Unit 2

Exploring learning styles

Orientation to Unit 2

In this unit, you will be invited to explore learning styles and their usefulness in supervision. You will reflect on your own learning style. You will also learn how to take learning styles into account when dealing with your trainee.

Specific objectives

  • Define the notion of learning style
  • Identify the benefits of using learning styles in a placement setting
  • Determine your own learning style
  • Draw a distinction between the four learning styles as defined by Honey & Mumford
  • Apply the notion of learning style to Kolb’ learning cycle

What is a learning style?

In your opinion, how many types of approaches or theories about learning styles exist currently?

Check the correct answer

Around fifteen

Around thirty

Around fifty

More than seventy


For this workshop, we will be using the following definition:

A learning style is a "description of the attitudes and behaviours that determine a preferred way of learning".

Although the theory of learning styles is used in the field of education in many countries around the world, several aspects of this theory have long been controversial .

This may be partly explained by :

  • the lack of rigorous research on the topic
  • tools being used to measure styles having questionable metrological qualities
  • the variety of research results

Learning styles: a neuromyth?

Several authors have concluded that the learning styles theory is a neuromyth .

One of the neuromyths put forward by the VARK maintains that information is recorded through one unique sensory modality, while studies have shown that information is better assimilated when two modalities are put to use (for instance, seeing and hearing simultaneously is more efficient that hearing only).

Why focus on learning styles?

"We tend to mould our teaching to our way of learning."

(Sims & Sims, 2006).

Instructions:

  1. Click on each image below to see more information.
  2. Click on the “Close” button to close the window.

Is a learning style dynamic or crystallized?

Can a learning style be modified?

What is my style?

LSQ test : getting to know learning styles

By knowing your trainee’s learning style in advance, you will be able to prepare according to the benefits and challenges involved in guiding a trainee whose learning style is different or the same as yours.

The Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) by Honey and Mumford (1992) is a tool widely used by educators. We recommend that you take the test to find out about your learning style. Follow this link to order a demo test and receive a complete report on your learning style: Learning Style Questionnaire.

Un superviseur trouve les procédures de son milieu clinique qui sont pertinentes pour son stagiaire

Even though psychometric proprieties are questionable, it is interesting to complete the LSQ, because it can instigate a reflection on learning processes and preferences.

It should not be used to categorize the trainee or to strengthen stereotypes .

Learning styles as termed by Kolb, Honey & Mumford and Chevrier et al. are very similar. They are based on the experiential learning cycle. However, their terminologies do differ.

The following table demonstrates how the various terms correspond to each other.

Nomenclature des styles d'apprentissages Nomenclature des styles d'apprentissages Nomenclature des styles d'apprentissages Nomenclature des styles d'apprentissages

While the questionnaire developed by Kolb questions people about their learning preferences, which they may not necessarily be aware of, Honey & Mumford’s questionnaire focuses more on assessing individuals’ behavioural habits, which leads to drawing conclusions about their learning style .

What are the characteristics of the four styles?

Activity: Learning styles

Explore Honey & Mumford’s different learning styles, as well as the characteristics of a trainee who prefers a particular style.

Instructions:

1.  Watch the following video by clicking on the play button. A new window will open.

2.  To close it, click outside of the video.

3.  Click on icon to turn on the “Subtitles/closed captions (c)” and select your language in the “Settings” icon.

4.  Determine the trainee’s learning style in the video.

5.  Think about the characteristics of this style.

6.  Answer the questions and refer to our answers.

Video 1: A trainee eager to start

Transcript
play

What is Marissa’s style?

Pragmatic

Activist

Reflector

Theorist

Avatar de Patrick

Have you ever supervised an activist trainee? What were his strengths and challenges? What characterizes Marissa’s activist style?

Feedback

Characteristics:

  • Likes action and new experiences
  • Responds well to challenges (seeks performance)
  • Likes to lead a discussion
  • Very good at managing unexpected circumstances, is not resistant to changes
  • Likes to confront his ideas with those of others
  • Is open-minded
  • Performs well during brainstorming, generating ideas
  • Solves problems impulsively, spontaneously, and with a short-term vision
  • Is an expert in trial and error (takes risks)
  • Gets bored when it is time to refine (fine-tune) a task

Supervisors need to be aware of biases that may be directed toward people who present an activist style. Let’s look at your last answer.

Could some of the characteristics you have identified be considered biases? The activist trainee is sometimes perceived as impatient and insistent, or as someone who has little ability for synthesizing and critical thinking.

Video 2: A trainee needing time

Transcript
play

What is Catherine’s style?

Pragmatic

Activist

Reflector

Theorist

Avatar de Catherine

Have you ever supervised a reflector trainee? What were his strengths and challenges? What characterizes Catherine’s reflector style?

