Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory Research Articles

An Alternative Approach to Analyze Ipsative Data. Revisiting Experiential Learning Theory.

The ritualistic use of statistical models regardless of the type of data actually available is a common practice across disciplines which we dare to call type zero error. Statistical models involve a series of assumptions whose existence is often neglected altogether, this is specially the case with ipsative data. This paper illustrates the consequences of this ritualistic practice within Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) operationalized through its Learning Style Inventory (KLSI). We show how using a well-known methodology in other disciplines—compositional data analysis (CODA) and log ratio transformations—KLSI data can be properly analyzed. In addition, the method has theoretical implications: a third dimension of the KLSI is unveiled providing room for future research. This third dimension describes an individual's relative preference for learning by prehension rather than by transformation. Using a sample of international MBA students, we relate this dimension with another self-assessment instrument, the Philosophical Orientation Questionnaire (POQ), and with an observer-assessed instrument, the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI-U). Both show plausible statistical relationships. An intellectual operating philosophy (IOP) is linked to a preference for prehension, whereas a pragmatic operating philosophy (POP) is linked to transformation. Self-management and social awareness competencies are linked to a learning preference for transforming knowledge, whereas relationship management and cognitive competencies are more related to approaching learning by prehension.

Kolb's experiential learning theory and Belhot's learning cycle guiding the use of computer simulation in engineering education: A pedagogical proposal to shift toward an experiential pedagogy

ABSTRACTThis work aims to contribute to a rethinking of the computer simulation used in the high education in Engineering. In order to design a set of simulation laboratory activities, a pedagogical proposal is presented on basis of Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and Belhot's Learning Cycle. The chosen content to be taught is the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) technique that is adapted and implemented in RoboMind software. The pedagogical approach presented in this paper can act as a reference point for debates in Engineering Education area, considering the use of the Kolb's theory as a model for development of teaching‐learning process and computer simulations as a didactic tool. Finally, some recommendations are offered in order to help future works, as well as to consolidate the implementation of this pedagogical proposal in real case studies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ. 24:79–88, 2016; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21674

The Integrative Business Experience: Real Choices and Real Consequences Create Real Thinking

ABSTRACTThis article describes an innovation called the Integrative Business Experience (IBE) that links a set of required core business courses to an entrepreneurial practicum course in which two things occur. One is that students are concurrently enrolled in the required core business courses and a practicum course while they create a start‐up business (based on an actual bank loan) and use the profits to finance a hands‐on community service project. The other is that the core courses are taught using the Team‐Based Learning (TBL) to shift the focus of class work from content delivery to content application, and promote the development of interpersonal and team skills.The wide acceptance of the value of active learning over the past 30 years has supported the foundation of Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, i.e., learning is transformed through experience. IBE provides students with a transformative experience that can engage them in every learning style in Kolb's model. IBE combined with TBL fosters development of the teamwork, interpersonal, and communication skills necessary for effective problem‐solving.This article uses Kolb's cycle of learning to describe how and why the real experience provided by IBE enables students to develop the ability to engage in analytical thinking through practical reasoning, reflective exploration of meaning, and multiple framing. Further, because students’ experiences in IBE are real, they are able to reflect on their personal identities and values as they make decisions in both their business and service activities, and experience the consequences of their choices.

Dental Students' Educational Achievement in Relation to Their Learning Styles: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran.

