I will prefer to learn in ------- style

Individual Learning Styles

Concrete Experience

Active Experimentation

Reflective
Observation

Abstract

Experiencing
Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I
may remember. Involve me, and I will
understand.
(Confucius 450
B.C.)

 It corresponds to "knowledge by
acquaintance", direct practical
experience, as opposed to "knowledge
about" something, which is theoretical,
though more comprehensive.
It is immersing oneself in the doing of a
task usually without reflecting on the task
as this time, but carrying it out with
intention.
It entails trial and error learning, moving
from one known rule to another in the
hope that one of them fits.

 The underlying idea here is that people can

learn very effectively through direct, handson experience, as long as these
experiences are well designed and
facilitated.
The goal of HRD from this point of view
then would be to structure and organize
learning activities in which experiences
themselves facilitate learning.

Reflecting
Reflecting involves stepping back from
task involvement and reviewing what
has been done and experienced.
It involves switching off the mental
auto-pilot, thinking outside of the box,
considering the why behind the what,
and acting on the basis of fresh insight
and understanding.

 It enables the doers to reflect on their

experience, learn from experience, and
apply it to influence future work
practice.

Conceptualizing
Conceptualizing involves interpreting
the events that have been noticed
and understanding the relationships
among them.
It is packaging together the raw
experience with facilitated exercises
which involve thinking, discussing, or
creatively processing cognitions and
emotions related to the raw
experience.

 It enables taking the new

understanding and translates it into
predictions about what is likely to
happen next or what actions should
be taken to refine the way the task
is handled.

Experimenting
It is the stage that leads the learner to
experiment with the new approaches, or
new ideas of managing, which leads to a
different experience.

Learning Styles

Individual Learning Styles

Concrete Experience
(Activist
s)

Active Experimentation

Reflective
Observation
(Reflectivist
s)

(Pragmati
sts)

(Theorist
s)
Abstract

 It means:
People show preferences for particular
learning styles, and different learning activities
are suited to different styles of learning.
They are most likely to learn when their
learning style and the nature of the activity
match. So if they can choose among activities
to learn the same subject, they may be able to
choose an activity to match their preferred
style.

 But often people arent given the luxury

of a choice, so they will need to use a
style that may not come naturally.
So if they are prepared to use different
styles in the form of a learning cycle,
they can become an all-round learner,
able to benefit from any learning
opportunity.

Individual Learning Cycle

Concrete Experience
(Activist
s)

Active Experimentation

Reflective
Observation
(Reflectivist
s)

(Pragmati
sts)

(Theorist
s)
Abstract

Individual Learning Niche

Concrete Experience
(Activist
s)

Active Experimentation

Reflective
Observation
(Reflectivist
s)

(Pragmati
sts)

(Theorist
s)
Abstract

Effect of Learning Niche over knowledge

creation
Concrete Experience
(Activist
s)
Private part of
the cycle that
creates Tacit
Knowledge

Active Experimentation
(Pragmati
sts)

Reflective
Observation

Public part of
the cycle that
creates Explicit
Knowledge

(Theorist
s)
Abstract

(Reflectivist
s)

Lesson?
If we do not cross our learning niche we
cannot create knowledge.
Tacit knowledge will become outdated and
explicit knowledge will remain mostly
without application

Kolbs Cycle interprets the concept of

HRD
Concrete Experience
(Activist
s)
Contextrestricted
Learning
(Type 2
Learning)
Active Experimentation
(Pragmati
sts)

Reflective
Observation
Off-the-Job
Education
(Type 3
Learning)
(Theorist
s)
Abstract

(Reflectivist
s)

Kolbs Cycle and HRD

Kolbs cycle helps the individuals
understand their preferred learning
style that, in turn, reveals their areas of
weakness in learning and gives them
opportunity to work on becoming more
proficient in the other modes of
learning.
It helps them realize their strengths as
well, which might be useful in deciding
about their career.

 It ensures the HRD activities give full

value to each stage of the process and
revolve the learners round the cycle (if
needs be, because all forms of skill and
knowledge do not require all the stages of
the Cycle to the same extent)

Discussion Questions
Describe the Kolbs cycle of learning. How
this model is able to facilitate the
accurate learning?
With the help of Kolbs cycle put forward
the suggestion that the HRD professionals
should take into consideration the
learning styles of the learners before
designing the learning interventions.