Differentiated Teaching In High School Based On David A. Kolb’ S Learning Styles

DIFFERENTIATED TEACHING IN HIGH SCHOOL BASED ON DAVID A KOLB’ S LEARNING STYLES Ho Thu Quyen (VNU University of Education) Abstract Educators are striving to understand how the brain works and they are learning more and more about individual differences and learning styles They are taking advantage of opportunities to improve their teaching practice in the classroom and becoming lifelong learners to benefit from the latest research on learning theories Differentiation of teaching is encouraged t[.]

ON DAVID A KOLB’ S LEARNING STYLES

Ho Thu Quyen

(VNU University of Education)

Abstract: Educators are striving to understand how the brain works and they are learning more and more

about individual differences and learning styles They are taking advantage of opportunities to improve their teaching practice in the classroom and becoming lifelong learners to benefit from the latest research on learning theories Differentiation of teaching is encouraged to accommodate student diversity The literature on learning styles provides a powerful knowledge base to teachers who are seeking to understand how students learn in high school Learning styles are different approaches or ways of learning Most people would have a preference

to identifiable method of interacting with, taking in, and processing information It involves personalizing the educating methods, particular to an individual that are presumed to allow that individual to learn best When planning for instruction, inspiring teachers take into account individual differences in terms of knowledge levels, learning preferences and abilities displayed by learners This article helps the readers to understand the different learning styles based on the research work of David Kolb and discusses the approach the learning styles of learners to design effective teaching to meet the needs, interests, abilities, and experiences of the learners.

Keywords: differentiation; learning styles; personalised learning.

1 INTRODUCTION

Students come to class bringing with them their diverse cultural background, learning styles, interests, abilities and multiple intelligences The diversity of students in the classroom can result in a significant challenge for teachers when it comes to meeting the needs of all students Some students may find the lesson too easy while some find it too hard; some may find the topic interesting while some find

it boring It is the goal of differentiated instruction (DI) to reach out to each student and approach the lesson in a way that fits their learning styles, interests, abilities or multiple intelligences

Learning styles are various approaches or ways of learning They involve educating methods, unique

to each individual that are presumed to allow him/her to learn best Most people prefer an identifiable method of interacting with, taking in, and processing stimuli or information

2 CONTENT

2.1 Context and purpose of the study

Differentiated teaching is a current trend that emphasizes the ideology of democratizing schools, contributing to the diversion of students Differentiated teaching develops capacity, creates learners’ interests, and turns passions into learning motivation Thereby, career orientation for students was

formed This study aims to understand some aspects related to vocational education for high school students in Vietnam and suggesting some directions for developing differentiated teaching based on the new national curriculum

Differentiated Teaching is a beneficial teaching approach to address students’ varying educational levels Effective differentiation includes identifying students’ readiness levels, modifying instruction, applying collaboration and autonomy in learning, and integrating teaching and practice to enhance learning It gives students tools and methods to be self-directed, creative, and contextually responsive to seek for knowledge by using core principles and concepts

Learning styles are rather stable characteristic behaviors in young children but they change with maturity Educators can identify learning style preferences by observing the choices learners make and the behaviors they exhibit in the classroom By identifying an individual learning style, the teacher can deliver instruction that matches how he or she prefers to learn During the majority of the school day, learners are expected to listen, but listening is the least preferred sensory modality for taking in information for the majority of the student population Less than 30 percent of school age children are auditory When preferences are honored, learners demonstrate greater academic achievement and stronger desires for learning

Differentiated teaching was acknowledged to be a compelling and effectual means of restructuring the traditional classroom to include students of diverse abilities, interests and learning profiles Differential teaching has drawn a great deal of support, proof of which can be found in the plethora of testimonials, anecdotes and classroom examples available through a multitude of research, websites and publications dealing with differential teaching

