Feedback Report - Disha India Education · Personal Report The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI)...

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Feedback Report Kolb learning style inventory 4.0 Parminder Singh 8/31/2012

Transcript of Feedback Report - Disha India Education · Personal Report The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI)...

Page 1: Feedback Report - Disha India Education · Personal Report The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was created to help you understand your unique way of learning and to use the insights

Feedback Report

Kolb learning style inventory 4.0Parminder Singh

8/31/2012

Page 2: Feedback Report - Disha India Education · Personal Report The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was created to help you understand your unique way of learning and to use the insights

The Kolb Learning Style Inventory 4.0 3

I. The cycle of learning and your learning style 4

II. Interpreting your learning style 7

III. Learning flexibility 17

IV. Applying your learning style to everyday life 21

V. Other useful resources 27

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Table of contents

© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

Page 3: Feedback Report - Disha India Education · Personal Report The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was created to help you understand your unique way of learning and to use the insights

Personal Report

The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was created to helpyou understand your unique way of learning and to use theinsights gained to improve your learning power. This personalreport describes your learning strengths and will lead youthrough a process of applying them to learning in youreveryday life.

In this report you will learn about:

n the cycle of learning from experience

n your learning style; the unique way you prefer to learn, andhow to use your preferences to maximize your learning

n your learning flexibility; your ability to fully use the learningcycle and modify your approach based on what you arelearning about

n how to strengthen and develop your learning style

n how to apply what you have learned about yourself in yourlife; in your approach to problem-solving and decisionmaking, dealing with conflict and disagreements,teamwork, communicating at work and at home, and yourcareer development.

The research behind how we learn:

The Kolb Learning Style Inventory is based on a theory oflearning from experience that draws on the work ofprominent 20th century scholars who gave experience acentral role in their theories of human learning anddevelopment – notably William James, John Dewey, KurtLewin, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Carl Jung, Paulo Freire,Carl Rogers and others. From this Experiential LearningTheory (ELT) perspective, learners construct knowledgeby experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting.

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The Kolb Learning Style Inventory 4.0

© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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The cycle of learning from experience

The KLSI can help us make sense of the experience that weoften take for granted. It does this by helping us to interpretthe different kinds of experiences we encounter and thedifferent ways in which we respond to them and learn fromthem.

It portrays this process as a learning cycle, through which we‘touch all of the bases’ in a learning situation: experiencing,reflecting, thinking, and acting. Immediate or concreteexperiences are the basis for observations and reflections.These reflections are assimilated and distilled into abstractconcepts from which new implications for action can bedrawn. These implications can be actively tested and serve asguides in creating new experiences (See Figure 1 below).

The learning cycle shows that there are two ways in which wecan grasp or take in experience – by Concrete Experience orAbstract Conceptualization. There are also two ways we cantransform or deal with experience – by Reflective Observation

or Active Experimentation. We may begin a learning processin any of the four phases of the learning cycle. And we mayfind that we sometimes skip a phase in the cycle or focusprimarily on just one or two.

However, when we use both the concrete and abstract phasesto take in our experience, and when we both reflect and acton that experience, we can fully engage in a learning processand expand our learning power.

We resolve the conflict between being concrete or abstractand between being active or reflective in patterned,characteristic ways, based on our preferences for the fourlearning phases: concrete experience, reflective observation,abstract conceptualization and active experimentation.

Previous research has shown that our approach to learning isshaped by many factors: culture, personality type, lifeexperiences, educational specialization, career choice, ourcurrent job role and tasks and even our genetic makeup. Andour preferred approach, in turn, can shape the course of ourpersonal development and everyday choices.

Gra

sp

E

xper

ienc

e

Transform ExperienceReflective

Observation

ROActive

Experimentation

AE

AbstractConceptualization

AC

ConcreteExperience

CE

Figure 1

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I. The cycle of learning and your learning style

© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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Your learning style

The graph below captures your own learning style. Drawnfrom your responses to the KLSI, it indicates how much yourely on each of the four different learning phases: ConcreteExperience (CE), Reflective Observation (RO), AbstractConceptualization (AC), and Active Experimentation (AE).

You have scored in the 81 percentile for CE. This means thatyou scored higher than 81% of the norm population. Similarly,you have scored in the 47 percentile for RO, in the 10 percentilefor AC and in the 92 percentile for AE.

How are the scores determined?

The percentile labels on the concentric circles representthe norms on the four basic scales (CE, RO, AC, AE) for10,435 men and women ranging in age from 17-75. Thissample group includes college students and workingadults in a wide variety of fields. It is made up primarilyof US residents (80%) with the remaining 20% of usersresiding in 64 different countries with the largestrepresentations from Canada, UK, India, Germany, Brazil,Singapore, France, and Japan. A wide range ofoccupations and educational backgrounds isrepresented. For complete information about thenormative comparison group and other validity researchconsult the LSI Technical Specifications available at:www.learningfromexperience.com.

Concrete Experience

CE

20%

20%

40%

40%

60%

60%

80%

80%

100%

100%

Active Experimentation

AEReflective

Observation

RO

Abstract Conceptualization

AC

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© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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Understanding each learning phase

Each phase in the learning cycle is described below. You’ll alsofind suggestions about how to recognize when you’re in aparticular phase, and how you can move into it.

As you read each one ask yourself:

n Does my score on this phase match the way I see myself?

n Is it easy or hard for me to get into this phase?

n Do I find myself getting stuck in this phase? If so, why?

n Do I find myself avoiding this phase? If so, why?

n Would I like to be in this phase more or less often?

CE Concrete Experience (CE)

Learning by experiencing involves:

n learning from specific experiences

n relating to people

n being sensitive to feelings and people

Concrete experience exists only in the here-and-now. Thisphase is a preference for people who enjoy the feeling of beingfully open to the present moment.

Engagement in concrete experience can be enhanced bybeing aware and by attending to direct sensations andfeelings. In fact, the opposite phase, being too much ’in yourhead‘, can inhibit the ability to directly sense and feel yourimmediate experiences.

The presence and attention that comes with concreteexperience are particularly important for how we handle ourinterpersonal relationships, communicate, work with and leadothers, and give and receive help.

RO Reflective Observation (RO)

Learning by reflecting involves:

n carefully observing before making judgments

n viewing issues from different perspectives

n looking for the meaning of things

Reflection takes time and space. This phase is a preference forpeople who find themselves wondering about the things theyobserve in life: events, other people’s actions or their ownexperiences.