Background and Objectives:In recent decades, many studies have been carried out on the importance of Kolb experiential learning theory (ELT) in teaching-learning processes and its effect on learning outcomes. However, some experts have criticized the Kolb theory and argue that there are some ambiguities on the validity of the theory as an important predictor of achievement. This study has been carried out on dental students’ educational achievement in relation to their dominant learning styles based on Kolb theory in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Iran).Methods:In a cross sectional study, Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI Ver. 3.1) as well as a questionnaire containing students’ demographic data, academic achievement marks including grade point average (GPA), theoretical and practical courses marks, and the comprehensive basic sciences exam (CBSE) scores were administered on a purposive sample of 162 dental students who had passed their comprehensive basic sciences exam. Educational achievement data were analyzed in relation to students’ dominant learning styles, using descriptive and analytical statistics including χ2, Kruskal-Wallis and two-way ANOVA tests.Results:The dominant learning styles of students were Assimilating (53.1%), Converging (24.1%), Diverging (14.2%) and Accommodating (8.6%). Although, the students with Assimilating and Converging learning styles had a better performance on their educational achievement, there was no significant relationship between educational achievement and dominant learning style (P≥0.05).Conclusion:Findings support that the dominant learning style is not exclusively an essential factor to predict educational achievement. Rather, it shows learning preferences of students that may be considered in designing learning opportunities by the teachers.

A Study to Assess the Impact of Multimedia Usage on Behavioural Patterns of the Pre-University College Students in Selected Colleges at Mangalore

People use mass media in varying ways and for various purposes. But it is fact that not all the purposes of media are positive gratifications. Some are good and some are not. That is how the media works. However, we can see that media continue to give messages to us as we participate in them. Moreover, some messages or values are rubbed on to us, whether we like them or not. Media education is learning to dissect and identify them. The developing child in the modern society is typically introduced to the mass media at home and it is at home that he is most likely to use several varieties to print and broadcast media. By the time he reaches adolescence, he is plausible to assume that his patterns of media use have been shaped by social influence at home, particularly his parents. Entertainment is something everybody looks forward to. There are many ways to entertain those who need leisure and pleasure. Mass media is one of the most popular entertainments; one has the greatest invention of humankind. It has found place in every home in India. Excessive watching of television programmes has an unhealthy effect on children. Television has become quite popular among all ages. It provides variety for all tastes. On the other hand, television has an adverse effect on children. They get addicted to television. The scenes of sex, crime and violence in our films and programmes have adverse effects on children. Such scenes cause adverse effects on their thought life and work life. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of multimedia usage on behavioural patterns of the pre-university college students in selected colleges at Mangalore. The research approach used for the study was descriptive survey approach. The conceptual framework was based on David Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (learning styles) Model. The study was carried out in three pre-university colleges of Mangalore. The sample comprised of 120 students who were undergoing their pre-university course in science, arts and commerce as their main stream of study. Samples were selected by using multistage disproportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected by administering tools like demographic proforma, survey questionnaire, and behavioural rating scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of this study show that majority (62.5%) of the students are showed mild behaviour. About 30.8% of the students showed moderate behaviour and 6.7% of the students showed severe behavioural changes due to the influence of multimedia usage.

Final-Year Veterinary Students' Perceptions of Their Communication Competencies and a Communication Skills Training Program Delivered in a Primary Care Setting and Based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory

Veterinary graduates require effective communication skills training to successfully transition from university into practice. Although the literature has supported the need for veterinary student communication skills training programs, there is minimal research using learning theory to design programs and explore students' perceptions of such programs. This study investigated veterinary students' perceptions of (1) their communication skills and (2) the usefulness of a communication skills training program designed with Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) as a framework and implemented in a primary care setting. Twenty-nine final-year veterinary students from the Ontario Veterinary College attended a 3-week communication skills training rotation. Pre- and post-training surveys explored their communication objectives, confidence in their communication skills, and the usefulness of specific communication training strategies. The results indicated that both before and after training, students were most confident in building rapport, displaying empathy, recognizing how bonded a client is with his or her pet, and listening. They were least confident in managing clients who were angry or not happy with the charges and who monopolized the appointment. Emotionally laden topics, such as breaking bad news and managing euthanasia discussions, were also identified as challenging and in need of improvement. Interactive small-group discussions and review of video-recorded authentic client appointments were most valuable for their learning and informed students' self-awareness of their non-verbal communication. These findings support the use of Kolb's ELT as a theoretical framework and of video review and reflection to guide veterinary students' learning of communication skills in a primary care setting.