2.2 Learning styles: a review of literature

Learning styles has appeared in the education literature for at least 40 years From the 1980s to the present day, different learning-style models have been developed building on previous discoveries In the ‘90s, the emphasis was placed on having teachers address learning styles in the classroom through adjustments in curriculum that incorporate each style, giving an equal chance for students to learn Learning style has become a popular word in the field of education In the world today, there are hundreds of different learning style models, each author of each model, when building his theory, gives

a separate definition for problem solving Therefore, to come up with a unified definition for learning styles is not easy

Keefe (1979) considers that learning styles as the “composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological factors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment.” (Keefe, J.W., 1979)

According to Rita Dunn (1983), learning style is based on the concept that individuals differ significantly in the way (or style) that they concentrate, absorb, and retain new information Rita Dunn defines learning style as the way in which each person begins to notice, process, acquire, and reproduce new content of knowledge This style, as Dunn (1983) described, “comprises a combination

of environmental, emotional, sociological, physical, and psychological elements that permit individuals

to receive, store, and use knowledge” (Dunn, R., Dunn, K., & Price, G E., 1984)

Stewart and Felicetti (1992) define learning styles as those “educational conditions under which a

student is most likely to learn” (Stewart, K.L., Felicetti, L.A., 1992) Thus, learning styles are not really concerned with what learners learn, but rather how they prefer to learn

Research into learning styles was originally associated with the theoretical domain of psychology (Cassidy, S., 2004) However, as learning style research spread into other fields, especially that of education, it began to influence teaching and learning practice (Curry, L., 1990)

Through studying the perspectives on learning styles, it can be seen that the core contents of the learning style definition are as follows:

• Learning styles are individual characteristics;

• Learning styles that include cognitive, emotional, and physiological characteristics;

• Learning style indicates the dominant way an individual receives, processes, and stores information in the learning environment;

• Relatively sustainable learning styles

Recent years have seen a change in the trends of education from pedagogy to andragogy i.e from

a teacher-centred learning to a student-centred learning Therefore, it is not only desirable but also essential for educators to recognize that students have different learning styles and that they should tailor instructions to the characteristic ways in which they prefer to learn

2.3 Kolb’s learning style and experiential learning theory

Kolb’s experiential learning theory posits four learning styles based on a four-stage learning cycle This theory helps us to understand the different and dominant learning styles of each individual learner, and also explains how this experiential learning cycle applies to all learners His experiential learning theories and models have been recognized by teachers and educational administrators as one of the greatest contributors to understanding and explaining human learning behavior and helping others learn

It complements Gardner’s concept of Multiple Intelligences and expands the VAK concept of learning styles, making it easier for teachers to apply teaching in the classroom The nature of Kolb’s learning styles and teaching design techniques will be detailed in the following sections

David A Kolb’s model is based on his experiential learning model, as explained in his book Experiential Learning (Kolb D.A, 1984) Kolb›s model outlines two related approaches toward grasping experience: Concrete Experience and Abstract Conceptualization, as well as two related approaches toward transforming experience: Reflective Observation and Active Experimentation According to Kolb’s model, the ideal learning process engages all four of these modes in response to situational demands; they form a learning cycle from experience to observation to conceptualization to experimentation and back to experience In order for learning to be effective, Kolb postulated, all four of these approaches must be incorporated As individuals attempt to use all four approaches, they may tend

to develop strengths in one experience-grasping approach and one experience-transforming approach, leading them to prefer one of the following four learning styles:

Accommodating (doing and feeling)

The Accommodating learning style is “hands-on” and relies on intuition rather than logic These people use other people’s analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach They are attracted

to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans

They commonly act on “gut” instinct rather than logical analysis Learners with an accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis This learning style is prevalent within the general population

Diverging (feeling and watching)

These learners are able to look at things from different perspectives They are sensitive They prefer

to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems They are best at viewing concrete situations from several different viewpoints

Kolb called this style ‘diverging’ because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming People with a diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information

They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts Learners with the diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback learners focus on concrete experience and reflective observation They prefer

to watch and reflect on what they’ve observed before jumping in

Assimilating (watching and thinking )

