What kind of learner am I?

1. What kind of learner am I? Lotte Yong Learning Coordinator l.yong@bbk.ac.uk (feedback and questions) studyskills@bbk.ac.uk (making appointments) www.bbk.ac.uk/studyskills (full programme)

2. Reflecting on your own learning history Think of a positive and a negative learning situation: Why was it good or bad? Was it because: • you liked the teaching methods and materials? • of the personality of the teacher/instructor? • it was at the right pace for you? • of the people you were studying with? • you were praised? • your opinion and ideas were appreciated? • you were very interested in the task? • of other factors?

3. Understanding how our brain works From : ‘Neuropsychological Treatment of Dyslexia D.J. Bakker • Left brain hemisphere • Language • Facts • Analysis • Time orientation • Sequencing • Structure • Mathematics • Listening • Right brain hemisphere • Pictures • Feelings • Humour • Artistic • Musical • 3-D visual/spatial • Patterns • ‘Whole picture’ This is true for the majority of people.

4. Left and right brain activities

5. The process of Learning A famous theory in the field of learning how to learn is Kolb’s learning cycle (adapted from Kolb and Fry 19750 According to Kolb, all learning follows this cycle clockwise. However, the preferred entry point depends on one’s learning style, experiencing reflecting testing theorizing

6. Honey & Mumford’s learning styles Honey & Mumford developed Kolb’s theory of learning and designed a questionnaire that divides people into 4 different types of learners: Activist: intuitive, flexible, spontaneous, have a go Reflector: watch, reflect, take time to consider Theorist: know the facts thoroughly before applying the knowledge Pragmatist: practical and realistic, like to try out things to see if they work

7. Felder and Solomon questionnaire Here is another very useful learning style test. http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html It proposes a typology based on 4 polar opposites: active - reflective sensing - intuitive visual - verbal sequential - global Complete and submit the test, it will plot your results (x marks). At the bottom of the Learning Results Style page, click Learning Styles Description for an excellent explanation of your learning styles and suggested strategies.

8. How adults learn • Workshops are generally based on experiential learning, the most commonly employed theoretical framework used in training today. • Learning is the continuous process of humanadaptation to our physical and social environment. • Knowledge evolves through the continuing relationship between individuals and world around them. • Learning occurs through the accumulation and reflection on experience - an interaction between our internal and external worlds.

9. Learning theories If you are interested in this topic, the field is vast, from the traditional dominant theories of ‘behaviourism’ and cognitivism’ to the social learning theories of ‘situated learning’ and ‘human communications theory’ to the less dominant ‘constructivism’. Learning theories can be put into 4 different categories: learner-based, context-based, process-based and knowledge-based.