THE LEARNING STYLES

explanations

Learning Styles Recognizes/remembers Recognizes, remembers

● Ways in which and conditions under which names faces
learner’s most efficiently most effectively
perceive, process, store and recall what they are Relies on language and Relies on images in thinking
thinking and and remembering
attempting to learn and how they prefer to
remembering
approach different learning tasks
Solves problem by Solves problems by looking
Six Learning Style Principles breaking them into parts, at the whole, the
● Learners should have the opportunity to learn then approaches the configuration, then
their preferred style. problem sequentially approaches the problem
● Learners should be encourage to diversify their using logic through patterns, using
hunches
style preferences
● Educators can develop specific learning Good organizational Loose organizational skills,
activities that reinforce each modality or style skills, near sloppy

Right Brain, Left Brain and Whole Brain Likes stability, willing to Likes change and
● Dr. Roger Sperry and his research team adhere to rules uncertainty
established that the brain operates in many Conscious of time and Frequently loses contact with
ways as two brains (Hermann 198, Sperry 1977) schedules time and schedules
● With each hemisphere having separate and
complimentary functions Algebra is the preferred Geometry is the preferred
math math
The Left Hemisphere of the Brain
Not as good as Good at interpreting body
● The vocal - verbalization interpreting body language
● Analytical side - logical thinking language
● Reality
Controls emotions Free with emotions
The Right Hemisphere of the Brain
● Emotional ● Gondringer (1989) reported that most of the
● Visual - spatial learned have left brain dominance and that only
● Non-verbal side 30% have right brain dominance
● Thinking process that are intuitive, subjective, ● Left brain skills rewarded
relational, holistic and time free ● Right brain skills underdeveloped
● Learners are able to use both sides of the brain ● Educators need to employ teaching methods
because of connector between the two that enable learner to use both
hemispheres: corpus callosum
● There is no correct or wrong side of the brain Left Brain Thinking
● Each hemisphere gathers in the same sensory ● To stimulate the development of left brain
information but handles the information in thinking, the nurse educator should provide a
different ways more structured environment by relying on
specific objects and a course outline
Left Hemisphere Function Right Hemisphere Function
Right Brain Thinking
Thinking - critical, logical, Thinking - creative, intuitive, ● To stimulate the development of right brain
focal divergent, diffused thinking, the nurse educator should provide a
more unstructured, free flowing environment that
Analytical Synthesizing
allows for creative opportunities
Prefers talking and writing Prefers drawing and ● By employing teaching strategies aimed at
manipulating objects helping the learner use both hemispheres
● Use storyboarding, uses humor
Responds to verbal Responds to written ● Brain is connected to the whole body
instructions and instructions and explanations
 ● In order for the brain to be more than an organ ,
consideration must be given to mental
processes , feelings, desires and cultural
influences – that are important in the
development and expression of person’s
learning style (Gardner 1999)
Instrument to Measure RB, LB, WH
● BPI (brain preference indicator) — consists of
set of questions used to determine hemispheric
functioning
● Reveals a general style of thoughts that results
in a consistent pattern of behaviour in all areas
of the individual’s life
● HBDI (Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument)
— incorporates theories on growth development
● Uses four quadrants
● incorporates theories of growth and
development and considers learning styles as
learned patterns of behavior
● Model was developed by Ned Herrmann, while
head of Management Development at General
Electric.
● Herrmann is a physicist by training. Using brain
research developed by others and his own
studies, Herrmann discovered that there were
four patterns that emerged in terms of how the
brain perceives and process information he
called Whole Brain Model
4 Quadrants
QA Left Brain Cerebral: QB Left Brain Limbic:
logical, analytical, sequential, organized,
quantitative, factual, planned, detailed,
critical structured
QC Right Brain Limbic: QD Right Brain Cerebral:
emotional, interpersonal, visual, holistic, innovative
sensory, kinesthetic,
symbolic
Field Independent/Field Dependent Perception
● Extensive series of studies by Witkin, Oltman,
Raskin and Karp (1971)
● Identified two styles of learning in cognitive
domain based on the bipolar distribution of
characteristics of how learners process and
structure information in the environment
Field Independent Individual
● Perceives items as separate or differentiated
from surrounding field
● Internalized frames of reference such as that
they experience themselves as separate or
differentiated from others and environment
● They are less sensitive to social cues, are not
affected by criticism, favors an active participant
role, and eager to test out their ideas or
opinions in a group
Field Dependent
● Perception is influenced by or immersed in the