Reflective observation can be enhanced by taking time to viewthings from different perspectives and by practicing empathy.

It can be inhibited by our impulsive desires or by the pressureto take action.

Stillness and quieting the mind foster deep reflection, andsupport the information skills of sense-making, informationgathering and information analysis.

AC Abstract Conceptualization (AC)

Learning by thinking involves:

n logically analyzing ideas

n planning systematically

n acting on an intellectual understanding of the situation

Abstract conceptualization describes the ability to weighthings up. This phase is a preference for people who makecomparisons between new experiences and ideas and theirpast experiences and accepted ideas.

Engagement in thinking can be enhanced by evaluating ideas,theories and events, by forming practical generalizations andby creating scenarios for action. It can be distracted by intense,direct emotion and sensations, as well as by the pressure tomake decisions or act quickly.

Abstract conceptualization supports the analytical skills ofexplaining ideas or situations, theory building, quantitativedata analysis and technology management.

AE Active Experimentation (AE)

Learning by doing involves:

n showing ability to get things done

n taking risks

n influencing people and events through action

Active experimentation is the ‘bottom line’ of the learningcycle, the place where experiencing, reflecting and thinkingare tested in reality. This phase is a preference for people whoare drawn to the practical world of real consequences.

Active experimentation can be enhanced by courageousinitiative-taking and the creation of cycles of goal-setting andfeedback to monitor performance. It can be inhibited by toomuch internal processing.

Active experimentation supports the action oriented skills ofinitiative, goal setting and action taking.

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© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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You have seen how your scores form a ‘kite’ shape. Becauseeach person’s learning style is unique, everyone’s kite shapeis a little different. The shape of your kite tells you about yourown particular learning style, which is defined by thecombination of your preferences for the four phases of thelearning cycle.

The nine most common learning styles

Years of research on the learning styles of many thousands ofindividuals have led to the identification of nine types oflearning style, each of which is characterized by a specificability:

n The Initiating style – initiating action to deal withexperiences and situations.

n The Experiencing style – finding meaning from deepinvolvement in experience.

n The Imagining style – imagining possibilities by observingand reflecting on experiences.

n The Reflecting style – connecting experience and ideasthrough sustained reflection.

n The Analyzing style – integrating ideas into concise modelsand systems through reflection.

n The Thinking style – disciplined involvement in abstractreasoning and logical reasoning.

n The Deciding style – using theories and models to decideon problem solutions and courses of action.

n The Acting style – a strong motivation for goal directedaction that integrates people and tasks.

n The Balancing style – adapting by weighing the pros andcons of acting versus reflecting and experiencing versusthinking.

These learning styles can be systematically arranged aroundthe learning cycle in a grid. Your learning style ashighlighted in the following grid is Initiating.

Making sense of your learning style

Your learning style is your ‘comfort zone’ for learning. It isinfluenced by the physical settings you choose for learning,the people you learn from and with, and even the widerorganizational and cultural environment. In turn, yourlearning style to some extent determines your choices andwhat you pay attention to.

Concrete Experience

Act

ive

Expe

rimen

tatio

n

Initiating Experiencing Imagining

Reflective Observation

Acting Balancing Reflecting

Deciding Thinking Analyzing

Abstract Conceptualization

For example, imagine you are in a mathematics class. Theteacher lays out a formula on the board and explains thelogical steps to derive an answer. If you are an abstract learneryou may pay attention to the rationale of the conceptexplained by the teacher (thinking), whereas if you areconcrete learner you may tune into the teacher as a personand whether you like her, or not, and can relate to her as aperson (experiencing). If you are an active learner, you mayhave an urge to do something with the formula to see how itworks (acting).

Your learning style indicates your preference for how you goabout learning. For example, if you are an imagining learner,you’re likely to engage in experiencing and reflecting and tendto avoid thinking and acting.

Note that these styles are not meant to be stereotypes. Theyare derived from clusters of individuals whose KLSI scoresplace them in the same region of the learning cycle. Each styleshares some characteristics with those nearby in the grid. Forexample the Experiencing style shares a strong emphasis onConcrete Experience with the Initiating and Imagining stylesand a balancing of action and reflection with the Balancingstyle.

These nine types of style are described in detail within thisreport. Each description shows the characteristics of the styleand its region in the learning cycle based on previous researchand observation. Learning strengths and challenges forindividuals with the style are summarized. Finally, individualswith each style describe themselves in their own words.

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II. Interpreting your learning style

© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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Your learning style is Initiating

The Initiating style is characterized by the ability to initiateaction in order to deal with experiences and situations. Itinvolves Active Experimentation (AE) and ConcreteExperience (CE).

People with an Initiating learning style are likely to:

n prefer to learn from hands-on experience and real lifesituations

n be willing to jump in and try out new and challengingexperiences

n volunteer for leadership on tasks

n be able to act quickly and decisively in a changingenvironment without being caught in excessivedeliberations

n be comfortable thinking on their feet

n be willing to take risks and able to identify newopportunities and generate possibilities for success at workand life in general

n take initiative in starting new projects, putting ideas intopractice and identifying a new course of action

n learn best by tuning into the present circumstances and lessfrom reflections about past events or planning for futureactions

n have the tendency to act on ‘gut’ feelings rather than onlogical analysis, relying on others for information more thanon their own technical analysis

n be seen as spontaneous, energetic, persuasive, andcourageous

n thrive in dynamic learning situations where they can workwith others to get assignments done, set goals and try outdifferent approaches to completing a project

n prefer teachers who take the role of coach or mentor inhelping them learn from their life experiences.

Learning strengthsCommitting yourself to objectivesSeeking new opportunitiesInfluencing and leading others

Learning challengesControlling the impulse to actListening to others’ viewsImpatience

Rosalyn, human resources manager

In one simple word…yes, I agree with the label Initiatingfor my learning style. My peers, leaders, family membersand friends would all be able to quickly identify me asaction oriented. I tend to be impatient with waiting fordecisions and more than likely will jump in with a plan totake action. In my work as a human resources managerthis bias for action has served me extremely well. Theretail business is constantly changing. Amidst thatchange some people can be caught spinning withindecisiveness and an inability to act based on theexcessive speed in which the business is moving. I, on theother hand, make decisions quickly. A day without actionis extremely rare. The ability to identify needs, and act onthose needs quickly, is essential to my success in thecorporate environment. My manager has mentionedhow I have an amazing ability to seek out newinformation and apply it. I think this relates to my curiosityand willingness to take risks.

