LEARNING STYLES INVENTORY
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
BY
PERSONAL POWER PRODUCTS
Page 2
THE FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
This facilitator’s guide is designed to accompany The Learning Styles Inventory by Janet
Hagberg and Terry Donovan. It provides specially designed group exercises, small group
discussion questions, and applications to the lives of individuals as well as work teams. It is
essential that facilitators first thoroughly review The Learning Styles Inventory, a sixteenpage booklet which provides the following:
 An introduction to learning styles and the four major abilities involved in learning,
namely thinking, feeling, observing, and doing.
 The inventory itself with instructions and scoring.
 Quadrant descriptions of the four styles.
 A two-page description of each of the four styles including how learners with each
style approach a new job, turn in reports, manage others, handle job and career
change, and learn a new skill. Information is provided on how to manage and
supervise people with each of these styles and how to encourage the development
of their styles.
 A humorous look at our styles and the association of a car and animal name with
each style.
 An exploration of the assets and liabilities of each of the four styles along with ways
to increase one’s style flexibility.
 Pages 10 to 14 can be copied for participant handouts and made into overheads.
Pages 2 to 9 of this booklet are copyrighted and cannot be copied
Learning Styles Inventory : A Facilitator’s Guide
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USING THE LEARNING STYLES INVENTORY
There are many excellent opportunities to employ the learning styles inventory within
businesses, public, and non-profit agencies. Among these are the following:
For team-building and group process: The Learning Styles Inventory can help
your staff members to appreciate each other’s style contributions, understand some
of the tension in work relationships that may develop, make valuable adjustments in
work assignments based on style strengths, develop more balanced approaches to
staff meetings and in-services, and appreciate the need for developing more
situational approaches to training and supervision based on the learning styles of
those you are teaching or supervising.
For strategic planning processes: As a facilitator, consider dividing up your
strategic planning group according to their learning styles which increases comfort
and output for the group. You can also consider assigning parts of the planning
process according to style expertise: Imaginative learners for the mission and vision,
Practicals for initial goal setting, Logicals for refining goals and work plans and
Enthusiastics for implementation.
For trainers: An understanding of the differing learning styles is essential for those
who lead learning events for adults. It helps trainers understand the differing styles of
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those in their seminars and develop training materials and learning activities that
match the learning styles of the students.
For employee or volunteer orientation: New members of work teams, whether
paid employees or unpaid volunteers learn about the life and work of the
organization in differing ways and will benefit from a variety of approaches to
orientation and assimilation.
For career development and job coaching: The insights of the Learning Styles
Inventory can help adults choose learning environments, jobs and teaching methods
that will be energizing and rewarding for them.
For diversity training: Users of the Learning Styles Inventory have found the tool
to be a good method for identifying differences and similarities (race, gender, job
class, income) between people in a non-threatening manner. Discussions about
differences in learning styles can lead into discussions about more sensitive topics.
Opening Story About the Stages of Learning
A session on learning styles often begins with a story from the facilitator’s own
experience in making a decision, planning an event or working on a team or a project using
each of the four learning styles. Here is a sample story using all the learning styles:
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The first time I bought a car alone I used only the Enthusiastic stage of learning. The
entire process was based on my emotions and relationships. I went to a car dealership
where close friends had purchased their vehicle. Once there I looked for a similar model.
The salesman was friendly (not pushy). I quickly chose a navy blue car of the same model
as my friends. I did no negotiating but simply paid the sticker price.
Later my family and friends informed me there were better ways to buy cars! My
mother, for example, read Consumer Reports thoroughly before purchasing her car. Others
told me about the importance of comparison shopping among dealerships as a method to
avoid impulse buying and gather additional data about cars. In this new stage of observation
and reflection, I used the Imaginative style of learning.
Two years later I traded my car in and prepared to buy another. This time I decided to
test my recent learning in a new situation. I would use the Logical learning style and plot out
specific steps in the buying process. I began shopping only after carefully researching my
bottom line and determining just what I could afford. I switched to the Practical learning style
and went to several dealerships and test drove two or three different models. I walked out of
one dealership dissatisfied with the deal they offered. I was on my way out the door at a
second dealership when the salesman caught up to me and said he’d attempt to talk to his
manager one more time. I finally bought my car there at a much cheaper price than the
sticker price. Granted, the car was still the same brand as the one I bought two years
earlier and I chose a silver car still one of my colors, but this time, however, I had tried to
use all the abilities and styles involved in learning and good decision making. I experienced
more stress as I tried to act in new and unfamiliar ways, but it paid off in considerable
savings. I was proud of myself.