Feedback

Characteristics:

  • Shows caution
  • Analyzes events from several perspectives before drawing conclusions
  • Presents fact from different angles, likes details
  • Memorizes information
  • Is a good listener
  • Is sensitive to other peoples’ emotions
  • Has a creative open and curious mind
  • Tends to withdraw in situations where participation is called for
  • Takes a long time before coming to a decision
  • Uses cautions and takes few risks

Did you identify any biases?

The reflector trainee may sometimes be perceived as lacking initiative and self-confidence.

Video 3: A trainee explains

Transcript
play

What is Myriam’s style?

Pragmatic

Activist

Reflector

Theorist

Avatar de Myriam

Have you ever supervised a theorist trainee? What were his strengths and challenges? What are the characteristics of Myriam’s theorist style?

Feedback

Characteristics:

  • Demonstrates logic and consistency in organizing ideas and knowledge
  • Resolves problems in analytical and systematic fashion
  • Expresses himself in terms of duty and obligations
  • Is able to synthesize information and further his reflection
  • Shows intellectual curiosity
  • Judges the value of ideas for their theoretical relevancy rather than their practicality
  • Prefers solitary work to team work
  • Has a tendency to flee from action or to become passive
  • Has low tolerance for uncertainty, subjectivity and intuition

Did you identify any biases?

The theorist trainee is sometimes perceived as a being “airy-fairy”.

Video 4: A trainee proposes a solution

Transcript
play

What is Flavie’s style?

Pragmatic

Activist

Reflector

Theorist

Avatar de Flavie

Have you ever supervised a pragmatist trainee? What were his strengths and challenges? What are the characteristics of Flavie’s pragmatist style?

Feedback

Characteristics:

  • Likes to experiment with theories
  • Likes logic and precision
  • See the practical benefits of a proposal
  • Resolves concrete problems and makes useful decisions
  • Prioritizes action and practical applications
  • Has the appropriate attitudes and behaviours for the planning phase
  • Goes right to the facts and content, with supporting evidence.
  • Is efficient, concrete, methodical, and quick to assess effectiveness
  • Tends to reject ideas that are not applicable and quickly retains those who are
  • Is impatient when people talk for the sake of talking or when facing indecision

Did you identify any biases?

Unlike trainees from other styles, supervisors are less inclined to hold biases against the pragmatist trainee .


Activity: Quiz on learning styles

Test your knowledge about what you just learned of the various learning styles.

Download the printable version of this activity

 Instructions:

1. Read each of the following statements.

2. Find the answer that best completes it.

1.The theorist (Myriam) is different from the pragmatist (Flavie) in his approach to problem-solving, mainly because:

2.The reflector (Catherine) and the pragmatist (Flavie) form a good team because:

3.Which of these situations is less appreciated by the activist trainee (Marissa)?

4.Which of the following activities will be easily accomplished by a theorist (Myriam)?

5.Which of these activities will be less appreciated by a theorist (Myriam)?

6.Which of the following activities will be easily accomplished by a pragmatist (Flavie)?


Review of your LSQ results

What were your results after completing the LSQ? Do you identify with one particular style over another?

What does it have to do with Kolb’s cycle?

In Unit 1, you discovered Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. What does the notion of learning styles have to do with Kolb’s cycle?

The next activity will help you gain a better understanding of the links between these two concepts.

Activity: Kolb’s cycle and learning styles

 Instructions:

  1.  Move each of the trainees to the stage of the learning cycle where she will be most effective.
  2.  Feedback will appear below.

Download the printable version of this activity.

A supervisor and a trainee with the same style?

It is not yet known whether difference or similarity in the supervisor and trainee's styles yield better results in the learning process. Nevertheless, this difference or similarity has significant effects on the quality of learning .

 Instructions: Click on the pictures for more details.

Same style

Some researchers maintain that a supervisor and a trainee who share the same style can get along better, because they both really understand how the other prefers to learn. This similarity can promote learning in the short term. However, it may lead to the trainee not feeling motivated to use other styles .

Different style

Some authors suggest that it is interesting to create a dyad, where differences exist in the way of learning. Some degree of tension is thus created between the supervisor and the trainee who adopt different styles; this difference seems to have beneficial effects on learning, because it poses challenges that incite them to outdo themselves . It also seems that this difference helps the supervisor and trainee develop other learning styles with which they are less comfortable. To avoid any conflict, it is important for the supervisor to address this difference with his trainee .

How to integrate a trainee’s style into the intervention?

Activity:

What activities would you propose to trainees, recognizing their style while asking them to develop their professional competencies?

