Learning Lars Peter Jensen & Xiangyun Du

Agenda Different perceptions on learning and knowledge Individual learning styles Discussions on developing learning strategies

When, where, how did you learn the following things? Ice is cold; flame are hot; water is wet; and knives can cut… To reading alphabet; to count numbers; to sing songs… To make tea; to cook; to play squash; to drive a car … To speak Danish; to understand Einstein’s theory; to use formulas; … To make a presentation in public, to make a new friend, to know Danish culture…

What do these examples suggest? There are different sorts of learning: simple/complex; knowledge acquisition/skill mastery/knowledge creation Some things can be learned directly from experiences, some need initial or sustained instruction, some demands practice, some require reflection – some need a mixture of them Type of learning is changing based on context (time, place, targets, etc.)

Duality of Knowing - Wenger Reification : documents, languages, concepts, systems, maps, tools, methods, artefacts, etc. Participation : conversations, interacting, acting, relationships, belonging, Community, living in the world, etc,

Waves of Knowledge Management Knowledge come from books

Waves of Knowledge Management Technology Domination  Knowledge as information  Put information into database  information - outdated database – useless

Waves of knowledge management People as the theme Knowledge as practice The key to managing knowledge is connecting expert Develop communities of practice for strategic domains Technology is used to support learning

Waves of knowledge management Strategic Capabilities - knowledge as strategy Domain Communities practice stewardship Business strategies Business result Learning Shared knowledge

Original figure in Wenger 2004 the green one is my contribution A Social Theory of Learning - Wenger Learning engineering to become an engineer

Learning Learning can occur anytime everywhere in life. Learning takes place when people participating into different communities of practice. Learning makes us become who we are. Learning is about identity management.

Learning engineering involves not only mastering technological knowledge, but also learning the language, principles, socialized practice, and values. Appreciating meaningfulness of learning

What is ’learning’? Yes, it’s actually true – you can get a degree by repeating everything the teacher says.

Teaching = Learning ?

Think about your past learning experiences Good/bad experiences of the most impressive teachers? Good/bad experiences of experiences you learn most, best/least, worst? Experiences where you appreciate/enjoy learning very much?

Learning is also individual!

Experiential learning - Kolb’s learning cycle Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experiences - David Kolb Active Experiment Abstract conceptualisation Reflective Observation Concrete Experience Grasping via APPREHENSION Grasping via COMPREHENSION Accommodative knowledge Divergent knowledge Convergent knowledge Assimilative knowledge Transformation Via EXTENSION Transformation Via INTENSION

What are Learning Styles? Individuals’ different ways of taking in and processing information - Richard Felder

How do you do reading? Some people… sometimes…

Factors Influencing Learning Styles Before entering the University Native ability (IQ) Background (past experiences) At the University Learning environment e.g. match between learning style and teaching style

Learning Environment - traditional Outcome of learning is more valued than attitude, values, beliefs and students as creators of knowledge

Learning in PBL, Aalborg Context - Multi-resources - Integration of formal education and informal activities Theme – a problem to solve at the beginning of each semester Lectures Supervision Other teachers Experts Experiments Literature Family Inter net Problem solving in Group-organized project work other groups Friends More other resources companies Project report and oral exam at the end of semester

Purpose of Testing Learning Style To know about yourself - ‘in which way a student is smart’ rather than ‘whether this student is smart or not’ To help learners to develop learning strategies and improve their learning by balancing it. To work with our teaching style to match and maximize student learning

The learning styles test (1) 1.Circle "a" or "b" for every one of the 44 questions.

The learning styles test (2) 2.Fill out the scoring sheet with a ’1’ for each of your answers. 3.Add ’1’s in column ’a’ and column ’b’ in each of the 4 fields. 4.Calculate the numerical difference between a-score and b-score and add an ’a’ or a ’b’ depending upon which is the larger sum.

The learning styles test (3) 5.Transfer your 4 preferences to the preference sheet which you keep yourself. 6.Each group member transfers her/his 4 preferences to the group preference sheet, as well as to the group acetate. 7.The scoring sheet is handed in to the lecturer. Remember to write name, sex and nationality. The group acetate is also handed in to the lecturer.

