FINAL+VERSION


 * MODULE 3 TASK 15 A REPORT ON LEARNING STYLES**

GROUP 2: Alison, Brian, Ceri, Craig and Helen M

A //converger// (Kolb) or a //pragmatist// (Honey and Mumford) is someone who can solve problems and use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects of communication. They like to experiment and work with practical applications and are adept at using technology. They tend to be down-to-earth people who enjoy problem-solving and making decisions quickly. However they do get bored with long discussions. They prefer doing rather than watching and are good at analysing and planning.
 * Converger**
 * Initial description **

// Convergers // should relish an online course due to their technical capabilities, although with the current course they may struggle with the amount of group work involved as they seem to prefer technology to people. They shouldn’t be overawed by tasks/workload as they are organised and plan ahead, and they like to experiment with things, meaning that if they aren’t sure how something works, they’ll probably play around with it until they can work it out.
 * Online learning preferences and typical behaviour **

One thing //convergers// may find difficult about onlines courses is that they don’t enjoy long discussions, meaning that reading through other people’s posts could potentially cause problems. I imagine though that they’ll be the first to post on the discussion as they prefer doing rather than watching, so I can’t see them lurking in the background, waiting to see what other people have to say. They’ll probably post their ideas and then not come back to the discussion.

[|www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm]
 * References **

Those people with a learning style described as //divergers// are likely to enjoy trying things out and then thinking about what they have done. In Kolb’s terms, they enjoy learning modes that involve concrete experience and reflective observation. The great strength of //divergers// is their ability to view experiences creatively from a variety of perspectives. This means they are very good at generating different ideas and are invaluable in brainstorming sessions.
 * Diverger**
 * Initial description **

// Divergers // are likely to enjoy VLEs because they are new experiences for them and an opportunity for them to come up with lots of new practical ideas. They are likely to enjoy problem-solving scenarios posted on discussion boards and will be able to provide a range of creative solutions.
 * Online learning preferences and typical behaviour **

However, they may not post frequently because //divergers// like to observe and reflect before they act. It’s likely that they will spend some time lurking in the VLE. They are also likely to enjoy reflection tasks where they are able to consider activities and tasks they have carried out online. The nature of this reflection will be practical rather than deeply theoretical.

__ References __ [|http://casa.colorado.edu/~dduncan/teachingseminar/KolbLearningStyleInventoryInfo.pdf] accessed 8 Nov 2011 Kolb, D. 2005 //The Kolb Learning Style Inventory//.Boston: Hay Resources Direct

The //assimilator//, as the name suggests, looks at information as it is presented and puts it all together (or assimilates it) to form a theory. //Assimiliators// therefore need to take some time to analyse new information in a logical and rational manner before reflecting upon their findings. Only then will they put these facts/theories into practice. According to Kolb, this style of learning is a combination of those who score highly in abstract conceptualisation and reflective observation. The style is summed up nicely thus: ‘assimilators will take what they have concluded and __watch__ it to see if it works’.
 * Assimilator**
 * Initial description **

The **//assimilator//** would seem to enjoy VLEs due to their asynchoronous nature – the possibility of reading around a subject, reading what others have posted and having the luxury of time to give a considered. However, as Kolb states, those learners who score highly on abstract conceptualisation, as //assimilators// do, are likely not to enjoy ‘discovery’ learning approaches. The //assimilator// will tend to be more introverted and while enjoying the more impersonal feel of a VLE may get frustrated at others’ attempts to integrate them in a more social setting such as that of the café on IHCOLT. Online activitiesfrom which //assimilators// would seem to benefit most include: using logs and journals, online discussions and developing analogies.
 * Online learning preferences and typical behaviour. **

[|www.washington.edu/doit/Team/learn.html] [|http://casacolorado.edu/~dduncan/teachingseminar/KolbLearningStyleInventgoryInfo.pdf] []
 * References: **

Those with an accommodating learning style like to “feel “and “do”: a combination of concrete experience and active experimentation. They act on intuition rather than logic and rely on others for information rather than independent analysis. //Accommodators// learn well by trial and error and are attracted to action oriented professions such as teaching and nursing.
 * Accomodator**
 * Initial description **

// Accommodators // will not be lurkers. They may be the first people to post completed tasks. They will enjoy working together on the group tasks and may enjoy being the group leader as this role requires quick decisions, making a plan and carrying it out. However, they will need to take care to be sensitive to those who take longer to reflect on tasks (assimilators). // Accommodators // will enjoy the tasks of the first module which ask users to jump around the VLE to discover how it works. Since they are risk-takers by nature, they will push all the buttons and going into the café to post and just to see what’s there. They will try to start a wiki and embed videos. They may not be eager to do the reflection tasks; their reflections will be based on their instinctive reactions to tasks. They will prefer to attack new tasks than reflect on past ones. They might also need encouragement to read and reflect on the contributions of other participants.
 * Online learning preferences and typical behaviour **

__ http://casa.colorado.edu/~dduncan/teachingseminar/KolbLearningStyleInventoryInfo.pdf __ __ http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm __
 * References **