Experimental learning, Kolb

Kolb

Kolb's learning style was developed from the theory of learning called "experiential learning" (Kolb, 1984). His theory is based on the basic questions of learning and individual development. Kolb's theory is based on the works of Lewin (1951), who emphasized the need for a person being active in the learning process, Dewey (1938), who stressed the importance for learners to be rooted in the learning experience, and Piaget (1952), whose theory is base on the belief that intelligence is the result of the interaction of the person and the environment. According to Kolb (1984), learning involves four principal stages:

• Concrete experiences (CE): learning from specific experiences, relating to people, and sensitivity to feelings and people
• Reflective observation (RO): exercising caution before acting or making a judgement, watching others or developing observation about own experience
• Abstract conceptualization (AC): creating generalization or principles that integrate their observations into sound theories.
• Active experimentation (AE): use generalization of theories as guides to further action by testing what they have learned in new, more complex situations (Kolb 1984).

Hence, Kolb's theory can be best thought of as a helix, with learners having additional experiences, reflecting on them, deducing generalizations about the experiences, and then using them as guides to further action.
In his model of experimental learning, Kolb identifies two separate elements in the learning process: perception and processing. Each element can then be divided into opposites as shown below:

• Perception: information can be perceived using concrete experiences-feeling, seeing, touching, and hearing-or abstractly using visual or mental conceptualization.
• Processing: once information is perceived it is then processed by active experimentation (acting on the information) or by reflecting upon information essentially as it is.

By combining these separate elements in the learning process, we get four quadrants of learning behavior:

• Learner A: the "divergers," tend to grasp experiences through concrete experience and transform it through reflective observation. These individuals integrate experience with self, seeking personal involvement, commitment, insight. People with this learning style typically view situations from different perspectives and then weave many relationships into a meaningful whole. Very sensitive to feelings when learning.
• Learner B: the "accommodator," tend to grasp the experience through concrete experience and transform it through active experimentation. They rely on intuition rather than logic (risk takers). They learn best by independent self-instruction, often using trial and error to solve problems. People with this learning style have the ability to learn primarily from "hands-on experiences." In addition, they normally do well in situations when they have to adapt to meet new circumstances.
• Learner C: the "convergers," tend to grasp the experience through abstract conceptualization and transform it through active experimentation. They solve problems by knowing how things work. When presented with a question or problem, people with this learning style tend to move quickly to identify practical ways to use theories and concepts to find the correct answer.
• Learner D: the "assimilators," tend to grasp the experience through abstract conceptualization and transform it through reflective observation. They rely on their ability to create theoretical models to solve problems. They are more interested in abstract concepts than in people. Their focus is normally on the reliability of the ideas or theories themselves rather than on the practical application of ideas (Smith and Kolb, 1985).
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