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Information about the other eight learning styles

The Experiencing learning style

The Experiencing style is characterized by the ability to findmeaning from deep involvement in experience. It draws onConcrete Experience (CE) while balancing ActiveExperimentation (AE) and Reflective Observation (RO).

People with the Experiencing learning style are likely to:

n learn from their deep involvement in their life experiencesand contexts

n rely on their feelings and reactions to people and situationsto learn

n be sensitive to other people’s feelings and particularlyadept in building meaningful relationships

n be open minded and accepting, which can lead to difficultyin making independent judgments

n be innovative and unconventional in their approach toproblem-solving

n approach a problem intuitively rather than logically and toseek validation later through reflection and action

n be seen as sensitive, empathetic, helpful, and intuitive

n prefer learning situations which are rich in interactions andongoing communications with their friends and co-workers

n enjoy working in groups, but also need time to work aloneto get things done

n seek out constructive feedback on their progress at workand in their personal life

n want to build and maintain a personal relationship withtheir teacher.

Learning strengthsBuilding deep personal relationshipsStrong intuition focused on reflection and actionOpen to new experiences

Learning challengesUnderstanding theorySystematic planningCritical evaluation

Susan, human resources director

Over the years I have often questioned why I enjoyedbeginning new relationships so much and feltexhilaration when brainstorming, planning, andimplementing projects. Rarely have I found pleasure inworking alone and I’ve felt stifled in situations when Imust do so.

Engaging in conversation and learning about and fromothers is exciting and sometimes I am surprised whenpeople with whom I’ve had little involvement haveshared very personal information. I have been told I askquestions of people and engage others in such a way asto generate rich discussion and debate in a non-threatening, thoughtful manner. This may be why theyopen up so easily.

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© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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The Imagining learning style

The Imagining style is characterized by the ability to imaginepossibilities by observing and reflecting on experiences. Itcombines the learning steps of Concrete Experience (CE) andReflective Observation (RO).

People with the Imagining learning style are likely to:

n learn by stepping back to observe and reflect on theirexperiences and feelings

n have the ability to see things from many different points ofview

n demonstrate sensitivity to people’s feelings

n be able to consider diverse opinions and views and bridgethe differences

n be comfortable with ambiguity and avoid seeing situationsin black and white

n approach situations by observing rather than taking action

n be a good listener, able to recognize patterns in events,relationships and group interactions and make sense ofwhat they mean

n have broad cultural interests and enjoy gatheringinformation

n be good at imagining the implications and possibilities ofa particular course of action and at creating alternativepaths and approaches

n be seen as caring, accepting, creative, sensitive, and open-minded

n learn by working in groups where there is open and freeflowing conversation through which they can gatherinformation, listen with an open mind and receive personalfeedback

n enjoy situations that call for generating a wide range ofideas, such as brainstorming sessions

n appreciate teachers who take a facilitating role and aresensitive and creative.

Learning strengthsAwareness of people's feelings and valuesListening with an open mindImagining the implications of ambiguous situations

Learning challengesDecision makingTaking leadershipTimely action

Lorain, non-profit organization manager

As an Imagining learner, I have the ability to take amultiple perspective ’helicopter view,’ allowing me tonotice when patterns of emotional energy surfacebetween individuals, and among and within groups,systems and events.

My ability to see the big picture allows me to anticipatethe likelihood of what may happen if a particular decisionor action is taken. As a result, I am often able to redirectindividual, group, system, or event energy in newdirections.

The downside of my style is that, because of my extremeimaginative tendency, I can be distracted by all thepossibilities and views that I see. I often receive feedbackfrom people around me that I am ‘a big picture planner’,or ‘have ability to see things globally’.

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The Reflecting learning style

The Reflecting style is characterized by the ability to connectexperience and ideas through sustained reflection. It drawson Reflective Observation (RO) while balancing ConcreteExperience (CE) and Abstract Conceptualization (AC).

People with the Reflecting learning style are likely to:

n use observation and reflection as their primary basis forlearning

n enjoy situations that call for generating differentalternatives and perspectives and identifying problems

n have a keen sense of observation and be able to make senseof and recognize the deeper meaning that underlies events,facts and people’s interactions

n have the capacity for deep reflection while balancing theability to engage in both feelings and thoughts

n value the process of talking about their reflections withothers to debrief events

n organize information or analyze data in a manner that ismeaningful and orderly

n excel in creating processes that produce healthycommunication and effective outcomes when workingwith teams and organizations

n be good at coming up with creative ideas and solutions toproblems, but prefer leaving the implementation to others

n be sensitive to people’s feelings, thoughts and needs andable to find common ground by bringing together differentideas and perspectives

n be seen as quiet, insightful, thorough, sensitive and deep

n thrive in learning situations which are rich in dialogue anddiscussions, but also feel comfortable learning fromlectures, independent projects and from reading

n need time to reflect and make sense of their experience ontheir own

n value teachers who provide opportunities for individualand group reflection and who are open to exploring ideas.

Learning strengthsUnderstanding others’ points of viewSeeing ‘what’s going on’ in situationsConverting intuitions into explicit explanationsGathering information

Learning challengesTaking actionRuminationSpeaking up in groups

Jerry, human resources manager

The Reflecting learning style has been particularly wellsuited to the traditional teaching methods I’veexperienced in my educational career. I have enjoyedclassroom lectures and I work well independently. I amable to process a wide variety of information, findpatterns and themes and easily understand theunderlying theories. As a result, my academicperformance has been strong. I am an avid note-taker.My textbooks and professional reading includenumerous margin notes about ideas sparked by thereading. These represent the reflecting, brainstormingand conceptualizing that accompany my learning.

This opportunity to reflect and organize information iscritical to my ability to retain what I have learned. To moveinto Active Experimentation, I am most successful whenI can partner with a colleague who demonstrates thatstrength. Using observation, I am able to learn from rolemodels whose strengths are different from my own.

I have always had many interests, often more intellectualin nature. As I have grown older, my interests have oftenrelated to concepts and theories. My health and fitnessgoals are more motivated by a commitment to theconcept of good health than by any external or socialfactor.

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The Analyzing learning style

The Analyzing style is characterized by the ability to integrateand systematize ideas through reflection. It combinesReflective Observation (RO) and Abstract Conceptualization(AC).

