Overview:
Use this lesson plan to gauge student learning preferences in the classroom, and help students become more aware of the strengths and challenges of each style.
Activity (Methodology):
Self-Inventory
Time:
15-30 minutes depending on discussion
Materials Needed:
Learning Styles Inventory, Scoring, and Summary Worksheets (1 per student), writing utensil
Applicable Content Areas:
This activity is intended to be self-reflective and has a short graphing component. As such, it pairs well with both English Language Arts and Math, though it is also useful to any other content area where different classroom methods or project choices are offered to students.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify into which category of learning style they fit.
- List both strengths and challenges of their tested learning style type.
- Explain how they can use this new knowledge in future learning situations.
Getting Started:
Distribute the Learning Styles Inventory, Scoring, and Summary Worksheets to each student:
Directions:
1. Instruct students to take about 3-5 minutes to complete their ratings on the Learning Styles Inventory Worksheet. For each question, students should rank each statement 1-4, (1 being the least applicable to them, and 4 being the most applicable to them).
2. NOTE: Students are not allowed to give the same number ranking to more than one statement in each question, nor are they permitted to indicate zero.
3. When finished, instruct students to add up each column and record the total values on the bottom of their worksheet.
Each column corresponds to a different learning style as follows:
Column 1: Concrete Experience (CE)
Column 2: Reflective Observation (RO)
Column 3: Abstract Conceptualization (AC)
Column 4: Active Experimentation (AE)
While these scores alone tell us what style of learning students might prefer, learning styles are not exclusive and most people tend to prefer a combination of styles according to where they fall on two different continuums. The Active-Reflective continuum and the Abstract-Concrete Continuum.
4. To calculate the combination scores, refer students to the Learning Inventory Scoring Worksheet. Instruct students to subtract CE (column 1) from AC (column 3), and RO (column 2) from AE (column 4) as shown below:
5. If completed correctly, students should be left with two different numbers, they can use to graph on the blank coordinate plane provided at the bottom of the Scoring Worksheet. The first calculation is the Y axis (vertical), and the second calculation is the X axis (horizontal).
6. Each of the four possible quadrants corresponds to a learning style type. The plotted mark indicates the combination learning type each student prefers based on their indicated preferences. Students may be an Accommodator, Diverger, Converger, or Assimilator.
Discussion/Follow Up:
To debrief, use the Learning Style Summary Sheet provided to help students gain insight into their possible strengths and challenges based on their tested style. You may also consider asking your students the following to spark discussion:
- How do the results of the inventory explain your learning preferences?
- Do you agree/disagree with their result? Explain.
- How might these results change over time?
- How can this information help you understand yourself and others both inside and outside of the classroom?
- How can you apply these new insights to your other classes or future learning situations?
Virtual Implementation:
This lesson can easily be implemented virtually by providing the students with digital versions of the required materials. You may also consider using a Google Jamboard or similar tool for students to graph and compare their tested style with the classroom in one visual format.