Developing Learning and Reflective Practice: Structured Interviews and Tools

Developing learning and reflective practice

Interviewer: Tell me about how the current learning process has affected you.

Interviewee: Initially, my greatest challenge was getting the teacher to realise the learning strategies that made a difference.

Interviewer: What are your views on using guided reading strategies?

Interviewee: I find it difficult to adapt to standardised learning styles. Given an option, I would go for individualised instruction.

Interviewer: Have you had opportunities to realise and build your desired learning styles.

Interviewee: In most cases, yes. We are offered chances to read individually from different topics to create an alternative experience. Questions are presented to make us build reflective skills. We are offered discussion platforms to analyse different topics.

Interviewer: What are the positives that have come from this experience?

Interviewee: I have benefited from collaborating with other students while seeking the teacher’s guidance.

The interview questions were administered through a face-to-face interview to elaborate on questions that seemed unclear to the interviewee. The analysis is based on the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, which suggests that learning is best viewed as a process. According to Pritchard (2005), to promote learning, the principal focus should be on involving students in a process that advances their learning. Essentially, education should be conceived as an ongoing reconstruction of experience (Pritchard 2005). In this case, it is shown that the interviewed student prefers an experimental learning style. In other words, the interviewee is an accommodator because he shows the desire to carry out plans and experiments, and he adjusts to immediate situations. An experimental learning style is essential in making students reflect on themselves as learners. Students are allowed to think of one context where, in their perspective, they learned something by themselves.

Kolb’s approach can be viewed as a presentation of the learning process in general. However, his focus on reflection puts his style in the experience-based category. In his framework, Kolb seeks to demonstrate how experience is translated into concepts through reflection. Kolb argues that such experience is grown through a learning cycle. Finlayson (2016, p. 9) posits that Kolb further shows that students ‘may choose diverse learning styles in different circumstances, but they tend to put more emphasis on certain styles as compared to others’. When left on their own, students tend to adopt the easiest measures for them. Similarly, teachers can be tempted to use teaching techniques based on their personal experiences, which might be different from what is required. Thus, teachers need to exploit various learning styles to ensure the learning needs of diverse learners are met.

Based on Kolb’s learning framework, four learning styles are identified in this section, and they include assimilators, divergers, convergers, and accommodators. According to Finlayson (2016, p. 11), assimilators employ inductive reasoning, and they manifest the potential to build theoretical models’. Divergers perceive circumstances from different dimensions, and they depend on the brainstorming of ideas. Finlayson (2016, p. 11) holds that convergers ‘depend on hypothetical-deductive reasoning’. Accommodators entail the group that carries out experiments and fits to the current situations. Students learn effectively when the topic is given in line with their preferred learning style. The essence is to enable students to self-direct and focus on inclusive development where the person is well endowed with all of the four learning strategies.

The rationale behind Kolb’s framework is that it has many benefits for learners and instructors. The benefits include the view that this framework can be used widely in all areas of the learning discipline. Individuals and teams alike can use this model. Besides, it helps instructors in building a diverse aware learning environment. Kolb helps learners and instructors in realising how to combine different styles towards effective learning.

For instance, using theory to teach about organisational behaviour, in an opening lecture, students should be allowed to read various materials on this topic on their own to gain concrete experience. The instructor should introduce the main questions to trigger reflection on their reading. The lecturer gives the students an opportunity for students to try out theoretical arguments regarding the topic. During the next lesson, the students should present their views. The lecturer should lead a session to expound the theoretical positions as well as what such arguments reveal about