People with the Analyzing learning style are likely to:

n be good at taking in a wide range of information andputting it into concise, logical form

n be less focused on people and more interested in abstractideas and concepts

n find it more important that a theory has logical soundnessthan practical value

n carefully analyze and assess each step and weigh itsconsequences before taking action

n plan ahead and be able to minimize mistakes and anticipatepotential problems and pitfalls

n rely on their logical and objective understanding of thesituation when dealing with people or events

n avoid allowing their feelings to get in the way of their soundjudgments

n be seen as logical, organized, reliable, careful, andthoughtful

n thrive in learning situations in which they can use anddevelop their analytical and conceptual skills

n prefer lectures, reading, exploring analytical models andhaving time to think things through

n work alone rather than in groups

n prefer teachers who model their thinking and analysisprocess in their lectures and interactions with them.

Learning strengthsOrganizing informationBeing logical and rationalBuilding conceptual models

Learning challengesRisk takingSocializing with othersDealing with lack of structure

Michelle, College student

I understand why I enjoy making sense of things. I amable to gather all kinds of data and information and pullit together to make sense. My classmate pointed out tome that although this may be my strength, this is alsowhere one of my weaknesses becomes evident. She toldme, “you oftentimes develop great points in your mindduring class, but then you don’t openly share them.” Thisis because I am more comfortable discussing an idea witha small group of people or one on one, and it becomesharder for me to find that same comfort in a large class.

I am a very individual thinker. Reflecting and analyzingan idea comes easily to me, but not right away in aclassroom. I am better off working alone outside of acrowded and intimidating atmosphere. Along the sameline, I prefer to study alone as opposed to studying ingroups because I have always been a strong individuallearner. I always enjoyed mathematics, because solvingequations is a purely rational exercise which does notrequire communication.

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The Thinking learning style

The Thinking style is characterized by the capacity fordisciplined involvement in abstract and logical reasoning. Itdraws on Abstract Conceptualization (AC) while balancingActive Experimentation (AE) and Reflective Observation (RO).

People with the Thinking learning style are likely to:

n learn primarily by deep involvement in abstract ideas,theories and concepts

n value thinking things through and enjoy fitting a wide arange of data and information into concise ideas andmodels

n enjoy working with numbers and engaging in mentalactivities that require abstract reasoning and analyticalskills

n rely on quantitative information to support their argumentor predict outcomes

n prefer working with quantitative rather than qualitativeinformation

n work by themselves and prefer to deal with technical tasksrather than personal issues

n be good at planning and goal-setting, but concentratemore on the quality of their plan rather than on achievingthe actual goals

n strive for consistency and accuracy in their world views andideas

n be controlled in their emotional expression and speakprecisely and concisely

n take action after much thought

n work hard to avoid mistakes

n be seen as thorough, precise, reliable, consistent andintrospective

n learn best in well-structured situations with clear directionsand learning agendas

n thrive in environments in which they can design or conductexperiments or manipulate data

n prefer to work alone and take time to think things through

n value a teacher’s expertise in their field.

Learning strengthsLogical analysisRational decision makingAnalyzing quantitative data

Learning challengesWorking with peopleKeeping an open mind about their ideas‘Lost in thought’

Marianne, financial analyst

I like to solve problems, make decisions and I have a slightpreference for technical tasks versus personal issues. In alearning setting, I need to see the practical application ofthe topic or theory. I need time to absorb information andthink through it, planning and organizing information. Iabsolutely want to know exactly what I have to do to meetand exceed the standard. In fact, when I don’t have thisinformation or when others in the group move forwardwithout the information, or don’t allow me the time Ineed to assimilate it, I get frustrated. I need to know whatsuccess and failure look like in the eyes of the person whois judging. I need time alone to process information andrejuvenate. I make ‘to-do’ lists for everything from tasksat work, to the grocery store, packing for a trip. Doing thishelps me to feel organized and focused. I don’t like to beresponsible for certain types of decisions for fear that Iwill make the wrong one: decisions such as whichdirection to take when driving, giving advice or which giftto purchase. Being so centered in thinking perhapscauses me to struggle between planning and developingoptions and making the decisions.

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© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

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The Deciding learning style

The Deciding style is characterized by the ability to usetheories and models to decide on problem solutions andcourses of action. It combines Abstract Conceptualization (AC)and Active Experimentation (AE).

People with the Deciding learning style are likely to:

n be good at finding practical uses for ideas and theories

n have the ability to solve problems and make decisionsbased on evaluating solutions to questions or problemsrationally

n identify flaws and mistakes in concepts and ideas by testingthem in the real world

n set clear goals, evaluate and then decide on the best pathto achieve them

n be efficient and focused and avoid being distracted by whatthey consider to be tangential facts or information, butsometimes missing important information or solving thewrong problem

n focus on technical problem-solving when working withothers

n concentrate on helping others to solve their problemsefficiently and effectively, rather than on their feelings andinterpersonal issues

n be seen as focused, pragmatic, rational and decisive

n learn best in situations in which they can experiment withnew ideas, simulations, laboratory assignments andpractical applications

n prefer teachers who set clear standards and goals andevaluate with problems and questions that have right orwrong answers.

Learning strengthsproblem-solvingEvaluating ideas and solutionsSetting goalsMaking decisions

Learning challengesThinking ‘out of the box’Sensitivity to people’s feelingsDealing with ambiguity

George, sales manager

My preferred learning style is Deciding and I believe thisto be a good fit in terms of how I see myself. In additionto my regional sales management responsibilities, I alsooversee the sales productivity function. My salesproductivity team focuses on how to help theorganization become more effective and efficientthrough the practical application of various tools,technology and training. Given my preference, I tend toenjoy gathering information from sources both internaland external to the organization. I like to solve problemsand make decisions to help the sales team succeed increating a competitive advantage.

As an example of this, I actively experiment, taking thenew ideas that are generated by my sales productivityteam and finding practical applications related toorganization structure, incentive compensation,performance recognition and enabling tools andtechnology. But as I am an introvert by nature, andtherefore prefer to deal with technical tasks andproblems versus social and interpersonal issues, I needto understand people better and be more open-minded.Also, I use little reflection in my work and life in general.In my case I can learn from my wife, who has ‘Imagining’learning style tendencies, and I hope to improve ourcommunication knowing now that we approachproblems on opposite ends of the spectrum.

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The Acting learning style

The Acting style is characterized by a strong motivation forgoal directed action that integrates people and tasks. It drawson Active Experimentation (AE) while balancing ConcreteExperience (CE) and Abstract Conceptualization (AC).

