Using Learning Style models to Enhance Chinese college students Learning
The Center for Supporting Student Learning and Development
Beihang University
How do our students study in their daily
life?
How could we find the feedback that
they have learnt?
How do our students figure out the
problems when they meet some learning
issues? For example, the absent-minded
in some courses, losing motivation in
Academic learning and so on…
What do we begin with when they ask
helps from us?
……?
As an Academic Advisor, can we tell——
Outline
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
VAK & KOLB learning styles Model
Influence of Chinese culture on college students’ learning style
Strategies of the improvement of students’ learning
Meditation in Chinese Style
Questions and discussion
Embracing uncertainty future
It’s necessary to get learning
capabilities in a paradigm shift
No longer only examination-
oriented education
Leaching methods in class are
not as detailed and simple in
middle school
Taking effective goals and
actions
Improve learning efficiency by
diversified learning models
Making yourself different
Learning Style
Motivation
Goal setting
Thinking
Training
The course of Learning Skills for College Students
Cognition
& Planning
Personal
Management
Time Management
Procrastination
Stress Management
Critical Thinking
Reading and Writing
Memory Skills
The course helps students learn how to learn through the curriculum links such
as thematic theory guidance and the interactive exchange practice, with
recognizing the academic goals and style of college learning.
The course of Learning Skills for College Students
Peer demonstration & supervision
Brainstorming
Panel discussion
EfficiencyEasiness
Hands-on approach
Each theme workshop can be registered on line individually
1 elective credit can be recieved by attending 8 workshops in total
Group work
& presentationSpecific application
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Feeling
Intuition
Sensing
Thinking
How NASA Builds Teams: Mission Critical
Soft Skills for Scientists, Engineers, and
Project Teams
——by Charles J. Pellerin
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Feeling
Intuition
Sensing
Thinking
How NASA Builds Teams: Mission Critical
Soft Skills for Scientists, Engineers, and
Project Teams
——by Charles J. Pellerin
Course data tracking on 4D
teambuilding(155 students)
Feeling+Intuition Feeling+Sensing Thinking+SensingThinking+Intuition
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Heterogeneity within teams and homogeneity across teams!
VAK learning styles Model
✓ The VAK Learning Styles Model was developed by psychologists in the 1920s to classify the most
common ways that people learn.
✓ According to the model, most of us prefer to learn in one of three ways: visual, auditory or kinesthetic
(although, in practice, we generally "mix and match" these three styles).
✓ A variation on the acronym, developed by New Zealand-based teacher Neil D. Fleming, is VARK
The VARK Questionnaire
When choosing a career or area of study, these are important for me:
___Communicating with others through discussion.
___Working with designs, maps or charts.
___Using words well in written communications.
___Applying my knowledge in real situations.
Group Discussion & assessment
40
59
56
VAK学习风格课堂追踪(155人)
视觉型Visual 听觉型Auditory 动觉型Kinesthetic
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Course data tracking on VAK learning styles
(155 students)
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
What style of presentation do you prefer?
Visual---learners respond to images and graphics
Auditory---learners prefer verbal presentations
Kinesthetic---learners prefer a physical, hands-on approach
Visual Auditory Kinesthetic
•I see what you mean.•I get the picture.•What's your view?
•That rings a bell.•I hear what you're saying.•That sounds OK to me.
•That feels right.•How does that grab you?•Let me try.
Engage visual learners by using diagrams, charts and pictures.
Engage auditory learners by stressing key words, and telling stories and anecdotes.
Engage kinesthetic learners by including physical activities and "hands-on" tasks.
VAK learning styles Model
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
VAK learning styles Model
Discussion:
✓ share your feelings about the assessment of VAK
✓ Introduce your VAK style based on your own characteristics and experience
✓ Brainstorm your own style of learning strategies to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses
Understanding Learning Preferences & Strategies for Improving
Learning
VisualAdvantages? Weaknesses?Opportunities? Threats?
AuditoryAdvantages? Weaknesses?Opportunities? Threats?
KinestheticAdvantages? Weaknesses?Opportunities? Threats?
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
VAK learning styles Model——Understand the difference between derivatives and differentials
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Kolb's learning styles Model
one of the best-known and widely used learning style
theories
David Kolb first outlined his theory of learning styles in
1984
• He believed that our individual learning styles
emerge due to our genetics, life experiences, and
the demands of our current environment.
• He developed a theory of experiential learning
and a learning style inventory.
