1. Learning Styles
Defining Strengths and Weaknesses

2. What is a learning style?
•Gathering of information in different
ways
•Processes and organizes the
information and making connections to
things we already know
•It is basically how a person learns in
accordance to where he is confident at

3. Knowing Strengths & Weaknesses
Know only my weaknessesKnow only my strengths
SUCCESSAdapt Strategy
Resentful
Frustrated
Angry
Bored
Minimize Impact
Insecure
Lost
Unfulfilled
Discouraged

4. Level General Theory Students’ Perception
Absolute All knowledge is
certain.
Authorities have Truth and the responsibility to
communicate it. Student’s must memorize and repeat
Truth.
Transitional Some knowledge are
certain and some
knowledge are not.
Authorities have the responsibility to communicate the
certainties. The students are responsible for making
their own judgments regarding the uncertainties.
Independent Most knowledge are
uncertain.
Students take responsibility for their own learning
rather than relying on authorities or personal feelings.
They collect and use evidence to support judgments,
but often superficially, and believe that when
knowledge is uncertain all conclusions regarding it are
equally good if the right procedure is used to reach
them.
Contextual All truths are
contextual.
Students take responsibility for making judgments,
acknowledging the need to do so in the face of
uncertainty. They use all possible sources of evidence
in the process – and they remain open to changing
their decisions if new evidence is forthcoming.
Levels of Knowing

5. Index of Learning Styles
The Basics
Learning styles are
• Characteristic: cognitive, affective and psychological behaviors
• Indicators of how learners
• perceive,
• interact with, and
• respond to the environment.
The Index of Learning Styles is a
• learning style model
• designed to capture the most important learning style
differences

6. Index of Learning Styles
What are it’s uses and misuses?
Learning style profiles …
• are CONTINUOUS
• They are NOT either/or categories.
• suggest behavioral TENDENCIES.
• They are NOT infallible predictors of behavior.
• suggest that you have MORE strengths associated with one
learning style THAN the other.
• They are NOT an accurate measure of your skill at tasks associated
with your profiles
• You may be weak at both acting and reflecting, but you might be
less weak at acting!
• are NOT 100% accurate.
• If your learning style preference differs from the instrument, DO
NOT discount your judgment.
• can be affected by your educational experiences.

7. Index of Learning Styles
Active or Reflective Learner – Processing
Active Learner Reflective Learner
Strengths
•Work well in groups
•Experimentalists
•Evaluate ideas
•Design and carry out
experiments
•Find solutions that work
•Work well alone
•Theoreticians
•Observers
•Define problems
•Propose possible solutions
Potential
Weaknesses
•Do not learn much in passive
situations (most lectures)
•Do not learn much in
situations where they don’t
have time to reflect (most
lectures)

8. Index of Learning Styles
Sensing or Intuitive Learner – Perception
Sensing Learner Intuitive Learner
Strengths
•Like facts and data
•Solving problems by standard
methods
•Patient with detail
•Memorizing facts
•Practical and careful
•Concrete experimentation
•Like principles and theories
•Innovative
•Welcome complications
•Grasping new concepts
•Work faster
•Comfortable with symbols
•Abstract conceptualization
Potential
Weaknesses
•Problem solving purposes
•Dealing with complications
•Work slower
•Repetition
•Bored with detail
•Careless

9. Index of Learning Styles
Visual or Verbal Learner – Input
Visual Learner Verbal Learner
Strengths
•Reading
•Writing
•Understanding charts, graphs
•Good sense of direction
•Interpreting & manipulating
images
•Creating visual metaphors and
analogies
•Constructing practical objects
•Listening
•Speaking
•Story-telling, explaining,
teaching
•Using humor
•Remembering information
•Arguing their point of view
•Analyzing language usage
Potential
Weaknesses
•Listening
•Speaking
•Reading
•Writing

10. Index of Learning Styles
Sequential or Global Learner – Understanding
Sequential Learner Global Learner
Strengths
•Can work with material when
they understand it partially or
superficially
•Convergent thinking and
analysis
•Organization
•Focus
•Consistency
•Objectivity
•Divergent thinking and
synthesis
•Seeing the big picture
•Cooperating in group efforts
•Paraphrasing
•Multitasking
•Reading body language
•Seeing relationships
•Sense of fairness
Potential
Weaknesses
•Generalities
•Multitasking
•Sometimes misses the main
idea
•May skip steps and details
•Having to explain themselves
analytically

11. Minimizing Weaknesses
Where/what do you need to adapt in the current engineering
classroom to be more successful?
In small groups (3 to 4), discuss the following and write down your
individual answers on the 3x5 index card.
1. What are the weaknesses
of your learning style?
2. Where are your
weaknesses apparent in the
eenglish classroom?
3. Pick one weakness. What
compensation strategy are you
going to use to minimize that
weakness?
SUCCESS Minimize Impact