Who is david a kolb

Ideally, a learner goes through all four stages of experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting. Kolb believes each stage is essential, with no one stage being effective on its own. Although a learner can enter the cycle at any stage, Kolb contends that effective learning will only occur if all four stages are completed. Kolb suggests that each learner has a preferred mode of grasping and transforming information and that this preference determines their learning style.

He proposed four distinct styles of learning, each of which involves an emphasis on two phases of the learning cycle. Kolb represents each stage of the learning cycle along two intersecting axes. On this continuum, we choose a manner in which to grasp information, whether through feeling concrete experience or thinking abstract conceptualization. Here, we choose a way to transform or process our experience, whether through doing active experimentation or watching reflective observation.

Any attempt to do both is thought to produce internal conflict which is resolved by an unconscious choice. According to Kolb, each individual naturally favors a particular learning style. This preference depends on several factors, including social influences and educational experiences. Kolb specified three stages of development and suggests that people gradually learn to integrate conflicting modes of learning as they progress through the stages.

In other words, as individuals grow, they gradually move away from an over-reliance on one learning style and progress toward learning in a more holistic way. The LSI consists of 12 statements describing different ways of responding to everyday situations. For each statement, the respondent has a choice of four endings, each corresponding to one of the four stages in the learning cycle. The individual ranks each statement from 1 to 4 according to his or her preferences.

For example, students who display strengths in concrete experience would benefit from the use of games, role plays and group discussions, whereas students who favor abstract conceptualization would learn better by reading, listening to well-organized explanations, and studying alone.

Of course, in typical educational settings, teachers are faced with a diverse array of learners. All four learning styles may be represented in a single classroom. In such situations, a variety of techniques reflecting all four components of the learning cycle would be ideal. This information also helps students to identify modes of learning that they may need to strengthen if they want to be successful in their chosen fields.

Business - In the sales and marketing industry, workers benefit from knowing the learning styles of prospective customers because it helps them to design more effective marketing strategies. In real-world settings, however, this is not always possible. As a result, it is wise for sales and marketing representatives to make use of various types of demonstrations, explanations and presentations so that people of different learning styles are able to understand exactly what the company is promoting or selling.

For example, if after reflecting on an experience we are unable to arrive at satisfactory conclusions abstract conceptualization , we may need to go back to the concrete experience stage in order to gather more observations. Only then might we be able to reach a hypothesis we deem worthy of testing. As a self-report measure, the results are based solely on how learners rate themselves and are therefore questionable. Knowledge results from the combinations of grasping and transforming experience" Cherry, n.

Because adults have a variety of experiences, this theory is important in adult education for both the learner and instructor. This is especially true in professional education, such as medicine and law, where experiences and reflecting on experiences help to shape future ways of doing things.

Reflection also helps individuals retain what they have learned. It is very important in adult learning situations for the instructors to acknowledge the experiences of the learners and in some cases, to allow those experiences to serve as the basis for others to learn. Cherry, Kendra n. Kolb, David n. LinkedIn [Profile page]. Retrieved February 25, ,. Kolb, David Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.

Smith, M. David A. Kolb on experiential learning, the encyclopedia of informal education. This site was designed with the. David Kolb.

This learning style is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through.

People with a converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects. People with a converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems.

People with a converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues. A converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities. People with a converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications. The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on,' and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach.

They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans. They commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent within the general population. Both Kolb's learning stages and cycle could be used by teachers to critically evaluate the learning provision typically available to students, and to develop more appropriate learning opportunities.

Educators should ensure that activities are designed and carried out in ways that offer each learner the chance to engage in the manner that suits them best. Also, individuals can be helped to learn more effectively by the identification of their lesser preferred learning styles and the strengthening of these through the application of the experiential learning cycle. Ideally, activities and material should be developed in ways that draw on abilities from each stage of the experiential learning cycle and take the students through the whole process in sequence.

McLeod, S. Kolb - learning styles and experiential learning cycle. Simply Psychology. Kolb, D. Learning styles and disciplinary differences, in: A. Chickering Ed. The Modern American College pp.