Approach to Learning Know your preferred learning style Seek out learning opportunities to suit Develop other styles to get most from learning Move outside the comfort zone Balanced learning means better learning Take more in, retain more and apply it more. Learning: “knowledge created through experience” We become better at learning when using different styles and experiences Experiential Learning (John Dewey) Learning through everyday experiences (thinking, feeling, behaving, perceiving etc) Active learning and intelligence is a product of interaction with the environment (Jean Piaget)

Learning Cycle Learning Experience Experiment and Integrate Observe Reflect Assessment – self and gaps Learning – info and ideas Analysis – exploring good and bad practice Practice – within learning workshop Application – at work until the norm Adult Learning: Have an experience Reflect Draw Conclusions Apply and Plan Generalise and Conceptualise ALAPA Adapted from Weinstein, p40/41 (1999) and Knasel, Meed & Rossetti, p105 (2000)

Active Learning Lessons? Recognise ‘deep smarts’ Get them to talk Group-based One-to-One Passive Reception Active Learning Directives, Presentations, lectures Rules of thumb Stories with a moral Socratic questioning Guided practice Guided observation Guided problem solving Guided experimentation Lessons? Recognise ‘deep smarts’ Get them to talk Transfer knowledge through active learning. Leonard, D. and Swap W. (2004) Deep Smarts Harvard Business Review , September Issue: 88-97. Edited version

Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) How We Think The Brain Works Neo-Cortex (Higher Order Thinking Skills) Limbic System (Emotions & Long Term Memory) Brainstem (Reptilian) (Fight, Flight or Freeze) Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) Cerebellum (Embedded Learning/Habits) Right side: creative, intuitive, abstract Left side: logical, analytical, languages Whole-brained We are multi-tasked, not sequential and think many things at once Hard-wired learning – patterns reinforced into ‘rivers of thought’ River Jumping? We need to UNLEARN and create new pathways Active learning stimulates the brain and builds on thinking and understanding and retention therefore use activities, questioning, experiences challenges etc

Look at the chart and say the colour, not the word … YELLOW BLUE ORANGE BLACK RED GREEN PURPLE YELLOW RED ORANGE GREEN BLACK BLUE RED PURPLE GREEN BLUE ORANGE We are whole-brained but with preferences Engage the whole brain for a more rounded understanding? Tips Rhythm - music allows us to code information more effortlessly Learn best when high challenge and low stress Need plenty of oxygen and water On average we can remember 7 (+or- 2) bits of information Left – Right Conflict Your right brain tries to say the colour Your left brain insists on reading the word

Information Retention On average people remember:- 20% of what they Read 30% of what they Hear 40% of what they See 50% of what they Say 60% of what they Do 90% of what they See, Hear, Say and Do Learn through experience Learning is an active process – importance of active participation Rose,C. and Nicholl. MJ, Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century

Understanding Information 99% of learning is unconscious (non verbal, around us) 90% of learning is visual Easy to misinterpret We need social contact, dialogue and exchange for shared understanding 93% of understanding comes from body language and expression Albert Mehrabian

Learning Styles Honey and Mumford (1983) Concrete Feeling Activist Enjoys new and challenging experiences “I’ll try anything once” Reflector Learns best when able to sit back and observe “Look before you leap” Theorist Likes to be able to question logic or methodology “If it’s logical, it’s good” Pragmatist Needs to see link between learning and practical application “If it works, it’s good” Testing Doing Reflecting Watching Activist: enjoys challenging experiences Reflector observes before action Pragmatist must see link (learning + practice) Theorist Likes to question/must see logic We have preferences but learn best by using all four Best to ground learning in experience Visual Vs Words Facts/Logic Vs Possibilities/Feelings Abstract Thinking

Riding a Bicycle Activist Reflector Theorist Pragmatist Leap on, have a go, learn as you go Reflector Watch others, try it, evaluate and try new technique to improve Theorist Read the manuals, know the theory, might never try it Pragmatist Take advice, practical tips and helping hand Activist case studies and simulations Reflector journals and reviews Pragmatist field work and observation Theorist lectures and papers

Awareness and Ability Stangaards (1981) NLP Model of Learning Conscious Competence Aware and Able Aware and Unable Incompetence Unaware and Unable Unconscious Unaware and Able Importance of self-awareness: need to learn and open to learning Feedback Disclosure Experimentation PDP - Development goals Current position Personal Action Plan Lessons? a. Raise awareness and develop ability, or nothing will change b. Importance of feedback, disclosure and experimentation.

Learning to Lead Kouzes and Posner (1987, p283) Their analysis (supported by two other major studies)of all responses suggests three major categories of opportunities for learning to lead. In order of importance they are : Trial and error (experience) Other People (role models) Education and formal training.

Learning Advice Learning needs to be grounded in experience You learn best by using a range of learning styles in a cycle of learning Be aware of your preferred style and try out others You need to review and practice to remember. Reflective Practice Take action and reflect to remember and change practice Importance of content, context and emotions We learn best when high challenge and low stress Seek out appropriate learning experiences Learning Equation: L=P+Q Learning (experiential and learning cycle) Programme Knowledge (traditional information and facts Questioning (ability to question, think and apply)