Learning is a lifelong process. It starts when we’re babies and follows us into old age. Education is essential to our development and to how we see the world. The desire for knowledge starts at a young age through an exploration of one’s surroundings, followed by formal education and beyond.

Throughout life, we learn to retain information in a certain way and whatever your preferred style is, it’s crucial to understand why it works for you. If you understand the basics, you can improve and build on them to further your knowledge. Some of the areas you might want to improve could be:

• Learning faster
• Better understating and retention of information
• Making the learning process easier and more efficient

Before trying to figure out how to go about improving these areas of concern, let’s investigate the most popular learning concepts and models and how they may apply in different real-life situations, whether you’re learning from home or school.

The Concepts

Experiential learning

The first concept on our list is a model of experiential learning, suggested by David Kolb. This American educational theorist emphasized the idea of continual learning. Kolb’s learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles (or preferences) built upon a four-stage learning cycle.

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According to Kolb, there are four learning styles: Accommodating, Converging, Diverging, and Assimilating. As Kolb understood it, the Accommodating learning style (doing and feeling - CE/AE) stands for ‘hands-on’ type and applies to Accommodators. They prefer to take a practical, experiential approach and learn from real experience.

Converging learning style (doing and thinking - AC/AE) - refers to Convergers, who can solve problems and find solutions to practical issues by testing theories. Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) - describes Divergers - sensitive people capable of looking at things from different perspectives, gathering information and using imagination when dealing with problems.

The last style is Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO). Kolb suggests Assimilators prefer a concise, logical approach. For them, ideas and concepts are more important than people; they love working with abstract ideas and developing their theories.

The Learning Styles model by David Kolb was acknowledged by academics, teachers, and trainers back in 1984 when it was first published. His work set up the fundamental concepts aimed towards better understanding and explaining of human learning behavior, contributing massively to the understanding of how we learn.

Mind Styles Model

The next model that is widely accepted today is the Mind Styles Model, developed by Anthony Gregorc. This model provides an organized way of how the mind works. Anthony Gregorc developed his idea using Duality, a centuries-old approach of western philosophy. In his research published in 1977, Gregorc defined two modes of learning which he called preference modes. Later on, he came out with the Mind Styles Model. This model was presented similarly to Kolb’s Learning Styles scheme.

_Image credit: _The Peak Performance Center

The four different quadrants of learning preference modes, according to Anthony Gregorc, are Abstract Random, Abstract Sequential, Concrete Random, Concrete Sequential.

• Concrete Sequential (CS) stands for the logical, objective, pragmatic, deliberate, and methodical mode. CS learners focus on tangible results. They are not creative, and they need a stable environment without confusion.
• Concrete Random (CR) stands for adventurous, impulsive, intuitive, and instinctive mode. CR learners can focus on both process and result. They are creative. They love changes and competition, and they need a challenging, stimulating environment; otherwise, they get bored and unmotivated easily.
• Abstract Sequential (AS) stands for analytical, reflective, conventional, and methodical mode. AS learners prefer to deal with abstract terms, symbols, theoretical concepts, and ideas. These people enjoy a quiet environment; they focus on the process over the result and perform very well when there is an intellectual challenge.
• Abstract Random (AR) stands for empathic, spiritual, cautious, perceptive, and sensitive mode. AR learners prefer a vibrant, lively environment where they can express their feelings and emotions. Gifted with music, literary, or artistic talent, they use their feelings to make sense of their experience.

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