Explain key influences on personal learning processes on individuals free essay sample

The Kolbs experimental learning cycle helps us to understand how adults learn. Cognitive abilities are how people learn. Kolbs identified two pairs of opposite factors, when these are combined together they show a learning cycle with four different stages of learning, each staged has to be followed in the correct sequence. The four stages are: Concrete experience – the doing stage where you carry out/participate in an action/actions. Reflective observations – the reviewing or reflecting stage. You think about what you did/what happened during the concrete stage. Abstract conceptualisation – the concluding stage in relation to the concrete experience (called the theorising stage sometimes). It is the stages where you use all the information you have gained about the experience to organise your thoughts into some sort of order and make sense of the experience. Active experimentation – this is the planning or trying out stage. The important point here is that you tackle an aspect of the activity differently from the first time. Describe Honey and Mumford’s theory of learning styles: Learning styles Characteristics Preferred learning situation Less favourable learning situation Activist †¢ Like to be involved †¢ Like new ideas †¢ Lose interest quickly †¢ ’Jump first/think later’ mentality †¢ Like to dominate †¢ New experiences †¢ Working with others †¢ Taking the lead †¢ Taking on difficult tasks †¢ Listening e. g. lectures or when passive †¢ Doing things on their own †¢ Working to the ‘rules’ Reflectors †¢ Like to observe from the edge of a group †¢ Consider things from a range of different perspectives †¢ Collect information before drawing conclusions †¢ Let others contribute before they do †¢ Observing from the edge of a group †¢ Time to think before contributing †¢ Analysing †¢ Working without tight deadlines †¢ Taking a lead or performing in front of others †¢ No time to prepare in advance †¢ Facing the unexpected †¢ Feeling rushed or pressurised by deadlines Theorists †¢ Like to bring together different ideas to produce new ways of looking at things †¢ Think logically †¢ Like things to fit into an ordered scheme †¢ Often detached and remote rather than emotional †¢ Like the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in complex situations †¢ Work with abstract ideas †¢ Opportunities to question and probe for information and ideas †¢ Like a clear structure and purpose †¢ Cannot identify with different approaches taken by others †¢ Lack of structure or purpose †¢ Working with emotions and feelings of others Pragmatists †¢Like to experiment/try things out †¢ Seek feedback from others †¢ Practical, liking to get on with things rather than talk about them †¢ Relate things to their own role †¢ Clear link between thinking and what has to be done †¢ Opportunity to try things out †¢ Like new ideas that have clear benefits †¢ Happy to copy from role models †¢ Cannot identify the relevance of what has to be done †¢ No guidance on how to do things †¢ If benefits are unclear †¢ Focus is only on theory and does not include practical aspects A range of influences that might impact an individual’s learning are: Previous educational experiences Informal learning Culture Health Lifestyle Time Learning style Access to books, the Internet IT skills Family Funding for study Specific learning need Friends Skills are used in the personal and professional development of a healthcare student/worker: Literacy Use writing to record information accurately about service user care. Read carefully to understand information. ICT Use ICT for documents, ideas, obtaining information from the Internet, intranet and email. Numeracy Numeracy is important when: Giving medication understanding clinical data in lab reports Communicating complex data using charts. Questioning Use questions to gather information for your own learning from placements, peers and tutors. Observation Use informal observation for learning from work placements. Use formal observation when gathering information about skills, routines and procedures. Feedback Feedback comes from tutors, placement staff and service users. Use feedback to recognise the Internet, other people, using skills strengths and areas for and routines. Reflection Reflect in order to make sense of information from reading, observation, the internet and other people. Planning Use planning for: Setting targets, identifying actions, prioritising, monitoring progress Further learning Care plans Sources of support for learning: Source of support Type of support Teaching Sharing of new knowledge, facilitating development of new understanding Tutorials Support from specific subject tutors or for your whole programme from a personal tutor – a two-way exchange Feedback This tells you what you have achieved and gives specific and/or general guidance to help you improve your work next time Coaching Specific training for practical skills and improved performance Supervision When someone oversees your work in a practical situation Mentoring When an experienced person provides guidance and advice about your work Meetings Sharing, discussing ideas, making decisions Help with specific learning needs These might include language, literacy, numeracy, sensory impairment – access might be needed to specialist tutors, equipment etc Seminars