual style and preference in learning that skill. ||

Sadler-Smith and an earlier writer (Curry 1983) developed the notion of an onion ring model to represent these ideas. The adapted onion ring model is shown in figure 1. 

The idea here is that as we move from the centre of the onion to the more outer layers, we are moving from the more stable learner characteristics to the less stable ones. What that means is that as we move outwards there is more environmental influence on our characteristics for learning. Going back to Peter’s example of the fishing rod again, you can see that the learning task and environment had more influence over his strategies than over his preferences, and that his style remained pretty similar.

What does this mean for teachers?
What this means for teachers is that we can have a greater influence over strategies and preferences than over style, and we can even help people to develop their preferences and strategies through exposing them to different tasks, learning contexts, resources and experiences. We can even teach people to make effective use of different learning resources and delivery contexts; and through study skills and learning skills programs we can teach them different strategies. It’s not that we can have no influence over style, but it is a bit more resistant to change. //This is where you as an adult learner can take responsibility for self directed learning, talk to your lecturers and discuss different strategies to approach your assesments, how will you learn best?//

// Can we be too customer orientated? //
There is a useful side issue to discuss here. If you think about it for a moment, you can see that a heavily skewed learning style or preference can actually be a disadvantage. Someone who mainly likes to learn visually, for example, is rather limited in their ability to engage with other learning resources and contexts that may, for example, rely on verbal methods such as listening or reading. As responsible professional instructors, that can mean that if we are too diligent in designing our instruction to suit that skewed learning style and preference set, we never provide the learner with an opportunity to develop their preferences and, over time, their style. If we //do// allow learners to develop their preferences and style by exposing them to different styles, they will be able to engage in a wider set of learning experiences. For more theory : http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/Ideas/iot513.htm http://www.aboutlearning.com/what_is_4mat.htm

There was confusion about the notion of learning styles? Well, note here that Canfield called his inventory a ‘learning //styles// inventory’, but it actually measures preferences.  Source: Canfield (1980, pp.5–7; 1988 p.2) subscales
 * **I Conditions** || **The first eight scores reflect common concerns for the dynamics of the situation in which learning occurs. They cover eight score areas** ||
 * //Peer// || Working in student teams; good relations with other students; having student friends; etc. ||
 * //Organisation// || Course work logically and clearly organise; meaningful assignments and sequence of activities ||
 * //Goal setting// || Setting one’s own objectives; using feedback to modify goals or procedures; making one’s own decisions on objectives ||
 * //Competition// || Desiring comparison with others; needing to know how one is going in relation to others ||
 * //Instructor// || Knowing the instructor personally; having a mutual understanding; liking one another ||
 * //Detail// || Specific information on assignments; requirements; rules etc. ||
 * //Independence// || Working alone and independently; determining one’s own study plan; doing things for oneself ||
 * //Authority// || Desiring classroom discipline and maintenance of order; having informed and knowledgeable instructors ||
 * **II Content** || **Major areas of interest** ||
 * //Numeric// || Working with numbers and logic; computing; solving mathematical problems etc. ||
 * //Qualitative// || Working with words or language; writing; editing; talking ||
 * //Inanimate// || Working with things; building; repairing; designing; operating ||
 * //People// || Working with people; interviewing; counselling; selling; helping ||
 * **III Mode** || **General modality through which learning is preferred** ||
 * //Listening// || Hearing information; lectures; tapes; speeches etc. ||
 * //Reading// || Examining the written word; reading texts, pamphlets etc. ||
 * //Iconic// || Viewing illustrations; movies; videos; slides; pictures; graphs etc. ||
 * //Direct experience// || Handling or performing; shop; laboratory; field trips; practical exercises etc. ||

