Working with Different Types of Learners
Educational researchers Peter Honey and Alan Mumford looked into the different ways people approached the learning process. Using the results from their learning style questionnaire, they identified four types of learners:
- Activists—people who learn by doing
- Theorists—people who like to understand the theory behind the concept
- Pragmatists—people who need to put learning into practice
- Reflectors—people who learn by observing and thinking about what happened
The participants in any course will likely include a mix of these types of learners. It is important that you, as their instructor, understand how each group prefers to engage with the content and which activities are most fulfilling to them.
Have you had participants who seemed disinterested in the lecture and immediately started looking ahead in their workbook? Or began exploring the software or the equipment before instructions are finished? These people are what Honey and Mumford called “activists.” They want to learn by doing and are willing to experiment and fail as they figure it out on their own. They aren’t interested in abstract concepts or how-to manuals. They just want to get involved now.
Suggested Activities
Here are some activities that can help satisfy the activists’ need for rich personal engagement:
Do you find that some participants tend to question everything? Are they interested in the research behind the concepts or theories? Do they like to work logically through a process? Do they prefer to have a model or system to follow? Are they uncomfortable with ambiguity and ill-defined problems? These are what Honey and Mumford called the “theorists.” They aren’t interested in creative assignments; they prefer structured activities where they can analyze and synthesize information. They like activities that allow them to work with statistics or to compile evidence to answer their questions. Here are some activities that meet the “theorists” need for structure and data.
Suggested Activities
You may notice some participants need to know the relevance of abstract concepts or theories to their lives. They want you to provide examples and will often ask for them. They require clear information up front about how they are going to be assessed. These participants are what Honey and Mumford call the “pragmatists.” They need to see how they can put their learning into practice. They like activities where they can experiment and try out new ideas, theories, and techniques in realistic scenarios.
Suggested Activities
- Group Discussions
- Theoretical Applications, see Theories
- Case Studies
- Problem Solving/Problem-Based Learning
- Action Plans
You may observe that some participants step back while others in the class participate in a demonstration. Are they happy to take notes for their group? Or, do they ask for additional sources of information on the topics discussed in class? These participants are what Honey and Mumford call the “reflectors.” They prefer to gather data by reading and observing others in action and reflect on what they have learned before they come to a conclusion. They liked to be well prepared before joining in an activity and are often uncomfortable when asked to take the leader role. Reflectors appreciate activities where they can observe or obtain multiple perspectives on an idea.