Teaching Delegation to RN Students

Registered nurse (RN) students have difficulty learning delegation and supervision, and new RNs lack confidence in executing these skills. To improve safety, therefore, RN educators require new teaching and learning strategies to help prelicensure students develop delegation and supervision skills. Our team of nurse educators and researchers developed, implemented, and evaluated a classroom learning activity on delegation and supervision for RN students. The activity, which is grounded in David Kolb's (1983) experiential learning theory, was developed from a research study on delegation and supervision in nursing homes. Drawing on the research data, we constructed robust case studies that authentically illustrate the nursing home practice environment, including the realistic impediments to best practice. Students in our Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing program found the learning activity beneficial to their understanding of and readiness to engage in delegation and supervision.

“Rules of engagement”

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent one can apply experiential learning theory (ELT) to the public-private partnership (PPP) setting in Russia and to draw insights regarding the learning cycle ' s nature. Additionally, the paper assesses whether the PPP case confirms Kolb ' s ELT.Design/methodology/approach– The case study draws upon primary data which the authors collected by interviewing informants including a PPP operator ' s managers, lawyers from Russian law firms and an expert from the National PPP Centre. The authors accomplished data source triangulation in order to ensure a high degree of research validity.Findings– Experiential learning has resulted in a successful and a relatively fast PPP project launch without the concessionary framework. The lessons learned include the need for effective stakeholder engagement; avoiding being stuck in bureaucracy such as collaboration with Federal Ministries and anti-trust agency; avoiding application for government funding as the approval process is tangled and lengthy; attracting strategic private investors; shaping positive public perception of a PPP project; and making continuous efforts in order to effectively mitigate the public acceptance risk.Originality/value– The paper contributes to ELT by incorporating the impact of social environment in the learning model. Additionally, the paper tests the applicability of ELT to learning in the complex organisational setting, i.e., a PPP.

High-Fidelity Simulation in Nursing Education: A Change in Clinical Practice

Hospital consolidations, decreases in the number of nurses willing to serve as preceptors, and increased student-to-faculty ratios have pro- foundly restricted availability for student clinical rotations (Hauber, Cormier, & Whyte, 2010; Kameg, Clochesy, Mitchell, & Suresky, 2010; Partin, Payne, & Slemmons, 2011; Weaver, 2011), with critical care experiences the most limited of all clinical rotations (Beddingfield, Davis, Gilmore, & Jenkins, 2011). Clinical experiences in hospitals are further constrained due to low patient census, high-acuity patient populations, and safety considerations (Founds, Zewe, & Scheuer, 2011), limiting the opportunity to perform skills, interact with physi- cians, work with multidisciplinary teams, and exercise critical think- ing skills. Barriers to clinical placement hinder new graduate nurses' potential to recognize and respond to clinical complexities (Witt, Borden, & York, 2010).Research demonstrates that new graduates are neither prepared to care for high-acuity patients nor sufficiently competent to recognize or intervene in a crisis (Fero et al., 2010; Mould, White, & Gallagher, 2011; Wotton, Davis, Button, & Kelton, 2010). In 2005, del Bueno reported that only 35 percent of new RNs meet entry-level clinical judgment expectations.High-fidelity simulation (HFS) has been used to augment clin- ical learning, providing critical thinking and psychomotor learning opportunities in low- and high-risk clinical environments and popula- tions (Garrett, MacPhee, & Jackson, 2010; Schlairet & Pollock, 2010; Sportsman, Schumacker, & Hamilton, 2011). Use of offers rele- vant, realistic clinical experiences and develops competent graduate nurses, but no consensus exists about the extent of use for clini- cal learning opportunities (Sportsman et al.). The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and national accreditation bodies do not provide guidelines on the percentage of clinical hours spent in training with HFS.MethodTheoretical FrameworkThis evidence-based review was framed by the theatre of high-fidelity simulation (THFS) education model (Roberts & Greene, 2010). THFS is grounded in Kolb's experiential learning theory, the Dreyfus and Dreyfus model of skill acquisition, and Benner's novice-to-expert the- ory. According to THFS, learners passively receive information via didactic methods and are instructed in theoretical principles, then have the opportunity to actively apply the knowledge through a simu- lated environment with the learner engaged as a participant, observer, and evaluator. Application of this model involves all physical, intel- lectual and emotional senses. Using scenarios to engage psychologi- cal, sociological, and physical components, learners can clarify issues, increase self-knowledge, and develop and refine clinical skills. THFS immersion provides deep comprehension of and competence in the role.Extensive Review of the literatureThis literature review was conducted using electronic databases CINAHL-plus, ERIC, and Cochrane Systematic Review. Full-text, English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles with quantifiable measures focusing on in undergraduate education pub- lished between January 2010 and November 2011 were identified. Boolean search phrases nursing or education and HFS and high-fi- delity were used.Most recent investigations found no significant differences in student learning outcomes when comparing the effectiveness of to the current practice of clinical rotations as a method of gaining clinical skills and critical thinking competency. (See Table.) Investigated aspects included: care of mechanically ventilated and postoperative patients (Beddingfield et al., 2011); differences in nurs- ing knowledge (Schlairet & Pollock, 2010); and interviewing and health assessment self-efficacy (Luctkar-Flude, Wilson-Keates, & Larocque, 2011). …

