Learning Styles: how do you learn?

The learning process

Learning is continuous and can be seen to move through this four-stage cycle developed by David Kolb.

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford connected each stage in this learning cycle with a preferred learning style.

Activists – having an experience – learn best from short, interactive tasks. They are keen to “have a go” without any bias in new experiences but less interested in reviewing their actions

Reflectors – learn from it – learn best from observation/experience of others, and review the situation before taking any action

Theorists – draw an idea from it – are similar to reflectors but they need to apply a model concept or theory to the task

Pragmatists – apply a new idea – not unlike activists but like to have an obvious practical application to their activities.

Understanding your own style of learning
It is unlikely that you will fall solely into one style of learning. Most have at least two styles with a strong preference towards one. If you have an even spread over the four styles then your learning ability is very flexible and you are more likely to be able to learn in most situations. If, however you are strongly biased toward one particular style (most common) your learning opportunities can be limited and it would be worth considering developing new ways of learning. For example, if you are a strong activist, it would be worth making an effort to apply some theory to your actions beforehand. Likewise, if you are a strong reflector, it may be worth trying to carry out a task or participating in a meeting at an earlier stage. Each style has it own strengths and weaknesses.

The need to understand your learning style is relevant to your own personal development. You can do this by completing a learning styles questionnaire developed by Peter Honey and Alan Mumford – a recent survey showed this to be 'the most widely used diagnostic of its kind in the UK'. You can access their useful self-development questionnaires and the learning style questionnaire on www.peterhoney.co.uk. There is a small charge to complete them on-line – a valuable tool to understand your own learning. Also go to the Links page to view other websites linked to learning and development.

Other ways of identifying your learning style
Self assessment – consider your own actions over the past twelve months and think about how you have learned best. Have you attended a training event and returned to your office brimming with new ideas that you want to try out immediately, or have you undertaken additional research first? Have you read an article in a journal and been moved to investigate further? Do you build upon your own/others experiences and apply them to new situations? Do you imitate other people who demonstrate skills that you want to develop? Compare your actions against the four learning styles.
Which is the most successful way of self-development for you?

“My preferred way to learn IT is to find a patient ‘guru’, i.e. a colleague who knows what they are doing and can show you/teach you/do it for you, as appropriate” (Charlie Turpie)

Consult colleagues or a mentor – observations from others can help you to assess your learning style. For example, ask one of your colleagues after a meeting how you contributed to the discussion – did you offer a variety of information throughout or did you wait until everyone had said something before entering the discussion? At a regional meeting you could discuss a recent project or one that you are about to embark upon and ask for suggestions on your plan of action.

Other factors that can influence your learning
Your learning style can change from influences around you, such as the type of job you are doing and or the working environment. A self-assessment at regular intervals can help you to understand why you may have a barrier to certain methods of learning and could help you cope with new problems or situations.

Environmental factors
The organisation within which you work can affect your approach to learning. A situation analysis will help you to understand where you are.

Personal motivation – why do you learn?
Is it to gain:
- a financial reward – a better salary or promotion to another post
- a personal ambition to maintain your professional standards
- a new goal – professional qualifications

A personal SWOT analysis would help you to consider the above factors. It is an audit of your:

S – Strengths – personal and professional
W – Weaknesses – that should be addressed
O - Opportunities – for development
T – Threats – to achieving your goals

Last modified 16/01/2006