In his experiential theory, learning is viewed as a four-
stage cycle
The learning styles are based on two major
dimensions: active/reflective and abstract/concrete
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Kolb's learning styles Model
Similarity to Jungian Personality Theory
Four different learning styles
✓ Divergers(Concrete experiencer/Reflective observer)✓ Convergers(Abstract conceptualization/Active experimenter)✓ Accomodators(Concrete experiencer/Active experimenter)✓ Assimilators(Abstract conceptualizer/Reflective observer)
Divergers(44)
Assimilators
(56)
Convergers(23)
Accomodators
(32)
Course data tracking on Kolb’s learning styles
(155 students)
Styles Graphic Preferred style SWOT Analysis
Why?
Diverging
Divergers take experiences
and think deeply about them,
thus diverging from a single
experience to multiple
possibilities in terms of what
this might mean.
They like to ask 'why’, and
will start from detail to
constructively work up to the
big picture.
✓ They enjoy participating and working with others but they
like a calm ship and fret over conflicts
✓ They are generally influenced by other people and like to
receive constructive feedback
✓ They like to learn via logical instruction or hands-one
exploration with conversations that lead to discovery
✓ Weaknesses?✓ Threats? ✓ ……
What?
Assimilating
Assimilators have the most
cognitive approach, preferring to
think than to act. The ask 'What is
there I can know?' and like
organized and structured
understanding.
They prefer lectures for learning,
with demonstrations where
possible, and will respect the
knowledge of experts.
They will also learn through
conversation that takes a logical
and thoughtful approach.
✓ They often have a strong control need and prefer the clean and
simple predictability of internal models to external messiness.
✓ The best way to teach an assimilator is with lectures that start
from high-level concepts and work down to the detail.
✓ Give them reading material, especially academic stuff and they'll
gobble it down.
✓ Do not teach through play with them as they like to stay serious.
✓ Weaknesses?✓ Threats? ✓ ……
Application of the learning style models in Beihang
Kolb's learning styles Model
Styles Graphic Preferred style SWOT Analysis
How?
Converging
Convergers think about
things and then try out their
ideas to see if they work in
practice.
They like to ask 'how' about
a situation, understanding
how things work in practice.
They like facts and will seek
to make things efficient by
making small and careful
changes.
✓ They prefer to work by themselves, thinking carefully and
acting independently
✓ They learn through interaction and computer-based
learning is more effective with them than other methods
✓ Weaknesses?✓ Threats? ✓ ……
What if?
Accommodating
Accommodators have the
most hands-on approach,
with a strong preference for
doing rather than thinking.
They like to ask 'what if?'
and 'why not?' to support
their action-first approach.
They do not like routine and
will take creative risks to see
what happens.
✓ They like to explore complexity by direct interaction and
learn better by themselves than with other people.
✓ As might be expected, they like hands-on and practical
learning rather than lectures.
✓ Weaknesses?✓ Threats? ✓ ……
Application of the learning style models in BeihangKolb's learning styles Model
Combination style
Graphic Preferred style
Combination
mode 1
Learners pay great attention to the collection of information, and it is a large amount of information.
This type of learners tends to be very inquisitive.
Combination
mode 2
Learners are usually more focused on understanding what is being learned.
Without collecting too much information.
This type of learners wants as much time as possible to
digest a small amount of information.
Combination
mode 3
The learner did not focus on one model but managed to strike a good balance of all.
This type of learners is very adaptable and can get good grades from any teacher they meet.
Application of the learning style models in BeihangKolb's learning styles Model
Reference
https://www.verywellmind.com/kolbs-learning-styles-2795155#support-and-criticism
http://changingminds.org/explanations/learning/kolb_learning.htm
http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm
http://www.doc88.com/p-0919088200099.html
Application of the learning style models in BeihangKolb's learning styles Model
Support and Criticism
Kolb's learning styles are one of the best-known and
widely used learning style theories.
In addition to describing four different learning styles,
Kolb also developed a theory of experiential learning
and a learning style inventory.
Educator Mark K. Smith argued that Kolb's model is
supported only by weak empirical evidence and that the
learning process is actually far more complex than the
theory suggests. He also noted that the theory fails to
fully acknowledge how different experiences and
cultures may impact the learning process.
Chinese culture on college students’ learning style
Performance and preference in learning ——Take Beihang as an example
26%
38%
36%
Course data tracking on VAK learning styles
(155 students)
视觉型Visual
听觉型Auditory
动觉型Kinesthetic
Divergers(44)
Assimilators(56)
Convergers(23)
Accomodators
(32)
Course data tracking on Kolb’s learning styles(155 students)
Beihang at a Glance Since its founding in 1952, Beihang has excelled as one of the first 16 key universities in China, given priority for development.