Preservice Teachers’ Constructivist Teaching Scores Based on Their Learning Styles

This study examined the relationship between pre-service teachers' constructivist teaching and their learning styles based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory. The Learning Styles Inventory-3 was administered at the beginning of the semester to determine preferred learning style. The Constructivist Teaching Evaluation Form was filled out by pre-service teachers following the microteaching session. Bivariate correlation and ANOVA anayses were conducted to evaluate the learning style-teaching relationship. Results showed that students' teaching evaluation scores were positively correlated with their active experimentation (AE) and negatively correlated with their reflective observation (RO) scores. ANOVA results showed that accommodating students had significantly higher self-evaluation scores than diverging and assimilating students. Moreover, converging students rated themselves higher than diverging students on constructivist teaching. These results imply that pre-service teachers who prefer constructivist learning strategies deliver better constructivist lessons based on their self reports.

The Imperative of Education

AbstractTeaching midgrade leaders at the Command and General Staff Officers Course (CGSOC) located in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, comes with many unique challenges. At CGSOC, students arrive having led soldiers in combat and having served in leadership positions in the United States Army for at least 10 years. When they walk into the classroom and see an instructor with a dress shirt and tie—not in a uniform—their immediate thought is, “What can this civilian teach me? I have fought in foreign lands and had to watch people die and lead soldiers through intensely difficult circumstances.” Through most of their careers, their approach to learning in Professional Military Education (PME) has been through training. CGSOC is the first time they experience learning from mostly an educational pedagogy as opposed to training. We focus on teaching how to think instead of what to think. At CGSOC we use an Experiential Learning Model (ELM), based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory. The ELM takes Kolb's experiential learning cycle and superimposes five steps on the preferred learning styles described by Kolb. We promote student‐to‐student dialogue, drawing out the experience resident in the classroom, and add leadership theory to reinforce the learning.

Intellectual capital accounting in action: enhancing learning through interventionist research

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to contribute to understanding how measuring intellectual capital (IC) can favor IC mobilization, examining the role of actors who design and implement the system in influencing managers’ IC learning processes and their take up of IC management practices.Design/methodology/approachA constructive case study, in which the researcher was directly involved in measuring IC, is presented. Kolb's experiential learning theory model examines if and how the actors mobilized IC and how the researcher and controller influenced their learning process.FindingsThe paper shows that actors must complete an experiential learning cycle to mobilize IC. The controller's role is pivotal in promoting IC mobilization, provided he/she experiences a deep learning process and he/she moves from “IC counting” to “IC accounting.” The paper also highlights how research intervention contributes to IC mobilization by influencing the actors’ learning process.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is limited to one Italian company, so the results cannot be generalized; they were influenced by the researcher's “strong” interventionist approach and by the model adopted.Practical implicationsCompanies introducing IC will become aware of barriers and levers to measuring and mobilizing IC, thus enabling them to devise strategies to avoid the former and take advantage of the latter.Originality/valueThe experiential learning theory model offers an alternative way of understanding how IC measurement produces effects and how the controller and researcher can influence the managers’ IC learning journey thus contributing to mobilization of IC.

