Developing Yourself and Other
Know how to identify development needs
When learning what learning style suits me, I analysed this over a number of tasks and objectives relating to my current job role. I took my monthly objectives set for me by my line manager and went through each one deciding how best to achieve these objectives over the month. I used Kolb’s experiential learning theory to determine my learning style. I also used this theory to establish the learning style of my receptionist Victoria.
Kolb’s learning theory is set out in four learning styles which are based on a four stage learning cycle:
1. Concrete Experience – doing/having an experience
2. Reflective Observation – reviewing/reflecting on the experience
3. Abstract Conceptualisation – concluding/learning from the experience
4. Active Experimentation – planning/trying out what you have learned
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 us called the Perception Continuum (how we think/feel about a task).
Each learning style represents a combination of two preferred styles:
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)
Diverging – these are people that prefer to watch rather than do. They prefer to work in groups as well and listen with an open mind.
Accommodating – these people are hands on; they use other people’s analysis and prefer to make a practical approach to solving problems and learning.
Assimilating – these people look for a logical approach; they require a good clear explanation rather than a practical approach.
Converging – these people prefer to learn by solving problems and are less concerned with people. They are best at finding practical uses for ideas
When learning what learning style suits me, I analysed this over a number of tasks and objectives relating to my current job role. I took my monthly objectives set for me by my line manager and went through each one deciding how best to achieve these objectives over the month. I used Kolb’s experiential learning theory to determine my learning style. I also used this theory to establish the learning style of my receptionist Victoria.
Kolb’s learning theory is set out in four learning styles which are based on a four stage learning cycle:
1. Concrete Experience – doing/having an experience
2. Reflective Observation – reviewing/reflecting on the experience
3. Abstract Conceptualisation – concluding/learning from the experience
4. Active Experimentation – planning/trying out what you have learned
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 us called the Perception Continuum (how we think/feel about a task).
Each learning style represents a combination of two preferred styles:
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)
Diverging – these are people that prefer to watch rather than do. They prefer to work in groups as well and listen with an open mind.
Accommodating – these people are hands on; they use other people’s analysis and prefer to make a practical approach to solving problems and learning.
Assimilating – these people look for a logical approach; they require a good clear explanation rather than a practical approach.
Converging – these people prefer to learn by solving problems and are less concerned with people. They are best at finding practical uses for ideas