LEARNING STYLES

Learning Styles

Learning Styles

Introduction

Learning is a process of acquiring new or existing information through the means of input by observing, experimenting, experiencing, and feeling. It also includes modifying existing values, skills, behavior, knowledge, and preferences. This requires synthesizing different types of information which may be gained through various resources and methods. Different people have different learning styles and inclinations. For example, some people prefer observing data to learn while others like to experiment or experience personally to impart knowledge. The purpose of learning is to enhance the understanding of the person in order to initiate or change certain prevailing activity. This will enable a person to widen his horizon and level of the knowledge base.

The learning process follows various patterns or styles which are impacted by several factors. These factors can be educational experiences, social environment, or the basic cognitive structure of the individual. The gain of information is triggered by a stimulus and ends up with a response. This response can be acquisition of new information or change in behavior. The different styles of learning prove to be beneficial for people with distinguished mind frames and cognitive functions.

Discussion

The process of learning is ongoing and a person began learning from the cradle to his grave. This learning can be fragmented into deliberate or unintentional learning. People discover, study, or even train themselves to learn various information. Acquisition of information can be accumulated through the occurrence of incidents which is seen as going on all the time. Formalized learning is arisen from the process of facilitating the learning process. It is educative learning rather than the accumulation of experience. While doing so, people are aware of the task they are engaged in entails learning, and there exists consciousness of learning.

Kolb (2005) defined four major distinct learning styles that shape ...