Patients' Perceptions of a Game About Warfarin and Vitamin K: A Pilot Study.

Digital games to promote healthy behaviors are rapidly expanding in the healthcare industry. One area where health game can be useful is in educating patients about oral anticoagulants such as warfarin. The goal of this pilot study was to develop a game about warfarin and vitamin K interactions and evaluate its usability among adult patients receiving warfarin therapy. The game was developed by an interdisciplinary team. The content of the game was based on published evidence-based practice about anticoagulation education. Kolb's experiential learning theory served as the theoretical foundation of the game, which we developed in Flash and Actionscript 2(®) (Adobe Systems, San Jose, CA) programming and scripting languages, and it is playable on various platforms, including Windows and Macintosh, via Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari Web browsers. Twenty patients were surveyed using a 7-point Likert scale to evaluate their experience on the Perceived Health Web Site Usability Questionnaire (PHWSUQ). The PHWSUQ measures satisfaction, ease of learning the site, and usefulness. Possible responses ranged from 1 (very unsatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied) and from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (7). The overall mean score on the PHWSUQ was 53.6 out of 70 (SD, 11.3), or 76.6 percent. The mean scores for "satisfaction," "ease of use," and "usefulness" subscales were 80.2 percent, 71.2 percent, and 77.4 percent, respectively. The findings suggest that patients were satisfied with the game, which indicates that adult patients on warfarin are open to game use as an educational tool to learn health information.

Uncovering Pathways of Design Thinking and Learning: Inquiry on Intellectual Development and Learning Style Preferences

The purpose of this study was to explore thought development and learning styles using the Perry scheme of intellectual development and Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT). One hundred thirty–nine beginning, intermediate, and advanced interior design and architecture students were empirically assessed using the measure of intellectual development, the measure of designing, and the learning style inventory, respectively. The study objectives were to examine thought development and learning styles of interior design and architecture students, determine whether differences exist between design students and normative data, and explore relationships between thought development and learning styles. Supporting previous research using the Perry scheme, students were found in the positions of dualism and multiplicity with global thought development proving more advanced than design thinking. Furthermore, overall thought development appeared significantly higher in the sample than in normative data on college students. Supporting the ELT, the study uncovered the presence of all learning styles with preference toward diverging and accommodating learning noted. In addition, the concrete experience preferences of design students appeared significantly higher in the sample than in normative data on college students. Results indicated no association between learning style and global or discipline–specific thought development level; however, qualitative data provide insights into the ways design students approach thinking and learning.

Adding Value to Audit Education through ‘Living’ Cases

This paper seeks to address the perceived failure of university teaching to foster critical understanding of audit practice and to identify a potential remedy. It contributes to the debate (Maltby, 2001, “Second thoughts about ‘Cases in Auditing’,” Accounting Education: an international journal, 10(4), 421–428) by investigating the double-faceted nature of auditing: as a sub-set of the academic discipline of accounting and as professional practice. Although case studies are helpful for students of auditing, they tend to be artificial, or at best, retrospective. This paper introduces a different type of case study for audit education using corporate failure stories from the media as an example, proposing and explaining the notion of the ‘living case’ in order to foster critical appraisal of audit practice. It contributes to the literature on audit education by describing how this different type of case can address both the technical activities and the social practice of audit through Kolb's (1984, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall) experiential learning theory and thus concludes that there is a place for the practical nature of auditing in academic study, in order to fully appreciate the social aspects.

