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MODULE 8: STUDENT DIVERSITY

“We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic…different people, different beliefs, different
yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” – Jimmy Carter

One of the challenges that educators face nowadays is the diversity of the learners. It is a must for
educators to know how a certain learner is unique from others in order to handle each appropriately. At the end
of this module, you should be able to:

 discuss the factors that contribute to student diversity;

 analyze classroom scenarios that consider students’ diversity;
 give ways on how to provide learning activities considering the students’ diversity.

LESSON 1: LEARNING STYLES

The importance of knowing the concept of learning styles could enhance teacher’s understanding of
students’ individual differences (Li et al., 2016)

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle

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Kolb's Learning Styles

Due to the heavy demands of improving the teaching-learning process, having knowledge of the
learning styles of the students is very important. Maddux, Ewing-Taylor, and Johnson (2002) states that one
way to ensure quality education and positive student outcome is considering the relevance of student learning
styles in designing instructional methods. Kolb presented four basic learning styles; accommodative,
assimilative, divergent, and convergent, and each learning style is incorporated with four leaning modes:
concrete experiences, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
Kolb and Fry, in 1975, described four different conducive learning environments that will accommodate
different learning styles and learning modes: affective learning environment, symbolic learning
environment, perceptual learning environment, and behavioral learning environment (Richmond &
Cummings, 2005).

Conceptual schematic of Kolb's learning styles and learning modes (Kolb, 1984)

Learning Styles Learning Modes

Assimilative Abstract Conceptualization
Strengths: Building Theoretical Models Focus: Logic, Ideas, and Concepts
Emphasis: Less on People and More on Ideas Values: Conceptual Systems and Rigorous Idea
and Concepts Analysis
Reflective Observation
Focus: Understand Meaning of Ideas

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Values: Patience, Impartiality, and Thoughtful

Judgment
Accommodative Concrete Experiences
Strengths: Doing and Risk-taking Focus: Involved Interpersonal Experiences
Emphasis: Adapting Oneself to New Values: Real-world Situations
Situations Active Experimentation
Focus: Influencing People and Changing Situations
Values: Ability to Manipulate Environments
Convergent Abstract Conceptualization
Strengths: Intelligence Tests Focus: Logic, Ideas, and Concepts
Emphasis: Problem-solving and Decision- Values: Conceptual Systems and Rigorous ldea
making Analysis
Active Experimentation
Focus: Influencing People and Changing Situations
Values: Ability to Manipulate Environments
Divergent Reflective Observation
Strengths: Creativity and Brainstorming Focus: Understand Meaning of Ideas
Emphasis: Social Interaction and Perspective Values: Patience, Impartiality, and Thoughtful
Taking Judgment
Concrete Experiences
Focus: Involved Interpersonal Experiences
Values: Real-world Situations

Learning Styles (Kolb, 1984)

Accommodative These types of learners excel at accomplishing tasks by following directions,
meticulously planning, and ultimately seeking new experiences. They are
characterized as being opportunistic, action driven, and risk takers. can easily adapt to
changing circumstances. They can solve problems in an intuitive trial-and-error
manner rather than through careful examination of facts, and they rely heavily on other
people for information rather than on their analytic ability. The learning modes
associated with this learning style are concrete experience and active experimentation.
Assimilative These types of learners can reason inductively. They can create theoretical models in
assimilating disparate observations into an integrated explanation. They are
concerned with ideas and abstract concepts rather than with people
and social interactions and are concerned with abstract logical rather than
practical aspects of theories. They incorporate the learning modes of reflective
observation and abstract conceptualization.
Divergent Divergent learners are best at tasks that require imaginative ability and awareness of
meaning and value. They can identify concrete examples of a concept and generate
numerous qualities of a concept from many perspectives. They are considered as
brainstormers because they prefer to observe rather than act, are emotionally oriented
and tend to be very creative. They prefer the learning modes concrete experiences
and reflective observations.
Convergent Convergent learners’ greatest strength is. the ability to efficiently solve problems,
make decisions, and apply practical ideas to solve problems. These learners do well
on standard conventional intelligence tests because they can organize knowledge by
hypothetical-deductive reasoning and converge to one given answer. People with
these learning styles are well adept at controlling their emotions and prefer dealing
with technical tasks and problems rather than with issues that involve interpersonal
and social interactions. Convergent learners draw from the learning modes of abstract
conceptualization and active experimentation.

Learning Modes (Kolb, 1984)

Concrete Experience This learning mode is the characteristic of learners who desire plenty of opportunities
for direct human interpersonal interactions. They prefer to feel and experience rather
than think. They are intuitive decision makers who value circumstances involving
people in real-world situations. This learning mode is concerned with the uniqueness
and complexity of present reality as opposed to theories and generalizations. Learners

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who prefer this learning mode take an artistic, intuitive approach to problem solving
rather than a scientific approach.
Reflective This mode focuses on the ability to understand the meaning of ideas. Learners under
Observation this mode value objective judgment, impartiality, and patience. They prefer abstract
understanding over practical applications and prefer to reflect and observe rather than
act on a situation.
Abstract Learners who belong to this mode typically attend to tasks that involve biological
Conceptualization investigation of ideas and concepts. They are characterized by a preference to depend
on cognitive rather than emotional skills. They involve themselves with and tackle
academic problems that require the ability to build general theories to come up with a
solution. They value rigorous idea analysis and well-defined conceptual systems. This
mode involves the use of systematic planning, manipulation of abstract symbols, and
quantitative analysis.
Active This mode focuses on actively influencing people and changing situations. Individuals
Experimentation prefer to be involved in peer interactions that allow them to play an integral role in the
decisions made in .these interactions. This mode emphasizes practical applications or
solutions rather than a reflective understanding of a problem. Learners who belong to
this mode are pragmatists and focus on doing rather than observing, they enjoy and
are especially efficient at getting the job done, and truly value the ability to manipulate
their environment to produce productive results.