The assimilating learning preference involves a concise, logical approach Ideas and concepts are more important than people

These learners require good clear explanation rather than a practical opportunity They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organizing it in a clear, logical format

Learners with an assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value

This learning style is important for effectiveness in information and science careers In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through This learning style incorporates learners who favour abstract conceptualisation and reflective observation They like using analytical models to explore and prefer concepts and abstract ideas

Converging (doing and thinking)

Learners with a converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects

Learners with a converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems

Learners with a converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues A converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities Learners with a converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications They using this learning style focus on abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation They like to solve problems and enjoy applying learning to practical issues

Figure 1: Kolb’s learning cycle and experiential learning styles.

Effective learning is seen when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages: of (1) having a concrete experience followed by (2) observation of and reflection on that experience which leads to (3) the formation of abstract concepts (analysis) and generalizations (conclusions) which are then (4) used

to test hypothesis in future situations, resulting in new experiences

The essence of the experiential learning model is a spiral of four learning stages including: 1/ Reflective observation; 2/ Abstract conceptualisation; 3/ Active experimentation 4/Concrete experience; Learning will come from a contradiction between Concrete Experience and Abstract Concept, which

is simply the contradiction of the known and the unknown When resolving this contradiction, each learner may prefer to use abstract concepts or concrete experiences Learners who like the overview and awareness of the problem will prefer “Thinking”, while those who like the clarity and understanding of the problem will prefer “Feeling” when expressing and performing a learning experience Two ways of transforming the meaning of experience are Experimentation and Reflection, learners may prefer to use Experiment or Reflect Learners who like the extension, the outside of the problem will like “Doing”, while those who like the content, the content of the problem will prefer “Watching” when trying to apply the meaning of the problem experience

Kolb’s model gave rise to the Learning Style Inventory, an assessment method used to determine

an individual’s learning style According to this model, individuals may exhibit a preference for one of the four styles: Accommodating, Converging, Diverging and Assimilating, depending on their approach

to learning in Kolb’s experiential learning model

2.4 Teaching design in high school according to Kolb’s learning styles

2.4.1 Characteristics of learning activities and psychophysiological characteristics of high school students

High school students are aged between 15 sssssand 18 years old, also known as early youth This

is a very complicated age in terms of mind and physiology, the ability to think logically, abstractly, and creatively has made a new step, the thinking tendency, positive awareness in learning has created a good

premise for learning and teaching activities This age group has some outstanding psychological and learning characteristics as follows:

• About physical development

The age of high school students is the period of reaching physical maturity Physical development has entered the period of normal, harmonious and balanced development High school students have much better health and stamina than teenagers Physical development at this age has a certain influence

on psychology and personality, as well as choices in life of students

• About learning activities and intellectual development

- Characteristics of learning activities

Learning is still the basic activity of high school students, with higher requirements for positivity and intellectual independence To understand the subject deeply, it requires students to have a high level

of thinking, independence and creativity in learning activities

Attitudes towards learning of high school students have also changed They are self-conscious about learning for the future; begin to evaluate their learning from their future point of view Since then, high school students have a choice for each subject and study hard only those subjects that are considered important and have a direct impact on their future

Also at this age, interest and inclination towards learning have become more defined and expressed Students often have a steady interest in a certain science or field This has stimulated students’ desire to broaden and deepen their knowledge in their respective fields

- Characteristics of intellectual development

The age of high school students is an important period in intellectual development The manifestations of intellectual development in this period of students are: Sensation and perception have reached the adult level, creating conditions for the development of perceptive capacity in students; Memory development has helped students know how to use many methods of remembering, not just memorizing mechanically like before; Developed attention enables students to focus their attention on material that they are not interested in but understand its significance; Thinking activities, especially abstract thinking, thrive, helping to form in students abilities such as analysis, comparison, synthesis, generalization, abstraction, concretization