15 minutes’ Break

Different learning styles 1 Sensing Learners Tend to like facts Like solving problems by well- established methods and dislike complications and surprises Be patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on work More practical and careful don’t like courses that have no apparent connection to the real world Intuitive Learners Prefer discovering possibilities and relationships Like innovation and dislike repetition Be better at grasping new concepts and more comfortable with abstractions and mathematical formulations Work faster and more imaginative Don’t like courses that involve a lot of memorization and routine calculation Everybody is sometimes sensing and sometimes intuitive. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.

Learning Strategies 1 Everybody is sometimes sensing and sometimes intuitive. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild. Sensing learners Need connection to the real world Ask instructor for specific examples of concepts and procedures and apply them in practice Find specifics by brainstorming with friends Intuitive learners Ask instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts Try to find the connections yourself Take time to read the entire question before you start answering and be sure to check our results carefully

Different learning styles 2 Visual Learners Remember best what they see - ‘Show me’ Pictures Diagrams Sketches schematics Flow charts plots Verbal learners Getting more out of words - ‘Explain it to me’ Spoken words Written words Everybody is both visual and verbal. Preferring one does not mean that you don’t learn in the other way. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.

Learning Strategies 2 Visual learners Find diagrams, sketches, photographs, flow charts, etc. Find CD ROM version of teaching materials Use concept maps by listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, drawing lines with arrows for connections… Colour code notes with highlighter Verbal learners Write summaries or outlines Working in groups can be effective: to gain understanding of material by hearing classmates’ explanations You might learn more when you explain things to others Everybody is both visual and verbal. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.

Different learning styles 3 Active Learners Retain and understand information best by doing something active Like discussion or applying it or explaining it to others ‘let’s try it out and see how it works’ Like group work Reflective Learners Think about it quietly before talk Let’s think it through first Prefer working alone quietly Everybody is sometimes active and sometimes reflective. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild. Sitting through lectures without getting to do anything physical But taking notes is hard for both learning types, but particularly Hard for active learners.

Learning Strategies 3 Active learners Try to compensate discussion or problem- solving activities if they are lacking in classes Study in a group where members take turns explaining things Reflective learners Try to compensate time for thinking about new information if it is missing in classes Don’t simply read or memorize the material Stop periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications Write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words Everybody is sometimes active and sometimes reflective. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.

Different learning styles 4 Sequential Learners Gain understanding in linear steps Follow logical stepwise paths in finding solutions Feel comfortable explaining things Global Learners Learning in large jumps, absorbing materials almost randomly without seeing connections, and suddenly ‘get it’. Need big picture to function Solve complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big picture Feel difficult to explain Which is your preference? Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild.

Learning Strategies 4 Sequential learners Most college courses are taught in a sequential manner If you happen to meet a global teacher, ask him/her to fill in the skipped steps, or fill them in yourself by consulting references, or outline the lecture material for yourself in logical order Strengthen your global thinking skills by relating each new topic to things you already know to understand deeper. Global learners To get an overview by skimming through the entire reading material before the fist section To relate the subject to something you already know to see the connections to find disciplines.

Possible Misunderstandings of Learning Styles Dividing people into a set category It is not like blood types – instead, it is just measuring height or weight along some point in life

Summary All types of learners are needed in every profession All learning styles are needed to addressed and satisfied in teaching

Where to do? How to deal with it?

Find a Balance!

An ideal learning style Test Generalisation/ conceptualisation Reflection Experience Tell me, I will forget; show me, I may remember; involve me, I will understand - Confucius

Active learning students learn (i.e. remember) : –10% of what they read –26% of what they hear –30% of what they see –50% of what they see and hear –70% of what they say –90% of what they say and do passive active

Reflective Learning - Cowan loopy diagram Reflectionforin onaction Time P0-proces analysis P0-project start P1-midway seminar P1-process analysis Exsperimental, testing Consolidating, verifying Next project

Everyday reflections – an enhanced Cowan loopy diagram Planned and joint ’grand’ reflections Incidential and personal ’small’ reflections Reflection Time

Can you think about some examples in your life when you learn from your experiences and reflections on those experiences?

Group Discussion and Presentation in Plenum Project group Talk about your learning styles Discuss learning strategies in PBL environment - how to provide learning opportunities for every type of learner in group work – how to make best of each other and make the project work benefit from different ways of learning Make a presentation in plenum (representatives from each group)

Thank you for today and have a rest now! Learn to enjoy life!