An Evaluation of Kolb's Learning Style Theory by Graduate Student Teachers during Their Teaching Practice.

Autor/in	Heywood, John
Titel	An Evaluation of Kolb's Learning Style Theory by Graduate Student Teachers during Their Teaching Practice.
Quelle	(1997), (38 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Action Research; Cognitive Style; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Learning Processes; Preservice Teacher Education; Secondary Education; Student Teacher Attitudes; Student Teachers; Student Teaching; Teacher Researchers; Teaching Methods; Teaching Styles; Theory Practice Relationship; Ireland; Learning Style Inventory + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Projektforschung; Cognitive styles; Kognitiver Stil; Ausland; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Learning process; Lernprozess; Lehramtsstudiengang; Lehrerausbildung; Sekundarbereich; Lehramtsstudent; Lehramtsstudentin; Referendar; Referendarin; Teaching practice; Unterrichtspraxis; Lehrerforschung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Lehrstil; Unterrichtsstil; Theorie-Praxis-Beziehung; Irland
Abstract	This paper describes the reactions of graduate secondary school student teachers to an experiment which required them to evaluate specified techniques and theories of teaching and learning as part of their classroom practice. The aim of the experiment was to: (1) improve the quality of their judgments about pupils; (2) acquire variety in teaching styles; (3) increase understanding of student learning; and (4) evaluate the merits of Kolb's theory of learning and its application to teaching practice. Kolb's cycle of learning has four stages: learners are actively involved in a specific experience; they reflect on this experience from several perspectives; they draw conclusions using abstract conceptualization; and they take action as a result of the conclusions. Kolb developed a Learning Styles Inventory to determine the disposition of learners within a framework of four learning styles: convergers, divergers, assimilators, and accommodators. The student teachers devised lesson plans to take their pupils through each quadrant of the cycle and a test to assess student performance based on the learning styles. Over 50 percent of the participants said they experienced a permanent change in teaching as a result of the exercise; 56 percent said they fully intended to use the Kolb plan again; and 29 percent said they would use a Learning Styles Inventory in the future. Comments from student reports illustrate the insights which the exercise brought to the work of these student teachers. Six exhibits are attached. (Contains 17 references.) (ND)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC