Kolb’s Model of Reflection on Week

University of the People

Educ-5410: Child Development

Dr. Tiffany James Parker

July 11th, 2024

Portfolio by Jonah, Aniefiok James

Upon my reflection of Kolb’s (1984) model with respect to multiple kinds of

intelligence and learning styles, I begin to better understand how students’

experiences differ due to their dominant intelligence and/or learning style. As a

teacher, the type of activities I give the students opportunity to engage in, has a

profound effect on their learning processes and outcome. Active learning as the words

imply is the direct involvement of students in learning activities. It is a learner-

centered strategy that encourages engagements, interactions and, formative

assessment of outcomes via reflection between teachers and students and students and

students. In other words, active learning promotes the effective use of these

intelligences and learning styles Saunders & Wong (2020).

The 3 major learning styles according to what's your learning style? (n.d.) are: Visual,

Auditory and Tactile. While the multiple intelligence kinds according to Gardner

(1978) are: Linguistic, Logical/Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily Kinesthetic, Musical,

Inter-personal, Intra-personal, and Critical Evaluation.

Analyzing the learning styles and multiple Intelligences, I can draw similarities and

differences between them. Though the concepts are dinstinct, they are interwoven in

any respects. I could say multiple intelligences refer to different intellectual abilities

that people have while learning styles refer to how people prefer to use those abilities

to learn or solve problems. For example, the student with linguistic and musical

abilities as dominant intelligences, would likely use the auditory learning style as a

conduit to learning and receiving instruction.

The process of harnessing experiences into knowledge akin to Kolb’s reflective

Model using students learning styles and dominant intelligences is mostly hinged on
some kind of active learning in the classroom or outside. I am a lot more observant

and deliberate about these activities. For example, if I have mostly visual or tactile

learners in my class, I will employ role plays, videos, flashcards and the likes for class

activities while the rest of the students who auditory learners will use music, read

aloud and comprehension passages to strengthen their learning experiences. In my

practice so far as a teacher, reflection has been a key tool for me to assess and

evaluate my progress, the effect and outcome of my teaching on the students’ learning

experiences. In this reflective portfolio, I will show how my reflection on the different

learning styles and kinds of intelligences have impacted my experiences and students’

experiences in and out of the classroom as a teacher.

Concrete Experience: “what I did” section

As a teacher, it is very important to know the levels and background of my students

before developing lesson plans and classrooms activities. From Howard Gardner’s

theory of multiple intelligence which proposes that one's intelligence can be broken

down into eight different categories (Zhou & Brown, 2015). I am aware that learners

have diverse unique preferred learning styles with each style tied to how they

understand the concepts. Just like learners, teachers were once learners and they are

lifelong learners, thus, they may favour some teaching approaches compared to

others. For example, I prefer using debates, role-play, project based learning and other

strategies in most of my lessons to help me reach out to the three major learning styles

and eight intelligences. These strategies I believe motivate and keep the majority of

the learners engaged and gain experiences. Learners could experience learning

through actively participating in debates where they communicate through talking and

listening, projects where they get involved in tactile or hands on skills and role-plays

where they show case skills and traits of characters involved in the roles afterwards.
 Reflective Observations: “what I wonder” section

For me, when students learn by observing, they tend to grow their curiosity which is

very important for critical thinking and problem solving. For example, the

observations made by students with dominant spatial/graphic and

logical/mathematical intelligence could make deeper sense of the instructions by

asking critical questions, analyzing processes or even creating a new idea or concept

depending on their level. In a social studies class, they could ask questions like I

wonder what could happen if the rich and poor were given equal opportunities to

learn in the same classroom and conditions. As a teacher, I have a responsibility

observe and make efforts on how students with multiple intelligences and learning

styles would thrive in my classroom with learning experiences drawn from the

observations made during instructional time and active experiences`.

Abstract Conceptualization: “what I learned/so what?” section

Reading further, I realize that as a teacher, I can discover multiple intelligences by

understanding the unique experiences of how students think about concepts and their

imagination. “Kolb (1984) has suggested that one of the students’ greatest abilities is

to create theoretical models in assimilating disparate observations into an integrated

explanation. Logical rather than practical aspects of the society appeal more to them

Kaushik, (2017, p.333)”. For me this speaks to a spatial/graphic learner with some

tinge of linguistic intelligence. For example, Shakespeare developed his literary

methods based on his own intuitive unique concept of writing without recourse to the

practice of the time.

In my teaching practice, I make very deliberate and conscious efforts to make learning

active and flexible. As a teacher, I facilitate the learning process and allow the

students to latch on to the opportunities available in the classroom to express their

abilities and develop them through hands on practical activities. I now understand that

teachers can encourage and discover multiple intelligences when they focus on the

different approaches to learning and activities. Learners who might not perform so

well on a paper-based assessment might do better in problem-solving or puzzles or

discussion or group work. Therefore, it would be perfect to set up a system with the

Universal Design for Learning approach. The idea underlying UDL, according to

Stanford (2009), is that teachers should prepare for the achievement of every student

from the exceptional to the middle level and lower level of the spectrum. The UDL

first of all ascertains the goals of learning and prepares in advance what needs to be

done before learning starts. It prepares children for success rather waiting for failure

before remediation or interventions are done. My resources will always create

opportunities for students to express their intelligences. For example, to find out if a

learner has linguistic intelligence, I create opportunities for discussions, read aloud

sessions, debates and essay writing. Those that demonstrate high levels of literacy

skills in reading and writing are therefore noted. As a teacher I need to have the

intelligence of a good listener, keen observer, open-minded friend, encouraging

collaborator, and flexible guide.

Conclusion

Kolb's reflection model and Howard Gardner's content-oriented model of multiple

intelligences could be harmonized to complement each other Kaushik, (2017).

Kaushik, Pulkit. (2017). Redefining Learning: Kolb's Theory of Learning

Styles with Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. International Journal of Learning and

Teaching. 9. 330. 10.18844/ijlt.v8i5.1889.

Multiple Intelligences, (2021). Career insite.

https://alis.alberta.ca/careerinsite/know-yourself/multiple-intelligences-quiz/

Stanford, B., & Reeves, S. (2009). Making it happen: Using differentiated

instruction, retrofit framework, and universal design for learning. TEACHING

Exceptional Children Plus, 5(6), 1- 9. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967757.pdf

Saunders, L., & Wong, M. A. (2020). Instruction in libraries and information

centers. Windsor & Downs Press. licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

What's your learning style? (n.d.). Education Planner.

http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles.shtml

Zhou, M., & Brown, D. (2015). Educational learning theories. Educational

PsychologyCommons. https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

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