• About personality development

- The development of self-consciousness

Self-awareness is a prominent feature in the personality development of high school students, greatly influencing the psychological development of this age group The self-consciousness of high school students is manifested in the need to learn and self-assess their psychological characteristics according to social ethical standards, from the point of view of life purpose

The formation of worldview is a key feature in the psychology of youth in general, and high school students in particular, because they have a need to explore and learn about the world The formation

of a worldview is based on the knowledge that students learn at school; Through their daily practical experiences, through their attitudes towards the truth, goodness, and beauty, high school students also have a sense of building their own ideal of life

- Career trends

Students’ attitudes towards subjects become more selective The learning attitude of young students

is motivated by a structured learning motivation different from the previous age High school students have clearly appeared the need to choose a social position for themselves in the future associated with career trends By the end of high school, they have identified for themselves a stable interest in a certain subject, in a certain field of knowledge This interest is often associated with the student’s choice of a certain profession

In summary, at the high school age, students are those who are growing but not yet adults, those who receive information but are not yet erudite, those who are passionate but not passionate; the student’s relationships are less conflicting than those of the previous age; students have had certain independence

in thinking, in behavior, relatively more democratic relations, respect and listening; social relationships and contact with other people have expanded, the group of friends is more diverse, there are more pronounced value orientations; They expect teachers and parents to be friends and mentors

2.4.2 Features and requirements of the new high school education program

Vietnam is actively participating in the globalization and regionalization, especially in the era of industrial revolution 4.0 The general education program in 2018 will be implemented with important changes, especially for high schools Therefore, it is necessary to understand the current situation of education for high school students today to propose appropriate directions in education for students The general education program “ensures the development of learners’ quality and capacity through educational content with basic, practical and modern knowledge; harmonize virtue, wisdom, body, and beauty; focus on practice, applying knowledge to solve problems in study and life; highly integrated in the lower classes, gradually differentiated in the upper classes; through methods and forms of educational organization that promote the initiative and potential of each student, methods of testing and assessment

in accordance with educational goals and educational methods to achieve those goals” (Ministry of Education and Training, 2017)

The requirements to be met in terms of key qualities and core competencies are the basis for building curriculum and educational activities, compiling textbooks and teaching manuals, and evaluating educational outcomes students and the quality of general education Education is also not

as equal as it is today, but towards individualization according to the ability of each student Teaching content is integrated at lower levels and gradually differentiated at higher levels

The general educational program focuses on practice, applying knowledge to solve problems in learning and life Through methods and forms of educational organization, promote the initiative and potential of each student

The methods of testing and assessment will also change in accordance with the goals and educational methods to support education to achieve the goals

The general education program helps students develop the qualities and competencies of workers, awareness and civic personality, the ability to self-study and lifelong learning, the ability to choose suitable careers, the ability to adapt to changing living situations in the context of integration

2.4.3 The structure of a lesson according to Kolb’s learning styles

One of the problems of traditional teaching is the lack of diversity in the classroom The curriculum and teaching methods still apply to the majority This raises a question: How to maximize the individual

ability of each learner? And one of the pedagogical solutions offered is a differential teaching organization Characteristics of differential teaching are to detect and compensate for learning gaps, to motivate learning, to transform the passion in life into motivation in learning

Differentiated teaching is a current trend that emphasizes the ideology of democratizing schools, contributing to the diversion of students Differentiated teaching develops capacity, creates learners’ interests, and turns passions into learning motivation Thereby, career orientation for students was formed Teachers can start from the learners’ experience (which is common to all learners) as the basis for designing and choosing appropriate teaching methods to lead learners through all four stages of experiential learning fits four types of learning styles From there, we propose the structure of a lesson according to the learners’ learning style, including the following steps:

Step 1: Introduce the topic

Learners have a “Diverging” learning style, tend to learn using Specific Experience - Reflective Observation, the typical question of learners in this learning style is Why? When learning, “why” learners want to know how that learning content relates to their experiences, interests, and career future

