KOLB LEARNING

INVENTORY
 Learning Style Inventory

• The Learning Style Inventory is derived from an experiential theory and

model of learning developed by Kolb (1984) and based on the seminal
contributions of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin & Jean Piaget.

• In this experiential model, learning is viewed as a continually recurring

problem solving process in the four-stage cycle
 Concrete
Experience

Active Reflective
Experimentation Observation

Abstract
Conceptualization
 Abstract
Concrete Experience Reflective Observation Conceptualization Active Experimentation

Involved in experiences and understand the meaning of use logic, ideas, and actively influencing people
dealing with immediate human ideas and situations by concepts and changing situations
situations in a personal way carefully observing and
describing them

emphasizes feeling more than emphasizes reflection and thinking rather than emphasizes practical
thinking understanding over action feeling applications as distinct
and practical application from reflective
understanding

concern with the uniqueness concern with what is true or concern with building pragmatic concern with
and complexity of present how things happen over general theories rather what works rather than with
reality over theories and what will work than intuitively what is absolute truth;
generalizations understanding unique,
specific areas

intuitive, "artistic" approach More of observing and then scientific more than an an emphasis on doing,
over a systematic, scientific doing artistic approach to more than observing.
approach to problems problems
 Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory
Concrete Experience

Accommodators Divergers

Active Reflective
Experimentation Observation

Convergers Assimilators

Abstract Conceptualization
 Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory

• Divergers - view situations from many perspectives and rely

heavily upon mind storming and generation of ideas
• Assimilators - use inductive reasoning and have the ability to
create theoretical models
• Convergers - rely heavily on hypothetical-deductive reasoning
• Accommodators - carry out plans and experiments and adapt to
immediate circumstances
 The ‘Creator’ (Diverging The ‘Planner’ (Assimilating The ‘Decision maker’ The ‘Do-er’
style) style) (Converging style) (Accommodating style)

Strengths • Take information through • ability to take in new • Able to take in new • ability to take in new
concrete experience and information abstractly and information in the abstract information concretely
processing it through powers process disparate and process it into a and transform it actively.
of observation. observations into an concrete solution. • adapt to changing
• Imaginative ability enables integrated rational • Hypothetical deductive circumstances.
you to generate many explanation. reasoning to arrive at a • want to learn and work
alternative ideas. • good at inductive reasoning single best solution to a with others
• Love brainstorming. & creation of models and question or problem. • comfortable learning
• Interested in people and are theories. • ability to solve problems through practical
very feeling-oriented • systematic planner and goal and make decisions. experience.
setter.

Weakness • Become overwhelmed by • tendency to create ‘castles • premature • can be seen as ‘pushy’.
alternatives and in the air’. definition of the problem. • spend a lot of time
indecisiveness. • slender grip on the practical making trivial
implications. improvements

Action • Try not to • Avoid premature discussion • Avoid focusing prematurely • win commitment from
• prioritize urgent challenges of solutions and make sure or creating unproductive the rest of the team
above important challenges, the critical facts are known. conflict and competition before taking action.
or treat mere symptoms as • avoid unnecessary
challenges. conflict and competition