Instructions:

1.  Watch the following video by clicking on the play button. A new window will open.

2.  To close it, click outside of the video.

3.  Click on icon to turn on the “Subtitles/closed captions (c)” and select your language in the “Settings” icon.

4.  Once again, listen to the videos of each case seen previously

5.  Think about the supervisor's reaction. How could he have reacted to respect the trainee's preferences?

Marissa’s case

Transcript
play
Avatar de Patrick

Reaction toward Marissa

Feedback

Isabelle could suggest that Marissa take part in the intervention. Marissa could take on the following tasks:

  • Participate in the review of the file
  • Introduce herself to the patient
  • Explain her professional role and the purpose of her visit
  • Collect information related to the case anamnesis
  • Or any other action that does not jeopardize the intervention’s effectiveness

In doing so, Isabelle meets Marissa’s need to get quickly involved in a situation.

Isabelle knows that that soon she will need need to allow Marissa to see a few patients.

Catherine’s case

Transcript
play
Avatar de Catherin

Reaction toward Catherine

Feedback

Jacynthe could recognize Catherine’s difficulty in getting quickly involved in a new situation, by suggesting that she participates in only a portion of the intervention. Catherine would feel comforted by her supervisor’s presence.

Jacynthe could allow Catherine enough time to:

  • Prepare herself before the intervention
  • Visualize what she will be doing
  • Review the case
  • etc.

Myriam’s case

Transcript
play
Avatar de Myriam

Reaction toward Myriam

Feedback

Dominique could start by congratulating Myriam for the quality of her research and her understanding of the subject matter. By doing so, she would acknowledge Myriam’s intellectual curiosity.

Dominique could then encourage Myriam to reflect on the consequences of not adapting her language to that of the patient.

Dominique could suggest a role play before seeing the next patient.

Flavie’s case

Transcript
play
Avatar de Flavie

Reaction toward Flavie

Feedback

Bernard could explain to Flavie the importance of this type of discussion. Taking into account each person’s point of view will allow Flavie to have a complete picture of the situation, which will help her select practical and realistic options.

It is important to diversify the trainee’s learning styles. They will then be able to feel more comfortable using the most appropriate style for a given learning context and content. How to achieve this?

The following activity will help you explore some strategies you may use to encourage a trainee to adopt other styles.

Activity: How to encourage a trainee to use various learning styles?

 Instructions:

  1. Click on each trainee.
  2. Choose the best strategies.
  3. Validate your answer.

Download the printable version of this activity



activist style


reflector style


theorist style


pragmatist style

Among these strategies, which ones would allow your trainee to adopt a more activist style? (two answers)

Among these strategies, which ones would allow your trainee to adopt a more reflector style? (two answers)

Among these strategies, which ones would allow your trainee to adopt a more theorist style? (two answers)

Among these strategies, which ones would allow your trainee to adopt a more pragmatist style? (three answers)

Consult this additional document on learning styles and strategies that enable your trainees to adopt different styles

The importance of learning styles in supervision

Which support strategies promote competency development?

Support strategies, also called pedagogical strategies, are sets of methods which promote discovery and learning . They are structured and aim to help the trainee achieve his learning objectives . Following are a few support strategies that you may choose to use with your trainees.

 Instructions: Click on each strategy to download the tool.

  • Supervisor Notebook

    Tool's link

    Tool used to document key information regarding:

    • Supervisory meetings with trainees (clinical cases discussed, date and time of meetings, conclusions, planned follow-up, etc.)
    • Learning activities accomplished by the trainee (e.g. observations, summary of comments in terms of execution of the intervention, strengths, aspects that need improvement, etc.)

  • Learning Contract

    Tool's link

    Placement guide or contract, written jointly with the trainee, laying out elements related to placement objectives and supervisory processes . It may contain various information, among which placement objectives (academic, personal and professional), the placement process, feedback and evaluation methods.

  • Demonstration

    Presentation where the supervisor performs the same intervention as in a real-life situation, to show the sequence and actions to be performed by the trainee during a clinical intervention . The presentation may be replaced by a video demonstration.

  • Oral Questions

    Questions that may be asked in various ways, in the form of open questions, brainstorming ideas, explanations of the trainee’s reflection .

  • Concept Map

    Graphic representation of a concept or situation. It simplifies prioritizing elements and creating links between the important ones. The map can be drawn by hand or through software.

  • Observation Grid for supervisors

    Tool's link

    Grid that sets out the trainee’s behaviours to be observed during a clinical intervention.

  • Observation Grid — Clinical Reasoning

    Tool's link

    Grid listing the trainee’s clinical reasoning skills to be observed during a clinical intervention.

  • Assessment Grid of Clinical Documentation

    Tool's link

    Various information to be documented in a client’s clinical file, as well as a list of characteristics, standards and specific rules related to clinical record-keeping.

  • Knowledge Inventory

    Tool's link

    Self-assessment tool on the knowledge level for various aspects related to the clinical setting (clientele, mission, protocol, etc.).

  • Role Play

    Tool's link

    Activity in which the trainee plays a role in a “hypothetical” situation, so he can feel what his character is going through in a similar situation .