 Note: * named ‘metacognitive’ by Marland, Patching & Putt (1992). Source: F rom Smith (2003, p.383); derived from Marland, Patching & Putt (1992); and Billett (1996)
 * **Strategy** || **Definition** ||
 * || //Metacognitive// ||
 * //Analysis// || Reduces, breaks down whole (e.g. problem or task) into parts ||
 * //Strategy planning// || Plans ways for processing or handling textual material during training sessions ||
 * //Cognitive monitoring*// || Thinks about, reflects on, evaluates or directs own thinking ||
 * //Selection// || Identifies key material, gist material, or that which is relevant to assessment ||
 * //Evaluation// || Makes judgements about the value of textual materials, activities, in-text questions, own position or point of view ||
 * || //Cognitive// ||
 * //Recalling// || Brings back into working memory an idea, opinion or fact previously stored in long-term memory ||
 * //Confirming// || Judges that ideas in text support own beliefs, practices, tactics ||
 * //Generating// || Formulates own questions, examples, ideas, problems; interpolates; goes beyond the data ||
 * //Diagnosis// || Identifies strengths and weaknesses in ideas, strategies, points of view ||
 * //Deliberation// || Engages in thinking about a topic, segment ||
 * //Translation// || Expresses segments of text in own words ||
 * //Categorising// || Sorts items, ideas, skills into different classes or groups ||
 * //Imaging// || Creates a mental image of an idea in text to gain a fuller understanding of it ||
 * //Application// || Considers the use of an idea or tactic in a different context ||
 * //Linking// || Associates or brings together two or more ideas, topics, contexts, headings, personal experiences, materials, tasks ||
 * //Rehearsal// || Repeats ideas, facts etc. two or more times to facilitate recall ||
 * //Anticipation// || Predicts or states expectations that a problem, question, textual feature etc. will be encountered; looks forward to new material; wonders about the possibility of an event or occurrence in text; looks at relevance of material content ||
 * //Comparing// || Identifies similarities or differences between two statements, concepts, models, situations, ideas, theories, points of view etc. ||
 * //Trialling// || Trials in real workplace of knowledge gained from learning program ||
 * //Experimentation// || Tries out an idea on equipment or process to test own understanding ||
 * //Problem solving// || Finds a solution to a problem requiring relevant workplace knowledge ||
 * //Practice// || Engages in practising the tasks being learned ||
 * || //Social/affective// ||
 * //Worker observation// || Unstructured observation of a fellow worker carrying out the task as part of everyday work ||
 * //Demonstration// || Structured observation of the process being demonstrated by a fellow worker ||
 * //Peer discussion// || Discussion with fellow worker to assist in knowledge development ||
 * //Supervisor discussion// || Discussion with trainer or supervisor to assist in knowledge development ||
 * //Scheduled class// || Attendance at a formal training program to assist in knowledge development ||

 The research almost universally shows (without being confusing this time) that where the learner has a fair understanding of his or her own style, they learn more effectively. Learners who know their own style and/or preferences will make informed choices about what to engage with in learning, and which learning experiences and resources are likely to be attractive and useful, and which are not. Informed learners make good choices.

// Task preferences //
 = = Do youenjoy learning tasks that involve hands-on demonstrations or practice, or is the preference for listening, reading or discussing?  ² ** Do you like **   highly structured content so that you only need to follow a procedure, as well as some tasks that require problem-solving, imagination or research in order to achieve the task.  ² ** Do you like **   Set tasks that can be solved working alone, or some where the task needs to be achieved through group cooperation. Where do you like to start? With the background/ big picture or the task at hand  ² ** Do you ask questions? **   Are you trying to get a sense of where the new information fits, or are you comfortable with a logical, step-by-step progression through the material ? // Medium of delivery (visual/auditory/kinaesthetic) preferences // ²  Is there an apparent preference for visual materials such as video or pictures? ²  Is there preference for listening to the teacher or other students make presentations? ²  Is there a preference for online learning? ²  Does the student like to learn through action; by doing things that are hands-on, or require acting out?

// Resource preferences //
²  Do you seek out visually presented resources? ²  Do you prefer printed materials? ²  Do you prefer practical exercises and demonstrations?  ²   Do you like learning through technological eg computer-based resources? <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you like to go to a resource bank and seek your own resources for learning?

// Discussion with individuals //
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   What language do you use (e.g. ‘can you show’, ‘I can’t picture it’, ‘I need a diagram or a picture’, ‘can I have a go?’, ‘just let me do it’., ‘look here’, ‘listen here’, ‘come here’  <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²    How do you respond to manuals and online resources. Do you look for the illustrations and diagrams? Do you want the teacher to tell you? Do you want to start practical work, without opening the book?

// Group learner/individual learner //
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   How do you like to work in a group, what roles do you take? How do you go about organising themselves/ the group, distributing jobs, and reaching towards a conclusion. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you prefer to work by yourself or in a group. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   To what extent do you need to work with someone and discuss what you are doing.

// Teacher led/independent learner //
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you progress through problems when left to work on a problem, project or assignment. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Can you meet deadlines? <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you need the teacher to provide direction and structure fairly frequently, or do you prefer working independently? <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Are you inquisitive, do you generate questions you want answered, or that you will research yourself? Or do you prefer to accept and follow the program of instruction as it is laid out?

// Need for guidance //
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you ask for direction, or for advice on learning resources available? <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you ask for directions on how to learn using the materials provided? <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;"> ²   Do you generally just get on with the learning tasks largely independently? <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Garamond; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">That test provides you with a short analysis of your own learning style. The website for the test is < http://www.tvtafe.sa.edu.au/linkup/learning_styles_result.cfm >.