Question

Give an example of how you learn and describe in details by using Kolb’s Learning Cycle. Based on that, illustrate how you lead people to learn with reference to Kolb’s Learning Cycle. (500words)

Answer 1

The Kolb's learning cycle published as part of David Kolb's learning theory focusses of internal cognitive processes and experience and how it can assist in learning.

The Kolb's learning cycle consists of four phases:

1. Concrete experience
2. Reflective observation of new experience
3. Abstract conceptualization
4. Active experimentation

Ideally, when a person passes through all four stages learning can be effective. It can be simplified this:

Experience -> Reflect -> Conceptualize -> Test

It has to be repeated everytime a new experience happens.

To know better about the learning theory, let's go deeper into each of the phases:

1. Concrete experience: A concrete experience is when one comes across a new situation, circumstance or experience. It could also be an existing experience seen in new light.
2. Reflective observation: Once the experience happens and is identified as a new experience, it is important to reflect on it in order to identify whether the experience is taken as is and there are no misinterpretations. So, the experience should be reflected such that the understanding of the experience and the experience itself are one and the same.
3. Abstract conceptualization: There are some underlying ideas in the mind related to the experience just had. How does this experience alter the underlying idea or assumption?
4. Active experimentation: Based on how the experience has affected the perception, this will have to be tested in the real world, otherwise known as the application of the lesson learned.

Give an example of how you learn and describe in details by using Kolb’s Learning Cycle.

The example I am going to illustrate today about the application of Kolb's learning cycle is:

Learning to write an essay (or) research paper

1. I'd ask a senior or mentor to pick a topic and let me know.
2. I'd just start putting my thoughts into a paper about the chosen topic
3. I'd review it and get insights on what and how the paper could be written better
4. After equipping myself by reading more and putting my thoughts in cohesive order, I'd rewrite the paper.

The above steps directly correlate to Kolb's learning theory:

1. Concrete experience: I'd ask a senior or mentor to pick a topic and let me know. I'd just start putting my thoughts into a paper about the chosen topic
2. Reflective observation: I'd review it and get insights into what and how the paper could be written better
3. Abstract conceptualization: Equipping myself by reading more and putting my thoughts in cohesive order
4. Active experimentation: I'd rewrite the paper.

Based on that, illustrate how you lead people to learn with reference to Kolb’s Learning Cycle.

I lead people to learn using Kolb's Learning Cycle by using the following strategies:

1. Let people experience something first hand - such as reading an article, watching a documentary, listening to a podcast etc.,
2. Let the person introspect on how the experience was and what was their takeaways.
3. Provide assistance and support in order to ensure a better learning experience for all involved.
4. Apply the learning and see how results fare in the real world.

Kolb's learning cycle is an effective learning tool as there are a personal introspection and learning experience that is very experiential.