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 Personal Power Products 1735 Evergreen Lane Plymouth, MN 55441 Phone: FAX: Web Site: 763-551-1708 763-201-7865 www.personalpowerproducts.com Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 3 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 Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 4 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: Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 5 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. Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 6 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? Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 7 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 Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 8 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 Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 9 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?” Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 10 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 Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com 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 Page 11 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? Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 12 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? Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com Page 13 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?” Personal Power Products © 2003 1735 Evergreen Lane, Plymouth, MN 55441-4102, 763-551-1708 www.personalpowerproducts.com 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