surrounding field
● Are more externally focused and such are
socially oriented, more aware of social cues,
able to reveal their feelings, and more
dependent on others for reinforcement
● They have a need for extrinsic motivation and
externally defined objectives and learn better if
the material has a social context
● Easily affected by criticism, take a passive.
Spectator role and change their opinions in the
face of peer pressure
● Right hemispheres in male tends to be more
dominant than their left hemisphere
● Vice versa for female
● Male tend to have better visual-spatial abilities
and female tend to have a better linguistic skills
Instrument to Measure FI/FD
● Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT) to
measure field independence /dependence –
how’s a person’s perception of an item is
influenced by the context in which appears
● OTSES
Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles
● Rita and Kenneth Dunn set out to develop a
user-friendly model that would assist educators
in identifying those characteristics that allow
individuals to learn in different ways
● The model includes motivational factors, social
interaction, and physiological environmental
elements
Environmental Elements
● Sound
● Light
● Temperature
● Design
Emotional Elements
● Motivation
● Persistence
● Responsibility
● Structure
Sociological Elements
● Desire to work alone or in groups or a
combination of these two approaches
● Presence of an authority vs. no authority
● Variety of ways - some learners are flexible
Physical Elements
● Perceptual strengths
- Auditory, visual, tactile, kinesthetic
● Intake
- Eat, drink, chew, bite or none
● Time of the day
- Early am, late am, pm, evening
● Mobility
- Movement
Psychological Elements
● Global vs. analytic
● Hemispheric
● Impulsivity
The Environmental Elements
● Sounds – react to sound in different ways
- some needs complete silence
- others able to block out sounds
- others require sounds
● Light – works best under bright light, or dim or
low lighting
Temperature
● Some learners have difficulty thinking or
concentrating if a room is too hot or too cold
● Orient learner regarding the temperature of the
environment
Design
● Seated on wooden, steel or plastic chair
● 75% of total body weight is on a chair
● Results in discomfort and need for frequent body
position changes
● Others are relaxed and can learn better in an
informal environment, like in a lounge chair
Emotional Elements: Motivation
● Motivation or the desire to achieve, increases
when learning success increases
● Unmotivated learners need short learning
assignments
● Motivated learners, by comparison are eager to
learn and should be told exactly what to do
Persistence
● Learners differ in their preference to complete
tasks in one sitting or take periodic breaks and
return tasks at later time
● Give learners in advance the objectives and time
interval for completion of a task
● Give consideration on learner’s attention span
Responsibility
● The desire to do what the learner thinks is
expected
● Related to concept of conformity or following
through on what an educator asks /tells to do
● Depends on the learner
● Should allow learner to select different ways to
complete the assignment
Structure
● Refers either the preference for specific
directions, guidance or rules prior to carrying out
assignments
● Preferences in doing the assignment
The Physical Elements: Perceptual Strengths
4 types of learners:
1. Auditory preferences
2. Visual preferences
3. Tactile preferences
4. Kinesthetic
Perceptual Strength: Auditory Preferences
● Those who learn best with verbal instruction
● Learn best in lecture and group discussions
Perceptual Strength: Visual Preferences
● Those who learn best from reading or
observation
● Learn best by viewing, watching and observing
● Simulation and demonstration best for them
Perceptual Strength: Tactile Preferences
● Learn best when they can underline as they
read, take notes while listening
● Learn through touching, manipulating and
handling objects
● They remember when they doodle, draw or
move their fingers
● Use of models and CAI suited for this learners
Perceptual Strength: Kinesthetic Preferences
● Learner absorb and retain information when
allowed to perform whole body movement
● Learn more easily by doing and experiencing
● Profit more from field trips, role play,
interviewing and return demonstrations
Jung-Myerr Briggs Typology ● Musical
● Carl G. Jung, a Swiss Psychiatrist ● Bodily-Kinesthetic
● Developed a theory that explains personality ● Interpersonal
similarities and differences ● Intrapersonal
● Introverts and extroverts ● Naturalistic

Kolb’s Experiential Learning VARK

● Knowledge is acquired is acquired through ● Fleming and Mills (1992)
transformational process which is continously ● Visual
created and recreated. ● Aural
● Kolb’s model, known as the cycle of learning ● Read/write
4 Modes of Learning ● Kinesthetic
● Accommodator
● Diverger
● Converger
● Assimilator

4MAT System
● Mc Carthy (1981)
● Type 1 Imaginative – Learners who demand to
know why
● Type 2 Analytical – Learners who want to know
what to learn
● Type 3 Common Sense – Learners who want to
know how to apply the new learning
● Type 4 Dynamic – Learners who ask

Diagram

Gardener’s Eight Types of Intelligence

● Linguistic
● Logical Mathematical
● Spatial Intelligence