To be effective for “why” learners, the teacher should act as a facilitator

Teachers should introduce the topic of study, analyze the goals of knowledge and skills to be achieved in order to form motivation, interest in learning, and help learners see the value of the lesson Teachers can start with a story, or a career situation, or a game, to attract attention, recall the experience that students had in previous lessons From there, introduce the objectives and structure of the lesson

Step 2: Give a new lesson

In step 2, teachers need to perform three stages of teaching corresponding to the remaining three stages in the experiential learning model

Stage 1: Theory

Learners have an “Assimilating” learning style, with a tendency to learn using Reflective Observation – Abstract concepts, typical questions of learners in the learning style What is this episode? - Can you tell me what I need to learn? When learning, “what” learners want to know the theory, the information

is presented logically, and have time to think about ideas To be effective for “what” learners, teachers should act as experts

Teaching activities: Teachers should provide information through documents, diagrams, movies, discussions, conversations, etc to help learners form abstract concepts, analyze data about topics learning problems, thereby proposing ideas for solving learning problems Teachers should give priority

to learners to have the opportunity to evaluate and judge knowledge, compare with their own experiences

to draw new knowledge, propose new projects and ideas

Stage 2: Apply, plan to solve the problem (Application)

Learners have a “Converging” learning style, tending to use the concept of the school - Experiment, questions characteristic of learners in this learning style How? May I try it? When learning, “How” learners want well-defined tasks and learn by trial and error in an environment that allows them to fail safely To be effective for “how” learners, teachers should act as evaluators, providing implementation guidance and feedback

Teaching activities: Teachers guide learners by giving previous experiences, advice, and feedback when learners define goals, options, and plan to solve problems Teachers can demonstrate samples,

or let learners discover problems, experiment to recognize by trial and error, etc The teacher acts as a mentor and assessor Learners can study in groups or individually Some learning activities are oriented for learners in this stage such as: analyzing lecture examples, simulation research, project research, role-playing, etc

Stage 3: Implement problem solving and feeling (Practice - Felling)

Learners have an “Accommodative” learning style, with a tendency to use Experimental - Specific experiences, typical questions of learners in this learning style What if? – May I present my own experience? When learning, “What if” learners want to apply new knowledge in situations to solve real-world problems To be effective for “how” learners, teachers should act as Coaches, allowing learners to make the most of their own experiences and derive value from the lessons

Teaching activities: Teachers let learners apply the plan to solve the problem in practice, discover the problem and solve it by themselves Teachers evaluate learning and encourage learners to guide each other in the form of group work Teacher feedback helps learners perceive learning outcomes and

is constructive Some learning activities are oriented for students in this stage such as: analyzing lecture examples, role-playing, simulation, practical experience, etc

Step 3: Consolidate knowledge, end the lesson

Learners tend to have an overview of the lesson structure and make contact with reality to see the value of the lesson

Teaching activities: Teachers can emphasize the focus of the lesson, assess the objectives introduced

in the introduction by asking questions to test the understanding of learners, and provide The feedback answers questions, orients the role and value of the lesson for the following lessons, with careers in practice If possible, teachers can quickly apply the steps in the experiential learning model in this section using quick questions, assessments, feedback, etc

3. CONCLUSION

The history of special education has included a focus on individualizing instruction since its earliest days From the theory and practice, students have their own personalities so teaching should focus on specific development, personal competence, and need to create an environment for gifted students to have an opportunity to develop their talent, forte And the teaching management in that approach can neither be stereotyped, mechanical, rigid, imposing on the subject, nor be freely subjected and arbitrarily taught Teaching management is created according to the vivid practice of the object

Differential teaching is an indispensable trend in today’s society Differential teaching is based on the actual demand of class There is always the difference in the levels of awareness of each member, ensuring good teaching purposes and encouraging maximum development of the individual’s ability Kolb’s learning stages and cycle could be used by teachers to critically evaluate the learning provision typically available to learners, and to develop more appropriate learning opportunities

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