Experiential Learning Theory: Application for Understanding Learning Styles of Postgraduate Students

Abstract

The article examines the learning style of MBA students and looks into how gender effects the learning styles. Data was collected from a management Institute in Mumbai, and survey questionnaires were adapted from the Kolb Learning Style Inventory to investigate the four learning styles—active experimentation (AE), concrete experience (CE), abstract conceptualisation (AC) and reflective observation (RO). The data were analysed for the frequencies and percentages, and Chi-square for comparison of gender and specialisation. Major learning styles were for both gender and specialisation. Major learning styles were AE and CE, followed by AC for both gender and specialisation. It was seen that for all the students, the two major learning modes were convergent and accommodative, which were also the two major dominant learning modes observed across the genders and all specialisations. ESTJ and ESFJ were the two dominant personality types that emerged. A Chi-square test that revealed learning styles and learning modes did not vary based on different gender and specialisation.