People with the Acting learning style are likely to:

n be goal oriented and focused on getting things done

n be good at implementing plans or testing ideas bycombining their experience of the immediate situation withideas and concepts for dealing with it

n excel in identifying and integrating task and humanrequirements, using their ability to resolve questions orproblems through technical analysis while paying attentionto people’s needs

n be equally comfortable functioning in a practical world thatcan make use of their feelings and actions, as well as in atechnical world that requires their conceptual abilities

n work at improving existing operations and systems andproducing results

n excel in leadership positions that call for co-ordinatingcomplex operations and systems

n prefer action over reflection and sometimes commit to anidea without considering its consequences and alternativeoptions or solutions

n be seen as dynamic, strategic, personable and responsible

n learn best on the job through discussions with colleaguesand working in teams

n prefer teachers with practical real world experience thatthey can emulate.

Learning strengthsCombining technical knowledge and personalrelationshipsFocused on getting things doneLeading work teams

Learning challengesTaking time to reflectSolving the right problemGathering and analyzing information

Elizabeth, retail store manager

As an Acting learner, I do find that I move easily to thedoing stage, and I’m more comfortable plunging in to getthings done. When I have a task ahead, I am eager to getstarted.

Usually I will have a strong gut feeling about the bestcourse of action. My next step will be to look for data tovalidate my intuition. I do think about why my intuitionis pointing in a certain direction and I like to get myconceptual ‘arms’ around the topic. I look for a few piecesof information to back up my perception using peopleand other sources. I don’t spend an enormous amount oftime gathering data, although if it is an importantdecision and I am unsure I will spend time talking topeople I respect. Once ready to act, I do. I am comfortablelearning by doing and taking risks.

On the positive side, I am able to get lots done, movingfrom one thing to another, switching gears easily. I don’tget overwhelmed that easily by work. On the negativeside, sometimes I am surprised by something that Ihaven’t researched thoroughly, or when results are notas perfect as I might like.

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The Balancing learning style

The Balancing style is characterized by the ability to adapt;weighing the pros and cons of acting versus reflecting andexperiencing versus thinking. It balances Concrete Experience(CE), Abstract Conceptualization (AC), Active Experimentation(AE) and Reflective Observation (RO).

With the Balancing learning style you are likely to:

n switch your approach to learning from feeling to thinking,and from reflecting to acting

n change your approach to learning based on the situation

n be open to new experiences and equally adept atidentifying and solving problems

n see diverse perspectives on issues and bridge thedifferences between people with different styles

n find it difficult to make decisions about issues or choosebetween different alternatives

n adapt and fill in the missing style in a team in order to getthe task done and help the team learn more effectively

n pursue a variety of interests which may lead you to changejobs and careers many times over the course of your life

n be seen as curious, open, flexible, multi-talented andresourceful

n be more satisfied in situations in which you can workthrough all four phases of the learning cycle: learning fromlectures, discussions groups, brainstorming sessions, labsand on-the-job learning

n be able to learn from teachers with different approachesbecause of your ability to adapt.

Learning strengthsFlexibility in moving around the learning cycleAbility to work with diverse groups of peopleCreative insights

Learning challengesIndecisiveness'Jack of all trades, master of none.'Sustained commitment

Mark, non-profit organization executive

I had a difficult time answering the KLSI questions, and Ihave had a difficult time with other questionnaires in thepast. I have wondered at times if maybe I don’t knowmyself very well, but I prefer to think that I am a well-balanced person. In my work life, I need a wide variety ofactivities to keep me stimulated. I love learning newthings and I look for new challenges, but it is the varietyof activities that I enjoy.

I’m not striving for mastery of any particular activities. I’mdriven to pursue many different interests and learn in avariety of ways. I find that I am able to adapt my learningstyle to meet the demands of the task at hand.

Because I am comfortable learning in a variety of ways, Iam adaptable to different situations and contexts, whichmakes me a versatile team member. I’m generally able todo whatever is needed to get the job done. In addition, Itend to pick up new skills or concepts quickly. I havelearned that if I give conscious thought to my learningprocesses and I’m deliberate about moving through thestages, from experience to reflection to thinking toacting, I will become a more proficient learner. I am ableto take different perspectives and bridge differencesbetween people with different styles. In group settings, Ican relate to those who want to jump right into action,as well as those who want to spend time processing andplanning. I am fairly creative, and in the professionalenvironment I often come up with new ideas andsolutions to common problems.This skill has earned methe appreciation of colleagues and supervisors. I do attimes have difficulty making decisions because my abilityto understand different perspectives often makes itchallenging to commit to one of my own.

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Moving around the learning cycle

Your learning style describes how you generally prefer tolearn. However, another important aspect of your learning ishow flexible you are in adapting your learning style to thesituations you face. Many individuals feel that their learningstyle accurately describes how they learn most of the time;they are consistent in their approach to learning. Others,however, report that they tend to change their approachdepending on what they are learning or the situation they arein. They may say, for example, that they use one style at workand another at home with their family. These are flexiblelearners.

Learning flexibility is your ability to move freely around thelearning cycle and to modify your approach to learning to suitall the situations you encounter. Learning flexibility expandsyour comfort zone; your readiness to engage fully inexperiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting enable you todeepen and enrich your knowledge and understanding.

You may recall that the final questions of the Kolb LearningStyle Inventory asked you to describe how you learn in eightdifferent learning situations, while thinking of examples ofthese situations in your life. These questions assess yourlearning flexibility by measuring how much you change yourlearning style in response to different learning situations. Theresulting Learning Flexibility Index indicates your ability todraw upon the skills used in different phases of the learningcycle.

Your learning flexibility score

Your learning flexibility score is calculated by how much yourlearning style varies from situation to situation.

Your learning flexibility score is .92 which indicates that youtend to modify your learning style to meet the demands ofdifferent situations.

Low Medium High

0 .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 1

Understanding your pattern of learning flexibility

The following grid gives an overview of your learningflexibility. While your general learning style is Initiating, youshow flexibility toward Experiencing, Balancing, Reflecting,Analyzing, Acting.

Generally there is a relationship between the number ofregions that are shaded and your learning flexibility score, i.e.the more regions that are shaded, the higher the learningflexibility score. Flexible learners often move into thebalancing region which encompasses all four learning phases.

Your learning flexibility profile

As you review your learning flexibility profile, ask yourself:

n Does my learning flexibility profile match the way I seemyself?

n Which learning styles do I feel most comfortable using?

- What do I gain from using these styles?

- What do I miss out on when using these styles?

n Which learning styles do I seem to avoid using?

- What do I gain from avoiding these styles?

- What do I miss out on when avoiding these styles?

n Which learning styles would I like to use more often? Why?

n To what extent am I using the Balancing learning style?

Concrete Experience

Act

ive

Expe

rimen

tatio

n

Initiating Experiencing Imagining

Reflective Observation

Acting Balancing Reflecting

Deciding Thinking Analyzing

Abstract Conceptualization

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III. Learning flexibility

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Developing your learning flexibility

The exercise below is designed to help you practice yourlearning flexibility in a real situation where you are learning inyour life. Along with your learning flexibility score, thisexercise can help you see where you are most comfortable incomfortable in learning and where you have difficulties. Youcan use it as a planning tool to improve your learningeffectiveness.

Think of a situation in your life where you are currently learningor a project that you are currently working on. It could be, forexample, a course you are taking, a person or team that youneed to get to know better, a project, activity or event yourare planning, or something new that you are starting.

The learning style grid shows questions that people tend toask themselves when using each learning style. Thesequestions can help you anticipate how you might approachyour situation using a different learning style.

Now follow these steps:

1 On a blank sheet of paper draw a large grid to create thenine learning styles.

2 Decide which learning style or styles you are using in yourcurrent project or learning situation.

3 In each part of the grid, write some notes to capture howyou are applying your chosen learning style(s) to yourproject or situation.

4 Next, using these questions as a guide, jot down otherapproaches you might take to enhance your learning.

Ask yourself:

n Am I using only my preferred learning style(s)?

n Am I moving around the learning cycle and using learningstyles that are not typical for me? Or staying close to mypreferred learning style(s)?

n What difficulties am I encountering in using other learningstyles?

My learning goal plan for:

Initiatingn What action should I take now?

n How do I start?

n Where are the opportunities?

n Can I take a chance on this?

Experiencingn Am I experiencing the issue in the present?

n What is my intuition telling me?

n What are the others feeling about this?

n Where is my attention now?

Imaginingn What are the possibilities?

n What is my vision?

n How do I feel about this situation?

n What do others think?

n What do I imagine will happen?

Actingn How can I implement this plan?

n How much time do I have?

n What resources do I need?

n What are the next steps?

n Who can help me in moving this forward?

Balancingn Is there a blind spot?

n Have I considered all possibilities, andweighed all options?

n Do I need to change my approach?

Reflectingn What is another way of looking at this?

n What are my assumptions?

n What information is most meaningful?

n What else do I need to consider?

Decidingn What is my goal?

n What is the cost/benefit analysis?

n How can I solve this problem?

n What is my decision?

n What is working, or not working?

n What is the bottom line?

Thinkingn Am I being objective?

n What do the numbers tell me?

n Am I accurate? And thoughtful?

n Have I put my feelings aside?

n Is this a logical approach?

Analyzingn Can I create a scenario about what will

happen?

n What strategies do I need?

n What is my plan?

n Is my reasoning conceptually sound?

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n When I look at things from the perspective of differentlearning styles, how does it change my understanding ofmy project or learning situation? Does it reveal other factorsor issues that I can address?

n What can I do to increase my ability to use different learningstyles?

- What three things can I start doing?

- What three things should I stop doing?

- What three things can I do differently?

Learning flexibility and your learning effectiveness

As you know, learning goes on in every aspect of your life. Bydeveloping learning flexibility in all the situations you findyourself in you can make full use of the learning cycle andincrease your learning power.

Those of us with a strongly consistent learning style can feelcomfortable that we have developed that style to aconsiderable extent. At the same time our skills in otherlearning styles may not be so strong. For example, someonecomfortable using the thinking style may feel uncomfortablein the non-logical world of concrete feelings.

When a situation arises that demands skills outside ourlearning style we face a dilemma; do we approach thesituation with our comfortable learning style or try another?There is no absolute answer about when to ’flex‘ and when togo with your strengths. Over time we resolve this dilemmabest by developing our strengths across all the learning styles.Most of us, however, are working towards that goal, so weapproach life with some combination of using our preferredlearning style and moving through those that are closer.

Overall learning effectiveness is improved when individualsbecome highly skilled in engaging all four phases of thelearning cycle. One way to do this is to develop the skillsassociated with each of them.

Developing learning skills

The Learning Skills Profile was created to help learnersassess the learning skills associated with the four phasesof the learning cycle: interpersonal skills for CE,information skills for RO, analytic skills for AC and actionskills for AE. It gives you an assessment of your learningskills and a corresponding analysis of the requirement forthese skills in your life situation, providing a usefulstarting point for prioritizing your skill developmentgoals.

Strategies for developing learning flexibility

Many who take the KLSI decide that they want to use more ofthe learning cycle in their everyday life: experiencing (CE),reflecting (RO), thinking (AC) and acting (AE). In some casesthis is based on a desire to increase their learning flexibility bydeveloping a weaker learning style. In others it may be toincrease capability in a style that is particularly important fortheir learning tasks. Specialists in different fields often find thatthey need to focus their style to maximize effectiveness.Engineers, for example, need highly developed problem-solving skills grounded in thinking and acting. Choose fromthe following strategies to increase your flexibility:

1. Develop learning and work relationships with people whoselearning strengths lie in areas that are different from your own.

This is the easiest way to improve your learning skills.While you can begin by recognizing and building on yourown strengths, it is essential to value different learningstyles as well. We are often drawn to people who havesimilar learning styles to ourselves – indeed we can findit hard (even frustrating) to work with people who havedifferent styles to our own. However, learning power isincreased and problems are solved more effectively byworking with others.

2. Improve the fit between your learning style strengths andthe kinds of learning experiences you encounter.

This strategy can help you to achieve better learningperformance and satisfaction by playing to yourpreferences. Try re-organizing activities in your learningsituations, concentrating on those tasks that lie in yourareas of learning strength and relying on other peoplewhere you have weaknesses. For example, if yourpreferred learning style is Imagining, spend your timethinking of all the options and gathering information,and rely on someone with the Deciding style to choosethe best solution.

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3. Practice and develop learning skills in areas that are theopposite of your present strengths.

This strategy is the most challenging, but it can also bethe most rewarding. Try to become a more flexiblelearner by consciously using the skills associated with thelearning style opposite to your own. For example, if youhave an Analyzing style, focus on using skills associatedwith the Initiating style (taking risks, getting things done,being adaptable). This approach may seem awkward toyou at first, but over time your increased flexibility willallow you to cope with challenges of all kinds.