  • Logbook

    Tool's link

    Trainee’s work tool or support document in which he notes his actual placement experiences and his thoughts on them, as well as critical incidents or significant events that occur throughout the placement .

  • ABCDE Objectives

    Tool's link

    Method for writing learning objectives.

  • SMART Objectives

    Tool's link

    Method for writing learning objectives.

  • Relaxation

    Therapeutic relaxation technique consisting of eliminating stressing and uncomfortable thoughts and releasing tension .

  • Videoscopy

    Tool's link

    Video recording of the trainee during a clinical intervention.

  • Visualization (Mental imagery)

    Tool's link

    Self-directed technique consisting of imagining and mentally manipulating images depicting a desired situation .

Activity: Reflection on support strategies

 Instructions:

  1.  Select the support strategies that you use to foster your trainee’s competency development.

 Instructions:Download a Summary of support strategies

As you may have noticed in the previous activity, some strategies correspond to several styles for a number of reasons. For example, role playing may appeal to the reflector because he can fashion a new perspective about a situation that he experienced. The same activity may appeal to the pragmatist because the situation allows him to test his hypotheses.

In addition, strategies associated with various styles are not necessarily limited to the answers provided in the table. Answers may vary according to how the supervisor presents and organizes activities.

What did you notice about support strategies that the activist style prefers?

There are a small number of strategies. Therefore, it is important to adapt support activities to better meet this trainee’s needs. For example, the supervisor may ask the trainee with an activist style to lead the relaxation session or to take notes during an observation session.

The following sections provide details about other learning styles such as VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic) and the model developed by Dunn & Dunn.

What are VARK styles?

We have already mentioned that there are more than 70 theories about learning styles. VARK consists of categorizing learning styles.

Under the VARK model, styles are:

  • Modes of perceiving information
  • Learning preferences, at the sensory level
  • How an individual prefers to perceive and acquire new information .

This theory was developed by Neil Fleming at the end of the 1980s.

At that time, it was widely popular in the field of education. However, in the present day, it is controversial because there are no research results consistent with current neuroscientific knowledge .

 Instructions: Click on each letter for more information.

References: 

According to this theory, a person in a learning situation uses all of the VARK styles.

In Honey & Mumford learning styles, some tend to favour one style over another and an individual who uses only one style may not achieve the desired learning objectives.

What is the Dunn & Dunn model?

The Dunn & Dunn model consists of 20 different elements that influence learning. As illustrated in the following figure, these elements are organized under five categories of stimuli:

  • Environmental
  • Emotional
  • Sociological
  • Physiological
  • Psychological

Activity: Explore the Dunn & Dunn model

 Instructions: Click on each of the boxes to get more information about the model.

Tableau des styles d’apprentissage de Dunn et Dunn Tableau des styles d’apprentissage de Dunn et Dunn Tableau des styles d’apprentissage de Dunn et Dunn Tableau des styles d’apprentissage de Dunn et Dunn Tableau des styles d’apprentissage de Dunn et Dunn

According to this theory, the supervisor’s approach should consider his trainee’s learning preferences.

Reflection question

What do you take away from this Unit?

How will this knowledge change how you supervise?

Conclusion

Flavie, Myriam, Catherine and Marissa led you through Honey & Mumford’s four learning styles.

You certainly noticed the importance of developing the four learning styles. Indeed, a trainee needs to learn how to use the style that is the most appropriate for the context, situation or issue at hand.

You are now aware of the fact that some support strategies will be more appealing to one style or another. This is why it is important for you to diversify your teaching methods and to provide several choices.

By understanding your trainees’ learning preferences, you will find it easier to promote their motivation and improve their ability to use a variety of tailored approaches and tools.

Even though learning styles are considered by some to be neuromyths, they can still be useful in enhancing your trainees’ learnings.

Continue to Unit 3

Name: Caroline Borris
Professional discipline: Occupational therapist
Employer: Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) – Volet Université d’Ottawa et Université d’Ottawa
Mailing address: 200, Lees Avenue (room E100-B), Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5
Email address caroline.borris@uOttawa.ca
Telephone number: 613-562-5800, ext. 8521 or 1-877-221-CNFS
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday

Member

Professional information: My name is Caroline Borris, Coordinator of training projects at the CNFS – Volet Université d’Ottawa. I hold a master’s degree in education with a focus on training healthcare professionals and a Bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy. Here is a brief overview of my professional experience.

I worked for ten years in hospital centres, providing occupational therapy services to an adult and senior clientele with physical or cognitive disorders. Throughout these years, I supervised several trainees. In addition, I worked for four years as coordinator of interprofessional training in rehabilitation, and as teaching coordinator in the context of a national research project on mobilizing vulnerable seniors in Ontario.

Since 2004, I have been involved in teaching at college and university levels, in the master’s programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

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