One common element in modern discussions of learning relates to what are called learning styles. “A person’s learning or cognitive style refers to an individual’s characteristic and consistent approach to organising and processing information” (Tennant, 1997, 80). As teachers and educators, we are responsible to facilitate the learning process of our students and identify their learning capabilities, the work of many Educational Psychologists such as Witkin and Kolb to name but a few, support the various explanations of learning styles. Learning style awareness allows people to learn things in ways that appeal to their strengths. This can result in an increased capacity to retain information, which can lead to increased success and fulfilment.
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Kolb’s theory of learning “requires not only a specialized realm of human functioning such as cognition or perception, but involves the integrated functioning of the whole organism- thinking, feeling, perceiving and behaving”(Kolb,1984,31).In Kolb’s model there are four main stages such as concrete experience, where the learner actively experiences an activity, reflective observation, when the learner consciously reflects back on that experience, abstract conceptualization, where the learner attempts to conceptualize a theory or model of what is observed and active experimentation, where the learner is trying to plan how to test a model or theory or plan for a forthcoming experience. These four stages are corresponding to Kolb’s four leaning styles which are diverging (CE/RO) meaning ‘feeling and watching’ these people are able to think in a different way and have a different perspective. Assimilating (AC/RO) is the second style of Kolb’s model, this means ‘watching and thinking’ this person needs theory rather than the practical. The third style is converging (AC/AE) meaning ‘doing and thinking’ these type of learners don’t need any theories, but they want practical. The fourth style is accommodating (CE/AE) meaning ‘doing and feeling’ this is where people use other people’s analysis and information to formulate a product and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. (Rogers,
Kolb’s theory of learning “requires not only a specialized realm of human functioning such as cognition or perception, but involves the integrated functioning of the whole organism- thinking, feeling, perceiving and behaving”(Kolb,1984,31).In Kolb’s model there are four main stages such as concrete experience, where the learner actively experiences an activity, reflective observation, when the learner consciously reflects back on that experience, abstract conceptualization, where the learner attempts to conceptualize a theory or model of what is observed and active experimentation, where the learner is trying to plan how to test a model or theory or plan for a forthcoming experience. These four stages are corresponding to Kolb’s four leaning styles which are diverging (CE/RO) meaning ‘feeling and watching’ these people are able to think in a different way and have a different perspective. Assimilating (AC/RO) is the second style of Kolb’s model, this means ‘watching and thinking’ this person needs theory rather than the practical. The third style is converging (AC/AE) meaning ‘doing and thinking’ these type of learners don’t need any theories, but they want practical. The fourth style is accommodating (CE/AE) meaning ‘doing and feeling’ this is where people use other people’s analysis and information to formulate a product and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. (Rogers,