In 2017, Beihang was chosen to participate in the Double First-Class plan, which includes major support from the Chinese
Ministry of Education and other government departments to build a world-class university with world-class disciplines.
The motto ——“Integrate Virtue with Brilliance and Combine Knowledge with Practice”
The educational philosophy——“To advocate virtue and pragmatism and to pursue truth and innovation”
The spirit——“hard work and plain living, diligence, all-round development and bold innovation”
Chinese culture on college students’ learning style
The influence from Chinese culture——focusing on Confucianism
26%
38%
36%
Course data tracking on VAK learning styles
(155 students)
视觉型Visual
听觉型Auditory
动觉型Kinesthetic
Divergers(44)
Assimilators(56)
Convergers(23)
Accomodators
(32)
Course data tracking on Kolb’s learning styles(155 students)
Cultural China has many kinds of spiritual resources and Confucianism is only one of the most important.
Confucianism is a kind of culture which is epoch-making, cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary and multi-level in China.
In the modern world, there are many signs of Confucianism‘s influence as well as in higher education.
✓ college entrance examination system
✓ tradition of showing great respect to the teachers
✓ accordingly, expects much more out of the role and action of the teachers, to the extent of a sage
Chinese culture on college students’ learning style
The influence from Chinese culture——focusing on Confucianism
Chinese saying on learning : "to educate all despite their social status"
"to teach according to the students' characteristics“
"Studying without thinking leads to confusion; thinking
without studying leads to laziness.“
“You can think of, i can do.” "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I
understand."
Confucianism is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture as well as a complete ideological system created by Confucius.
It has dominated a feudal society that in essence has lasted 2000 years and for that reason its influence over the history, social structure and the people of China cannot be overlooked.
Core Confucian Texts:"Four Books and Five Classics“
Core Concepts:✓ Rites
✓ Relationships
• Filial Piety
• Loyalty
✓ Humaneness
✓ The Perfect Gentleman
✓ Governing
✓ Meritocracy
Strategies of the improvement of students’ learning Student Learning Issues Survey
In the research on student academic
development at Beihang in 2018-2019,
what students think are the most
troubling questions:Academic problems (29.1%)
Personal prospects (25.9%)
Relationship problems (9.5%)
Physical health (9.1%)
Mental health problems (7.1%)
Student-teacher relationship (6.1%)
Environmental adaptation (7.6%)
other
What students think are the most troubling problems in academic development:
Difficult course (25.16%) Lack of interest in learning (19.18%) High academic pressure (13.93%) Lack of study time (12.10%) Improper learning methods(12.01%) Inadequate teacher guidance (7.6%) Few problems (8.74%)
Strategies of the improvement of students’ learning Student Learning Issues Survey
Learning by conformity ——I don’t know why to learn
Learning for the test ——I don’t know what to learn
Knowledge and action cannot be unified -- I know I should learn, but I don't know how to learn
Not enjoy learning -- if I "fail" and don't know what to do
Percentage distribution of self-efficacy index values
——Freshman & Sophomore
Freshman Sophomore
Strategies of the improvement of students’ learning Student Learning Issues Survey
• Personal
management
• Deliberate practice
• Resilience
• Peer demonstration
• Body and mind in balance
• Learn how to learn
• Project-based team
learning
• Cultivate ideation
• Self-awareness
• values togetherness
• Academic planning
Learning by
conformity
Learning for
the test
Knowledge
and action
cannot be
unified
Not enjoy
learning
Supported
Platforms
Team
Construction
Guiding
SystemGuiding
Ideology
Strategies of the improvement of students’ learning Using Learning Style models
Strategies of the improvement of students’ learning Using Learning Style models——Meditation in Chinese Style
Midfullness in Chinese way
On Purpose
In the Present Moment
Nonjudgmentally
Questions & Discussionasked for guidance from all you~
• Thank you for any questions or comments on this topic~
• How about the application of the learning style models in your institute or
in your country? What are the popular models and practice projects?
• Are there any influences of culture on college students’ learning style in
your country? What are the main characteristics of learning style?
• What is your best advice for using learning style models to enhance
college students learning?
君子之学也,入乎耳,着乎心,布乎四体,形乎动静The gentleman’s learning is deep into the ear,the heart, the bodies with practical action!