Learner Variables

Good learner characteristics:

• Good learner characteristics:
• creativity;
• tolerance of ambiguity;
• positive task orientation;
• Inventiveness;
• high aspirations, etc.

2. learner styles

• 2. learner styles
• a relatively consistent way in which a learner perceives, conceptualises, organises and recalls information (traditional division – visual, auditory, kinaesthetic learner)
• ´Experiential Learning Cycle´ (Kolb, 1984) = general model; within - cognitive differences in the ways in which individuals learn (investigated since the 70s); basic taxonomy of styles;

Holist: a global learner, gets an overall grasp before attending to detail (negative - ´globetrotter´- superficial generaliser);

• Holist: a global learner, gets an overall grasp before attending to detail (negative - ´globetrotter´- superficial generaliser);
• Generalist: a versatile learner, capable of metacognitive choice of learning approach;
• Serialist: operational learner, step-by-step, analytical, methodical (negative – unreflecting learner, ´can´t see the wood for the trees´);

Harmer (2001) - Willing´s description - learners of the following types (Kolb´s model of learning styles, 1984):

• Harmer (2001) - Willing´s description - learners of the following types (Kolb´s model of learning styles, 1984):
• convergers (converging style): preference for individual work, independent, mostly analytic, and confident in their own abilities;
• conformists (assimilating style): depend on authority, like learning about the L, abstract concepts;
• concrete learners (diverging style): enjoy the social aspects, like to learn from direct experience, capable of different viewpoints, creative;
• communicative learners (accommodating styles): L-use orientated, take risks, comfortable out of class, interested in social interaction;