Note: This illustration starts with Enthusiastic styles and Imaginative styles of learning and
adds the Practical and Logical styles to buy the car. Other people who have only consulted
Consumer Reports and done comparison shopping (Imaginative and Logicals) might want
to experience the other learning styles by imagining their new car and looking for a person
or dealership they can trust to buy a car at a reasonable price thus adding Enthusiastic and
Imaginative learning styles to their experience.
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Individual and Small Group Processing
After participants have read the instructions, completed the Learning Styles inventory
and scored it (pages 4-6 of the Learning Styles Inventory), invite them to show their
“box(es) profile” (represented on page 6 of the Learning Styles Inventory) to several other
people in the group. The visual representations of our profiles can serve as vivid reminders
of the rich diversity of our gifts.
Following this sharing, encourage participants to read the descriptions of each style (see
page 7 of the Learning Styles Inventory), beginning with their own quadrant(s) and then
reading each of the others. The facilitator might suggest that group members place check
marks by parts of the description that sound especially like them. Alternatively, on a flip
chart or overhead transparency show the frequency of each style in the group.
Invite them to gather in smaller groups according to their styles and discuss the
following questions listed on an overhead slide or flip chart.
Discussion Questions for Small Groups:
 Do you find your style a surprise or is it a confirmation of what you had previously
sensed to be true?
 What 1 or 2 strengths are associated with your style?
 What do people of other styles find challenging in your style?
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 How do you feel and behave when a situation requires:
 a style different from your own?
 working with others whose style is different from yours?
 How do you think your style impacts your family/friendship and work life?
When the small discussion groups have completed their work, elicit a few summary
insights from the various groups about their style.
 What does this say about the strengths and weaknesses of this group?
 When working on a task, what does each style bring to a task?
Learning Styles and Teamwork
After a break, participants should re-gather in style groups, and the facilitator can assign
a specific problem to be solved or a project to be completed. (Depending on the comfort
level of the group, you could pass out stickers representing the animal names for each style
and ask participants to put the appropriate sticker on their name tag).
They might be asked to develop a comprehensive program or strategy for your
organization; decide three major priorities for your work team for the coming year; solve the
problem of “x” or plan a vacation. Give each group anywhere from thirty minutes to a
couple hours, depending upon the length of the event and the type of problem or project
assigned. Ask the groups to each report back to the full group at a given time. (This
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exercise works especially well on leadership retreats or other lengthier events and is best
done in a site where groups can meet in separate rooms.)
When the groups report back, note the results of their deliberations, the processes each
used, and their respective forms of reporting. Expect some lively results and differences! In
one large conference of educators, for example, the Practicals reported back with several
flip chart drawings and a skit; the Enthusiastics had quickly finished their task and adjourned
to play volleyball; the Logicals reported with extensive charts in Roman numeral outline
form; and the Imaginatives came back with no report because they were still circling and
considering all the options. They hadn’t had time to finish!
If you have time, assign participants to mixed-style groups and provide another problemsolving situation or project and go through the same process as before. Alternatively, on a
leadership retreat, invite participants to meet with others from their own work team or
committee and address a real problem or challenge currently before their own team. At the
conclusion, participants will likely report higher stress levels and more disagreement in their
groups, although you will find that the outcomes may be more balanced.
Alternative Activities
Ask participants to identify a major decision they have made or problem they have
solved in the past couple of years. Then have people write down chronologically each of the
steps they took to make that decision, and compare those behaviors with the learning style
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characteristics of each style. (This exercise helps people to identify in what ways their style
preferences may have led them to skip over some important steps in the process of
problem solving.) Gather participants into groups of four with one representative of each of
the four learning styles or, alternatively, try to group people by the common types of
decisions made — for example, put together people who made career decisions, moved to
a new community, made decisions to purchase a house or car, decisions to marry, and so
forth. Ask each group to discuss their discoveries from this exercise and its implications for
their own problem solving and decision making. Emphasize attention to one’s blind spots
resulting from strong style preferences.
Another alternative at end of a work session is to break back into small groups by
styles and ask questions such as:
o
For Enthusiastics, “What ideas, worksheets, etc. might be put to immediate
use”
o
For Imaginatives, “How does what we are doing fit with other organizational
development (or teambuilding) theories and practices? Is there anything we
failed to consider in the task?”
o
For Practicals, “For what type of organizational (or teambuilding or
communication) challenges is what we are doing best suited?”
o
For Logicals, “What further information would you like to have to make you
feel more comfortable with our direction? Are our goals clear and
compelling?”