Remember:

n Develop a long term plan. Look for improvements andpayoffs over months and years, rather than right away.

n Look for safe ways to practice new skills. Find situations thattest them but will not punish you if you fail. Take time toconsciously learn from your mistakes.

n Return to your learning flexibility profile regularly. Eachtime you face a new learning situation or take on a newproject, use the grid to anticipate different approaches youcan take that will help you develop new learning skills.

n Reward yourself; becoming a flexible learner is hard work.

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You have now discovered a lot about yourself as a learner:about your learning style, the implications for how youapproach different situations and about your flexibility as alearner. How can you use this information to improve yourlearning and your life?

Solving problems

Understanding your learning style can make you an effectiveproblem solver. Nearly every problem that you encounter onthe job or in your life involves the following processes:

n identifying the problem

n selecting the problem to solve

n seeing different solutions

n evaluating possible results

n implementing the solution.

These processes mirror those in the learning cycle. Eachprocess, or each piece of the problem, needs to be approachedin different ways. Use the diagram below to identify yourpotential strengths as a problem solver.

Take some time to think about situations where yourstrengths as a problem solver have emerged in the past,and then identify areas you want to develop further inthe future.

Notice the area that is the opposite of your area ofstrength. Are there ways that you can develop yourproblem-solving skills in this area?

ActiveExperimentation

AbstractConceptualization

ReflectiveObservation

ConcreteExperience

Compare it with Reality

Choose a Model or Goal

ConsiderAlternativeSolutions

Select aProblem

IdentifyDifferences(Problems)

Select aSolution

Execute the Solution

EvaluateConsequences

of Solutions

ROAE

AC

CE

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IV. Applying your learning style to everyday life

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Working in teams

Teams are an increasingly popular vehicle for getting thingsdone in the classroom and in the workplace. You haveprobably belonged to a number of teams and can easilyidentify those that were effective and those that wereineffective. While a number of factors contribute to teameffectiveness, learning styles, specifically a team’s learningstyle profile, is a prominent factor.

Consider a team that creates an advertising campaign fora new product. Nearly all the team members prefer theInitiating style. Consequently, they share a preference foraction and rarely disagree. They quickly create and placean advertisement in an industry magazine. However,since the team lacks the more reflective Imagining,Reflecting and Analyzing styles, research and analysisthat would have provided support for a targeted, directmail campaign, for instance, is never considered.

Knowledge of learning styles can help you, as a teammember, to assume a leadership role and guide thegroup through all the phases of the learning cycle. If youare a manager responsible for creating teams, thisknowledge helps you ensure that all styles arerepresented and, therefore, all angles considered. Ineither role, you contribute to a more successful outcome.

Try teaming up with one or two of your colleagues orclassmates. Choose an actual work- or school-related problemfor the team to solve. During the process note which teammember is contributing ideas, who focuses on feelings andvalues, who tries to identify the problem, and who focuses onsolutions. Are you missing any of the strengths associated withthe learning cycle? If so, which ones? Who might developthese strengths? How might they best be developed to servethe team? How can you adapt your group process to ensurethat all phases of the learning cycle are included?

Resolving conflict

Conflict can be useful. The conflict that arises from differingperspectives holds creative ideas and the potential for lookingat old issues in new ways. Conflict can, however, becomenegative and burdensome when disagreements are writtenoff as ‘personality conflicts’ or ‘I just can’t get along with thatperson.’

Consider the employee who publicly chastises a co-worker for constantly holding up the department’sprogress by analyzing every detail of the job at hand. Theco-worker retaliates, saying that her accuser acts rashly,thereby jeopardizing the department’s project. The tworefuse to work together. Ultimately, the conflict extendsbeyond the two co-workers to affect the entiredepartment.

An appreciation for different learning styles can alleviatethis situation. Both employees may be right, but theirlearning preferences lie at the opposite extremes of theactive–reflective continuum. They need to realize thatthe combination of their two styles is more effective thaneither style alone.

When you find yourself in a situation where there is adifference in perspectives, remember what you have learnedabout the nine different learning styles. Use this informationto elicit ideas, experiences, and reflections from the otherpeople involved.

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Communicating at work

Effective communication must overcome all kinds of potentialstatic. At work, this holds true for communication with yourboss, co-workers, clients, and vendors.

Consider the Analyzing style employee who is constantlyfrustrated by encounters with his Initiating stylemanager. As far as he can see, she pays little attention tothe detailed facts and figures he carefully prepares foreach of their meetings. She, on the other hand, iscompletely frustrated by the amount of detail andextraneous information he provides.

In this situation, the employee would be better offpresenting information to the manager in a bulleted,highlighted, this-is-what-I-suggest manner. In doing so,he would appeal to her learning preferences and getthrough to her in a way he never thought possible. Onthe flip side, the manager would benefit from anappreciation of different learning styles. She shouldacknowledge the work that the employee has put intopreparing for the meeting and assure him that, althoughshe is quite busy at the moment, she will make a point oflooking through the information as soon as she has time.

Think of a situation where you could improve communicationwith another person at work. Perhaps the two of you havelearning style differences. Do you prefer thinking thingsthrough while the other person prefers thinking on their feet?How can you combine your styles for a more effectiveoutcome? How can you work together to develop each other’sweaker styles?

Communicating at home

Work isn’t the only place where communication can be achallenge. Different learning styles between family memberscan benefit, or hinder, the relationship. An awareness of yourown and other family members’ learning styles will help youappreciate the styles’ strengths and understand theirweaknesses.

Consider a couple assembling a bike. She has anAnalyzing style and prefers to read the instructions,account for all the parts, and lay out the tools before shebegins. He has an Initiating style; he scatters all the partsaround the room, immediately begins assembling thehandlebars, and has no idea where the instructions are.

To successfully assemble the bike, they need to combinetheir reflective and active styles. When both arerepresented, the couple can efficiently assemble a bikethat is safe to ride.

Think about your own home situation. Is a family project(wallpapering, painting, cleaning out the garage, etc.) comingup? Can you find a way to combine your styles so that you cancarry out the project more effectively? Can you help developeach other’s weaker styles?

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Considering a career

Understanding your learning style can help you in your career.Whether you are deciding what career you want to preparefor in school, choosing a career path, seeking to maximizesuccess in your chosen career or considering a career change,learning is an important part of the process.

Preparing for a career. Career preparation is centered onfinding what you are interested in and connecting thoseinterests to educational experiences, jobs and career pathsthat relate to them. This process starts with looking inward tounderstand yourself, paying attention to often fleeting andambiguous feelings, reflecting on their meaning and actingto explore each interest further. At the same time you lookoutward for opportunities and situations in which you can testyour skills and interests. The more you repeat the cycle,exploring your interests and expressing your talents, theclearer your career choice will become.

