Hi All,
This will be useful for people involved in imparting training.
Hope you all would like it.
Types Of learners
Whenever you are going to present to a group, you must consider who makes up the group and how best you can reach them. Sometimes you will present to a diverse group with different backgrounds and learning styles and sometimes to a homogeneous group of learners. However, whatever type of group it might be, your main objective is to involve them and to train them on your subject and for that it is imperative to know the different patters of behavior or styles of learners.
There are four major types of learners:
Activists
Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the here and now and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. They are open-minded, not skeptical, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is: "I'll try anything once". They tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards. Their days are filled with activity. As soon as the excitement from one activity has died down they are busy looking for the next. They tend to thrive on the challenge of new experiences but are bored with implementation and longer term consolidation.
Reflectors
Reflectors like to stand back to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives. They collect data, both first hand and from others, and prefer to think about it thoroughly before coming to any conclusion. Their philosophy is to be cautious. They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before making a move. They prefer to take a back seat in meetings and discussions. They enjoy observing other people in action. They listen to others and get the drift of the discussion before making their own points. They tend to adopt a low profile and have a slightly distant, tolerant, unruffled air about them.
Theorists
Theorists adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They think problems through in a vertical, step by step, logical way. They tend to be perfectionists who won't rest easy until things are tidy and fit into a rational scheme. Questions they frequently ask are; "Does it make sense?" "How does this fit with that?" "What are the basic assumptions?" This is their 'mental set' and they rigidly reject anything that doesn't fit with it.
Pragmatists
Pragmatists are keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in practice. They positively search out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications. They are the sort of people who return from management courses brimming with new ideas that they want to try out in practice. They tend to be impatient with ruminating and open-ended discussions. They are essentially practical, down to earth people who like making practical decisions and solving problems. They respond to problems and opportunities 'as a challenge'. Their philosophy is: "There is always a better way" and "If it works it's good".
Each style 'connects' with a stage on the continuous learning cycle.
• People with Activist preferences, with their 'I'll try anything once' approach, are well equipped for Experiencing.
• Finally, people with Pragmatist preferences, with their liking for things practical, are well equipped for Planning.
• People with Theorist preferences, with their need to tidy up and have answers', are well equipped for Concluding
• People with Reflector preferences, with their predilection for mulling over data, are well equipped for Reviewing
I have developed a module on "Train the Trainer". If anyone needs any help on the same, please feel free to write me.
Regards,
Meenakshi
[/u]
This will be useful for people involved in imparting training.
Hope you all would like it.
Types Of learners
Whenever you are going to present to a group, you must consider who makes up the group and how best you can reach them. Sometimes you will present to a diverse group with different backgrounds and learning styles and sometimes to a homogeneous group of learners. However, whatever type of group it might be, your main objective is to involve them and to train them on your subject and for that it is imperative to know the different patters of behavior or styles of learners.
There are four major types of learners:
Activists
Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the here and now and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. They are open-minded, not skeptical, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is: "I'll try anything once". They tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards. Their days are filled with activity. As soon as the excitement from one activity has died down they are busy looking for the next. They tend to thrive on the challenge of new experiences but are bored with implementation and longer term consolidation.
Reflectors
Reflectors like to stand back to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives. They collect data, both first hand and from others, and prefer to think about it thoroughly before coming to any conclusion. Their philosophy is to be cautious. They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before making a move. They prefer to take a back seat in meetings and discussions. They enjoy observing other people in action. They listen to others and get the drift of the discussion before making their own points. They tend to adopt a low profile and have a slightly distant, tolerant, unruffled air about them.
Theorists
Theorists adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They think problems through in a vertical, step by step, logical way. They tend to be perfectionists who won't rest easy until things are tidy and fit into a rational scheme. Questions they frequently ask are; "Does it make sense?" "How does this fit with that?" "What are the basic assumptions?" This is their 'mental set' and they rigidly reject anything that doesn't fit with it.
Pragmatists
Pragmatists are keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in practice. They positively search out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications. They are the sort of people who return from management courses brimming with new ideas that they want to try out in practice. They tend to be impatient with ruminating and open-ended discussions. They are essentially practical, down to earth people who like making practical decisions and solving problems. They respond to problems and opportunities 'as a challenge'. Their philosophy is: "There is always a better way" and "If it works it's good".
Each style 'connects' with a stage on the continuous learning cycle.
• People with Activist preferences, with their 'I'll try anything once' approach, are well equipped for Experiencing.
• Finally, people with Pragmatist preferences, with their liking for things practical, are well equipped for Planning.
• People with Theorist preferences, with their need to tidy up and have answers', are well equipped for Concluding
• People with Reflector preferences, with their predilection for mulling over data, are well equipped for Reviewing
I have developed a module on "Train the Trainer". If anyone needs any help on the same, please feel free to write me.
Regards,
Meenakshi
[/u]