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Learning Styles
Enthusiastic Learners
“Feel It and Do It”
Imaginative Learners
“Feel It and See It”








Learn by doing
Think trial and error is a fine
approach
Ask: When can we start?
Dislikes too much detail
Likes risk, change and
incentives to the point of
impulsiveness
Need the opportunity to be
involved




Learn by reflection
Think it’s possible to get it
right the first time
Ask: What’s the big
picture?
Dislike moving too fast.
Look for ways to fit current
situation into existing
theories and models
Need the opportunity to
build knowledge
Practical Learners
“ Think and Act”
Logical Learners
“Think and Plan”










Learn by testing
Think about the shortest
route between two points
Ask: What will work?
Dislike anything irrational
Need the opportunity to
prove theory through action
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Learn by plotting the course
Think about cause and effect
Ask: What’s the goal?
Dislike insufficient data
Need the opportunity to
flesh out the details
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Discussion Questions for Small Groups:
1. Do you find your style a surprise or is it a
confirmation of what you had previously sensed
to be true?
2. What 1 or 2 strengths are associated with your
style?
3. What do people of other styles find challenging
in your style?
4. How do you feel and behave when a situation
requires:
 a style different from your own?
 working with others whose style is
different from yours?
5. How do you think your style impacts your
family/friendship and work life?
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Discussion Questions for Entire Group
What does this say about the strengths
and weaknesses of this group?
When working on a task, what does each
style bring to a task?
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Enthusiastics, “What ideas, worksheets, etc.
might be put to immediate use”
Imaginatives, “How does what we are doing fit
with other organizational development (or
teambuilding) theories and practices? Is there
anything we failed to consider in the task?”
Practicals, “For what type of organizational (or
teambuilding or communication) challenges is
what we are doing best suited?”
Logicals, “What further information would you
like to have to make you feel more comfortable
with our direction? Are our goals clear and
compelling?”
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1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708
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How to Interact with People with Different Learning Styles
The Receiving Style
The Giving Style
Enthusiasts
Imaginatives
Practicals
Logicals
Encourage another
enthusiastic to meet with
others, expand their
network, and get involved.
Provide them with frequent
feedback.
Ask an imaginative what
they think and give them
ample time to respond.
Also, realize that personal
relationships and feedback
on their ideas are important
to them.
Give a practical the
latitude and freedom to
experiment and test out
their ideas. Encourage
them to use their
detective skills and use
reason and logic to
meet goals.
Provide a logical with
well-organized
assignments, facts,
resources, and a free
reign to accomplish
them.
Involve an enthusiastic in
creating the big picture.
Get them to help you
define it! Draw on their
excitement, inspiration and
willingness to jump in.
Spend time building
relationships with other
imaginatives. Be open to
their ideas and share
information with.
Be sure to describe the
vision and goal with a
practical. Give them the
resources they need,
and then allow them to
experiment and test out
ideas on their own.
Capitalize on and learn
from how a logical
gather facts and
organizes ideas. Ask for
their help to plan, set
goals and formulate the
best approach to solving
the problem.
Solicit help from an
enthusiastic to try and test
your ideas. Trust their
intuition and admire their
risk taking.
Take time to actively listen
to imaginatives or you'll
miss out on good and
creative ideas. Also, share
your ideas with imaginatives
using visuals (e.g. charts,
etc.)
Encourage a practical to
seek out input and ideas
from others. Help them
to reflect on their own
progress. Reward them
for solving problems.
Help a logical to find the
right resources and a
working model or
process. Give them
assurance that they are
competent but keep
pushing them toward the
goal.
When communicating with
an enthusiastic, present
only the essential facts and
ideas in a short wellorganized way.
With imaginatives, be sure
to identify the link between
your ideas and the big
picture. Illustrate the many
different methods and/or
approaches to solving a
problem.
Understand how a
practical sets and
achieves their goals.
Observe their detective
skills and how they
experiment and test out
new ideas. See how
they use one idea to
identify other ideas.
Encourage a logical to
share their ideas,
resources, and approach
to solving problems.
Focus on facts and
abstract ideas rather
than feelings.
Your Learning Style
Enthusiasts
Imaginative
Practical
Logical