Implications of Learning Style, Age Group, and Gender for Developing Online Learning Activities

ABSTRACT This study explores the effects of learning style, age and gender on preferences for online educational activities. David Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984) is used as a lens to examine the responses of online learners to five types of educational activities. Results indicate that learning style influences preference for learning activity. The relationship is stronger among adults than among children aged 10–13 (middle school). The four learning styles were not evenly distributed. “Practical” (likes to solve problems and find solutions) was the most frequent style among both children and adults (37%). “Creative” (enjoys brainstorming and open-ended exploration) was the least frequent (8%). These data have particular relevance to the development of educational activities, suggesting that open-ended exploration with “no right answers” may not be the most satisfying and appealing approach for many learners. The results of this study provide new insight into online audiences and can help developers of multimedia activities to create experiences that will appeal to all kinds of learners.

Evaluating the skills strategy through a Graduate Certificate in Management

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate how a UK business school is addressing the Government's skills strategy through its Graduate Certificate in Management, and to identify good practice and development needs and to clarify how the Graduate Certificate is adapting to the needs of Generation X and Millennial students. The paper also aims to test Kolb and Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT) in a business school setting.Design/methodology/approachA case study methodology was adopted. In order to get a cross‐section of views and triangulate the data, three focus groups were held, supported by reading documentation about the programme of study.FindingsThe skills strategy is not just an ambition for some business schools, but is already part of the curriculum. Generation X and the Millennials have more in common with the positive attitudes associated with older generations than stereotyped views might allow. ELT provides a useful theoretical framework for evaluating a programme of study and student attitudes.Research limitations/implicationsThe research findings from one case study are reported, limiting the generalisability of the study.Practical implicationsGood practice and development needs are identified which support the implementation of the Government's skills strategy and address employer concerns about student skills.Originality/valueNew empirical data are reported which supports the use of ELT in evaluating programmes of study and student attitudes to work.

Learning together: Kolb's experiential theory and its application

AbstractThis paper aims to make a limited contribution to Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory. An evaluation has been made of an empirically based personal narrative of the author's experiences, reflections and problems as an instructor of a management elective course at the undergraduate level. The paper examines the process of reflection, correction and learning from the perspective of the instructor and how the issue of race and origin of the student learners' can stimulate or hinder assimilation of knowledge within a classroom. The study reveals that it is essential for an educator to be critically reflective of his/her culture and that of his/her students to be able to assess their learning styles and adopt suitable and appropriate teaching pedagogies within the classroom. This paper draws attention towards types of teaching pedagogies, non traditional methods and aids and their effectiveness in educating students of diverse backgrounds. It provides insights about diversity within classrooms and its impact on teaching, pedagogies and learning styles of both educators and students, by portraying the journey of an educator and her process of self improvement.

Learning together: Kolb's experiential theory and its application

AbstractThis paper aims to make a limited contribution to Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory. An evaluation has been made of an empirically based personal narrative of the author's experiences, reflections and problems as an instructor of a management elective course at the undergraduate level. The paper examines the process of reflection, correction and learning from the perspective of the instructor and how the issue of race and origin of the student learners' can stimulate or hinder assimilation of knowledge within a classroom. The study reveals that it is essential for an educator to be critically reflective of his/her culture and that of his/her students to be able to assess their learning styles and adopt suitable and appropriate teaching pedagogies within the classroom. This paper draws attention towards types of teaching pedagogies, non traditional methods and aids and their effectiveness in educating students of diverse backgrounds. It provides insights about diversity within classrooms and its impact on teaching, pedagogies and learning styles of both educators and students, by portraying the journey of an educator and her process of self improvement.

Kolb's experiential learning model: critique from a modelling perspective

Kolb's experiential learning theory has been widely influential in adult learning. The theory and associated instruments continue to be criticized, but rarely is the graphical model itself examined. This is significant because models can aid scientific understanding and progress, as well as theory development and research. Applying accepted modelling and categorization criteria to Kolb's basic model reveals fundamental graphic syntax errors, a failure to meet modellers' graphic sufficiency and simplification tests, categorization and definitional problems relating to learning activities and typologies, misconstrued bi-polarities and flawed logic. We propose guidelines for recasting the model with a view to overcoming these weaknesses, guiding future research and theory development, and starting to integrate the disparate field of experiential learning.