David Kolb's Experiential Learning Machine

1993 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Learning Machine

AbstractThis article is a review of David Kolb's program of work on learning styles and experiential learning, which I find to be a problematic instance of psychologism. I argue that Kolb's approach ignores the process nature of experience and that attractive as it may be instrumentally, it ultimately breaks down under the weight of its structuralist reductions. Kolb attempts to account for experiential learning without a coherent theory of experience, such as might have been found in phenomenology, which he virtually ignores. Thus, Kolb neglects the constitutive effects of the noetic-noemic corelationship and the intentional reality of the person. I contrast Kolb's formulations with John Dewey's much more resilient conception of "habit" and close with a critical analysis of various ways in which Kolb's learning-style instruments are used for aggressive intervention in people's lives.

scholarly journals Differences in medical student performance on examinations: exploring score variance between Kolb's Learning Style Inventory classifications

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin J. Reynolds ◽  
Kurt O. Gilliland ◽  
Katie Smith ◽  
Joshua A. Walker ◽  
Gary L. Beck Dallaghan
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Public University ◽  
National Board ◽  
Learning Style Inventory ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Medical Examiners

Abstract Background Kolb’s Cycle of Learning Theory acts as a foundational framework for the evolution of knowledge gained by learners throughout their education. Through Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning, one’s preferred way of learning could impact academic achievement in the pre-clinical years of medical education. Methods The medical student classes of 2020 and 2021 at a public university in the southeastern U.S. were invited to complete Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI). For those participants completing the LSI, examination results for their pre-clinical blocks were obtained and matched to the LSI results. Examination scores (locally-developed examinations and customized National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) final examinations) were compared by LSI classification for each examination using Kruskal-Wallis Test. Results Out of 360 possible participants, 314 (87.2%) completed the Learning Style Inventory. Convergers and Assimilators made up 84.1% [Convergers (n = 177, 56.4%), Assimilators (n = 87, 27.7%)]. Accommodators (n = 25, 7.9%) and Divergers (n = 25, 7.9%) made up the remaining sample. Accomodators’ scores were significantly lower on locally-developed examinations in Principles of Medicine, Hematology, and Gastrointestinal System. The only NBME examination that demonstrated a significant difference across learning styles was from the Cardiovascular block. Conclusions Upon reviewing Kolb’s LSI, our study indicated that performance on the customized NBME examinations minimized the variance in performance compared to locally-developed examinations. The lack of variance across learning styles for all but one NBME final examination appears to provide a more equitable assessment strategy.

scholarly journals Successfully Teaching Ethics For Effective Learning

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald R. Sims ◽  
Edward L. Felton, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Teaching Ethics ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Made In

This paper is concerned with identifying keys to successfully teach ethics. The keys are: addressing the relevance challenge; striving to achieve a balance between the active engagement of students with issues and a critical analysis of choices in to be made in real-life situations; attending to or managing the learning process to include learning styles and experiential learning; debriefing experientially-oriented learning activities; and institutionalizing outcomes of ethics education objectives. The paper discusses results of a study that attempted to answer the question What is required to successfully deliver experientially-oriented ethics education

Experiential Learning and Learning Styles

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Cox
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Democracy And Education

The intellectual foundation of modern experiential learning theory owes much of its roots to John Dewey’s educational philosophy. In his seminal 1916 work, Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education, Dewey argued that human knowledge and education are rooted in inquiry, which in turn is rooted in human experience. His ideas, along with those of Jean Piaget, formed the basis of D. A. Kolb’s 1984 book Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Kolb’s theory of learning, which he formulated to better understand student learning styles, became the starting point for the debate on the use of experiential learning. Kolb introduced a four-stage cycle to explain learning: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. His framework has been adopted to investigate how learning occurs inside the classroom. However, numerous criticisms have been leveled against Kolb’s learning styles approach. One type of criticism focuses on the importance of learning style on student learning, and another focuses on the construct validity, internal validity, and reliability of Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI). There are several avenues for improving the use of experiential learning techniques, such as the integration of service-learning into the classroom and an institutional commitment to designing a complete curriculum.

Comparing managers’ and non-managers’ learning and competencies

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Yamazaki ◽  
Michiko Toyama ◽  
Andreas Joko Putranto
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Experiential Learning Theory ◽  
Competency Development ◽  
Learning Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Skills ◽  
Analysis Theory

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically explore how managers differ from non-managers with regard to learning skills as competencies and learning style in a public-sector work setting. The paper also examined how learning style affects competency development. Design/methodology/approach This study applied Kolb’s experiential learning theory concomitant with its instruments to analyze 12 skills and 4 learning styles. A total of 457 government officers from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Internal Affairs participated in this study, including 112 managers and 345 non-managers. Findings The study had four major findings. Although the two groups were similar in technology skills, managers had stronger skills than non-managers in leadership, relationship, helping, sense making, information gathering, information analysis, theory building, quantitative analysis, goal setting, action and initiative. Relationship skills were important for both managers and non-managers. Managers were more abstract and less concrete learners than non-managers. The learning style with more thinking over feeling affected learning skills development much more than the learning style with more acting over reflecting. Originality/value Using experiential learning theory, this study has clarified what competencies of managers are more developed than those of non-managers and how the two groups learn differently.