Learning Environments (Kolb, 1984)

Affective Learning This learning environment emphasizes concrete experiences so that learners
Environment experience the real thing. Affective learning tasks include activities such as practical
exercise, simulations, or field experiences. Information is usually peer-oriented and
delivered informally. Activities are non-competitive, and feedback should not be
comparative but personalized to the individual learner's goals and needs.
Symbolic Learning Learners are involved in trying to solve problems for which there is usually a right
Environment answer or the best solution. Information is abstract and usually presented in readings,
data, pictures, and lecture formats. Characteristic activities may include lecture,
homework, and theory readings. The teacher is acknowledged as the expert, enforcer
of rules, regulator of time, and taskmaster. The instruction format is typically with a
top-down, hierarchical class structure.
Perceptual Learning The main goal is to identify and understand relationships among concepts. Perceptual
Environment environment emphasizes the process of problem solving rather than coming up with
the best solution. Learners are required to collect relevant information for researching
questions and are expected to attack a problem situation through different
perspectives (own opinion, expert opinion, and literature) by listening, observing,
writing, discussing, and personal pondering. The teacher's role is to act as a facilitator
of the learning process, be non-evaluative, and act as a mirror by reflecting student
observations and comments. Learning processes may include reflective exercises
such as keeping journals, writing reflective essays, or engaging in dialogue with other
students.
Behavioral Learning This learning environment emphasizes active application of knowledge or skills to a
Environment practical problem. Activities should not be structured so that learners gain intrinsic
rewards and values. The teacher acts as a coach or guide but only when the student
initiates or solicits help. Small group work, interactive projects that apply theory to real-
world settings, and peer feedback are prime examples of student activities in this
environment. Measurement is in the form of how well something worked, feasibility
salability, client acceptance, cost, testing results, and aesthetic quality.

LESSON 2: MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
1. Verbal-linguistic Sensitivity to the written and spoken language. This ability is mainly concerned with the
(word smart) ability to comprehend and compose language efficaciously, both oral and written. People
who are verbal-linguistic intelligent have good auditory skills to segment sound and even
visualize words through sensory perceptions.
2. Logical This is the ability to calculate and comprehend situations or conditions systematically and
mathematical logically. People are good at exploring patterns and relationships, problem solving, and

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(number smart) deductive and inductive reasoning. People with logical-mathematical intelligence can
easily experiment with cause-effect relationships, categorization, classification, inference,
generalizations, calculations, and hypothesis testing.
3. Visual-spatial This is the ability to perceive, modify, and create images. People who are visual- spatial
(picture smart) intelligent can understand patterns of space. They are environmentally sensitive to the
potential to think in terms of physical space and three- dimensional objects.
4.Musical-rhythmic This is the ability to identify pitch, rhythm, and emotional side of sound, and sensitivity
(music smart) capabilities toward sounds from the environment and musical instruments. Learners with
this intelligence can perceive and transform, discriminate between and express in musical
forms.
5.Bodily- This refers to the use of the body for expression. It is described as the potential in using
kinesthetic the body and its parts in mastering problems or the creation of products. People with this
(body smart) kind of intelligence can express oneself with movements, gestures, and facial
expressions using the coordination of brain and body, creating a product using the whole
body or a part of the whole body.
6. Intrapersonal This requires the ability to have self-knowledge and recognize people's similarities and
(self-smart) differences among them. It is also manifested through the ability to understand oneself
and interpret and appreciate own feelings, emotions, desires, strengths, and motivations.
Learners with this intelligence enable them to have self-knowledge, with clear
understanding of themselves and their inner moods, can discipline themselves and can
maintain self- esteem, and are able to take responsibility for their own life.
7. Interpersonal This intelligence suggests the ability to identify, comprehend, and appreciate the
(people smart) emotions, intentions, motivations, desires, and beliefs of other people. People with this
intelligence can learn best through interactions and can win a lot of friends because of
empathy for others.
8.Naturalistic This tells about the ability to identify and classify the natural world around people The
(nature smart) naturalistic intelligent people usually live in harmony with nature and have the ability to
recognize and research all living things in nature and to think on their creation and are
good at categorizing natural as well as scientific inventions.
9. Existential People who are existential intelligent can question the existence of human, the meaning
(spirit smart) of life, the reason for existence, and even death. They have sensitivity and capacity to
tackle deep questions about human existence and meaning.

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REFERENCES

Source: Bulusan F., Raquepo M., Balmeo M., Gutierrez J., (2019). Facilitating Learner- Centered
Teaching. Sampalok Manila, RBSI

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