KOLB’S LEARNING STYLE

David A. Kolb

David A. Kolb is Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Weatheread School of Management. He was born in 1939, joined the School in 1946. Kolb received his Batchelor of Arts from KnoxCollege in 1961, his MA from Harvard in 1964 and his PhD from Harvard in 1967. Besides his work on experiential learning, David A. Kolb is also known for his contribution to thinking around organizational behaviour (1995a; 1995b). He has an interest in the nature of individual and social change, experiential learning, career development and executive and professional education.

Kolb’s experiential learning theory (learning styles) model

Kolb’s learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles (or preferences), which are based on a four-stage learning cycle. (This might also be interpreted as a ‘training cycle’). In this respect, Kolb’s model is particularly elegant, since it offers both a way to understand individual people’s different learning styles, and an explanation of a cycle of experiential learning that applies to us all.

Kolb includes this ‘cycle of learning’ as a central principle his experiential learning theory, typically expressed as four-stage cycle of learning, in which ‘immediate or concrete experiences’ provide a basis for ‘observations and reflections’. These ‘observations and reflections’ are assimilated and are distilled into ‘abstract concepts’ producing new implications for action which can be ‘actively tested’ in turn creating new experiences.

Kolb says that ideally (and by inference not always) this process represents a learning cycle or spiral where the learner ‘touches all the bases’, i.e., a cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. Kolb’s model therefore works on two levels – a four-stage cycle:

1. Concrete Experience – (CE)

2. Reflective Observation – (RO)

3. Abstract Conceptualization – (AC)

4. Active Experimentation – (AE)

and a four-type definition of learning styles, (each representing the combination of two preferred styles, rather like a two-by-two matrix of the four-stage cycle styles, as illustrated below), for which Kolb used the terms:

1. Diverging (CE/RO)

2. Assimilating (AC/RO)

3. Converging (AC/AE)

4. Accommodating (CE/AE)

Learning styles(This interpretation was amended and revised March 2006)

Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Various factors influence a person’s preferred style: Notably in his Experiential Learning Theory, (ELT). Kolb defined three stages of a person’s development, and suggests that our propensity to reconcile and successfully integrate the four different learning styles improves as we mature through our development stages. The development stages that Kolb identified are:

1. Acquisition – birth to adolescence – development of basic abilities and ‘cognitive structures’

2. Specialization – schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood – the development of a particular ‘specialized learning style’ shaped by ‘social, educational, and organizational socialization’

3. Integration – mid-career through to later life – expression of non-dominant learning style in work and personal life.

Whatever influences the choice of style, the learning style preference itself is actually the product of two pairs of variables, or two separate ‘choices’ that we make, which Kolb presented as lines of axis, each with ‘conflicting’ modes at either end:

Concrete Experience – CE (feeling) —–V—–Abstract Conceptualization – AC (thinking)

Active Experimentation – AE (doing) —–V—– Reflective Observation – RO (watching)

A typical presentation of Kolb’s two continuums is that the east-west axis is called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it).

These learning styles are the combination of two lines of axis (continuums) each formed between what Kolb calls ‘dialectally related modes’ of ‘grasping experience’ (doing or watching), and ‘transforming experience’ (feeling or thinking):

The word ‘dialectally’ is not widely understood, and yet carries an essential meaning, namely ‘conflicting’ (its ancient Greek root means ‘debate’). Kolb meant by this that we cannot do both at the same time, and to an extent our urge to want to do both creates conflict, which we resolve through choice when confronted with a new learning situation. We internally decide whether we wish to do or watch, and at the same time we decide whether to think or feel.

The result of these two decisions produces (and helps to form throughout our lives) the preferred learning styles, hence the two-by-two matrix below.

Kolb’s learning styles – matrix view

It is often easier to see the construction of Kolb’s learning styles in terms of a two-by-two matrix. The diagram also highlights Kolb’s terminology for the four learning styles; diverging, assimilating, and converging, accommodating:

Doing

 (Active Experimentation – AE)

Watching (Reflective Observation – RO)

feeling (Concrete Experience – CE)

accommodating (CE/AE)

diverging (CE/RO)

thinking (Abstract Conceptualization – AC)

converging (AC/AE)

assimilating (AC/RO)

Thus, for example, a person with a dominant learning style of ‘doing’ rather than ‘watching’ the task, and ‘feeling’ rather than ‘thinking’ about the experience, will have a learning style which combines and represents those processes, namely an ‘Accommodating’ learning style, in Kolb’s terminology.

1. Diverging (feeling and watching – CE/RO)

These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations several different viewpoints. Kolb called this style ‘Diverging’ because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming. People with a Diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the Diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback.

1. Assimilating (watching and thinking – AC/RO)

The Assimilating learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and concepts are more important than people. These people require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it a clear logical format. People with an Assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value. These learning style people are 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.

1. Converging (doing and thinking – AC/AE)

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.

1. Accommodating (doing and feeling – CE/AE)

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 and useful in roles requiring action and initiative. People with an Accommodating learning style prefer to work in teams to complete tasks. They set targets and actively work in the field trying different ways to achieve an objective.

Prepared by, A.S.Arul Lawrence. E-mail:arullawrence@gmail.com.