Experiential Learning Style Grouping Impact on Student Outcomes in Team Leadership Coursework

2021 ◽  
pp. 104649642110235
Author(s):  
Jonathan Orsini ◽  
Laura L. Greenhaw ◽  
Bradley M. Coleman ◽  
Whitney A. Stone ◽  
J.C. Bunch
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Team Learning ◽  
Group Development ◽  
Psychological Safety ◽  
Team Leadership ◽  
Learning Behavior ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Stages Of Group Development

This study explores how different team configurations based on members’ experiential learning styles impacted group level variables including team learning behavior, stages of team development, potency, psychological safety, and satisfaction in an undergraduate class. Groups with homogeneous learning styles experienced higher levels of friendship and lower levels of conflict, which were associated with greater satisfaction and more rapid progress through the stages of group development. Most significantly, satisfaction was more strongly correlated to team learning behavior than psychological safety, suggesting that student groups in higher education settings may rely on other factors to progress through the stages of group development.

scholarly journals Theoretical Explanation For Success Of Deep-Level-Learning Study Tours

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Bergsteiner ◽  
Gayle C. Avery
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Theoretical Explanation ◽  
Intensive Study ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Diverse Learning ◽  
Index Of Learning Styles

Study tours can help internationalize curricula and prepare students for global workplaces. We examine benefits of tours providing deep-level learning experiences rather than industrial tourism using five main theoretical frameworks to highlight the diverse learning benefits associated with intensive study tours in particular. Relevant theoretical models are Kolbs Experiential Learning Model, Gregorcs Style Delineator, Felder-Silverman Index of Learning Styles, VARK Questionnaire, and Dunn and Dunns Learning Style Model. Intensive study tours address nearly all the styles and techniques encompassed by these models.

A Unified Learning Style Model for Technology-Enhanced Learning

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvira Popescu
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Technology Enhanced Learning ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Enhanced Learning

This paper deals with the use of learning styles in technology-enhanced learning by introducing a “Unified Learning Style Model” (ULSM). The article aims at providing answers to three main questions: “What is ULSM?”, “Why do we need it?” and “How can we use it?” First, a critical analysis regarding learning styles is provided; the identified challenges are addressed by proposing the use of a new model, specifically designed for TEL use. This model integrates learning preferences extracted from several traditional learning style models, related to perception modality in a way for processing and organizing information, as well as motivational and social aspects. A detailed description of the ULSM components is provided together with its rationale and its advantages. The practical applicability of the model is also shown by briefly introducing an adaptive web-based educational system based on it (called WELSA).

scholarly journals RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING STYLES GRAMMAR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT/ПОВЕЗАНОСТ СТИЛОВА УЧЕЊА УЧЕНИКА ГИМНАЗИЈЕ СА ШКОЛСКИМ УСПЕХОМ

TEME ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 1223
Author(s):  
Stanislava Olić ◽  
Jasna Adamov
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
School Context ◽  
Logical Structure ◽  
Experiential Learning Theory

The research focuses on identifying learning styles of students using Experiential Learning Theory. Тhe paper explores the connection between the preferred learning styles of students with academic achievement аnd gender differences. The findings indicate that assimilating learning style most preferred by students. Furthermore, the study shows that there are significant differences in learning styles of students in terms of gender differences of students. The results suggest that within the school context in Serbia such teaching strategies are applied that encourage the development of the assimilating style – lectures through which a number of information systematized in a logical structure are transferred to students. Also, most of the students who have excellent school achievements actually prefer the assimilating learning style. This finding can be explained by the assumption that students develop their own learning styles in accordance with teachers' expectations.

scholarly journals Experiential Learning And Management Education: Empirical Research And Implications For Practice In Higher Education In Slovenia

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Penger ◽  
Jana Znidarsic ◽  
Vlado Dimovski
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Learning Style Preferences ◽  
Style Preferences

Nowadays lecturers in higher education need an awareness of the experiential learning style preferences of students in order to develop and utilize effective and efficient teaching and pedagogical strategies and methods. The experiential learning styles literature has had a revival during last years, especially in the first decade of 21st century (Alban & Metcalfe 2002; Duff & Duffy, 2002; Kayes, 2003; Loo, 2004; Reynolds & Vince, 2007; Cowen & Kazamias, 2009). Upon reviewing the literature on experiential learning, the intense rate and growing interest is involved also in Slovenia, especially when analyzing the case of University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics (FELU; http://www.ef.uni-lj.si/en/) in Slovenia. In April 2010 FELU joined an elite group of institutions that have achieved business accreditation from AACSB International. Moreover, combined with EQUIS accreditation, FELU is ranked among 45 best business schools worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to offer a better insight into the experiential learning practices at FELU in order to develop appropriate teaching and pedagogical strategies for improving higher management education in Slovenia. The research objective of this study was to develop rather comprehensive inventory of experiential learning styles and methods, included both a descriptive and an exploratory perspective. In the theoretical part of the study the qualitative meta-analysis method was used to overview the literature background of the study. In the empirical part of the study the Principal Axis Factoring, using varimax rotation, was performed on the explanatory variables with primary goal of data reduction. The modified version of experiential learning style theory was used as research instrument in the questionnaire to determine Slovenian students’ experiential learning styles. According to the research process we can summarize research thesis that matching students’ experiential learning-style preferences with complementary course syllabus improve management education, academic achievements and student’s attitudes toward learning.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document