Your learning style also reveals important clues aboutyour interests and potential careers. You may, at somepoint, have taken a vocational test such as the Strong orHolland interest inventories to help you become awareof your interests and their connections to career paths.These tests are based on Holland’s model of six careertypes and their relationship to each other – Enterprising,Social, Artistic, Investigative, Realistic, and Conventional.

Research has shown that the career type model and thelearning cycle share similarities, as shown in the adjoiningfigure, which can help you make more sense of yourinterests.

Choosing a career path. Numerous research studies haveshown that individuals with certain learning styles tend togravitate toward certain career types. However, people followmany different patterns. Even within a particular career, theremay be sub-patterns of learning styles and interests toconsider. The next chart summarizes some of these patterns.

Remember, in any career field there are jobs that includea spectrum of learning styles.

For example, a person with an Initiating style who ispracticing medicine may prefer the personal interactionsand the active problem-solving that a family practiceentails. In contrast, someone with an Analyzing style mayenjoy the medical science field, where thorough researchon medical problems yields the solutions that apractitioner may one day use.

You can use the chart not only to explore new careeropportunities but to enrich your present career path.

The biggest mistake that people can make when comparingtheir career with their learning style is to think that there is aformula that says, “My learning style is X, so my career shouldbe Y.” A better way to use the Learning Style Inventory is tothink about which aspects of certain jobs might best fit yourlearning style. You may also be interested in finding ways thatyour career can challenge you to stretch your learningstrengths and help you to develop new ones.

CE

AC

AE ROThe

Learning Cycle

Enterprising Social

Conventional

Realistic Investigative

Artistic

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ActiveExperimentation

AbstractConceptualization

ReflectiveObservation

ConcreteExperience

Career characteristics:- using systems and technologies to resolve problems- experimenting with new ideas- evaluating possible solutions- making decisions – selecting the solution to a problem- setting goals and checking progress

These characteristics are typically – but not exclusively –found in problem-solving careers, for example:- computer science and engineering- finance and economics- applied sciences- medicine

Career characteristics:- taking action – organizing day-to-day activities- seeking out opportunities- making things happen – taking risks- implementing solutions to problems- working directly with others- influencing others – selling ideas, negotiating- leading – inspiring and motivating others

These characteristics are typically – but not exclusively –found in action orientated careers, for example:- management and human resources- sales and marketing- teaching, training, nursing, government

Career characteristics:- gathering information- investigating and researching- organizing and interpreting information- analyzing information – building the ‘big picture’- considering alternative solutions- building conceptual models- planning

These characteristics are typically – but not exclusively –found in information based careers, for example:- sciences and mathematics- social and physical sciences- legal professions- research and higher education

Career characteristics:- being sensitive to different perspectives- communicating and building trust- helping others- dealing with ambiguity and variety- gathering information from various sources- being creative and making sense of things- identifying problems and imagining implications

These characteristics are typically – but not exclusively –found in service careers, for example:- arts and entertainment- communications- social service

ROAE

AC

CE

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Maximizing success in your career. Many have suggested thatthe definition of career success is doing what you love andgetting paid for it. This is why finding a job that is compatiblewith your interests and talents is so important. When thedemands of your jobs greatly exceed your skill levels, stressresults. When your skills exceed your job demands, you’relikely to feel boredom and lack of challenge. Jobs that demandlearning and skill improvement are those that produce justenough challenge to make work satisfying and fulfilling.

Consider your present career situation:

n Are you able to use your learning strengths in your presentjob?

n Do the demands of your job help you to develop otherlearning strengths?

n Do you have future career goals in mind?

n How do you picture yourself accomplishing those goals,given your learning strengths?

The Learning Skills Profile was developed to help answer thesequestions. This instrument measures the learning skillsrequired by your job and your current level of skill in fourgeneral areas – Interpersonal skills, Information skills, Analyticskills and Action skills. Gaps between skill level and jobdemand help to suggest goals for learning and development.

The spider graphs shows the learning skill profiles for twoindividuals. The woman on the left is a senior humanresource development manager who is successful andloves her job. Note the correspondence between her jobdemands and learning skills and the high levels of both.

The profile on the right is an undergraduate man who ismapping the demands of his prospective biomedicalengineering qualification with his learning skills. Noteboth the match between his analytic skills and jobdemands and the mismatch between his highinterpersonal skills and low job demands. This may bewhy he was questioning his choices.

Changing careers. There was a time when career change wasinfrequent and often accompanied by feelings of failure. Intoday’s rapidly changing world, changing careers is seen as away to broaden one’s experience and develop professionally.

When individuals take the Learning Skills Profile theysometimes discover that their job is not using many of theirhighly developed skills. They are bored and restless, and thatis their sign to search for new opportunities.

Understanding your learning style and the correspondingdemands of different careers can help you find thatchallenging match and a job you love.

42

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Job demandsSkills

26 Parminder Singh - Kolb learning style inventory 4.0 | 8/31/2012

© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

Page 27: Feedback Report - Disha India Education · Personal Report The Kolb Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was created to help you understand your unique way of learning and to use the insights

Available from www.haygroup.com (click onassessment and development tools):-

Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learningand Development

By David A. Kolb. © 1984 Prentice Hall PTR. The theory ofexperiential learning, with applications for education, work,and personal development. Contains information on thevalidity of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory.

Facilitator’s Guide to Learning

© 2000 Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. A manual forteachers and trainers.

The Kolb Learning Style Exercise (Stuck Truck)

© 2009 Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. An exercisethat identifies the impact of learning styles on group problem-solving situations.

The Kolb learning Skills Profile

© 1993, 2008 Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. Aninstrument to compare your learning skills to your job skilldemands.

The Kolb Team Learning Experience: improving teameffectiveness through structured learning experiences.

© 2004 Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc.

The Kolb Learning Style reference cards: a quick guide to thestrengths and challenges of each style, along with tips forimprovement.

© 2007 Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc.

At the Kolbs’ website-www.learningfromexperience.com

Bibliography of research on experiential learning and theLearning Style Inventory. Updated regularly.

Kolb Learning Style Inventory version 3.1 technicalspecifications. Updated regularly.

Additional information on experiential learning is alsoavailable on the website.

27 Parminder Singh - Kolb learning style inventory 4.0 | 8/31/2012

V. Other useful resources

© 2012 David A. Kolb Ph.D, and Alice Kolb, Ph.D, Experience Based Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved