Introduction to the Kolbs Model
The Kolbs Model can help to throw light on my development as an Action Learner. In the following, I give a short introduction to the Model to then reflect on my development.
“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38).
The Kolbs Model is a model that shows an experimental learning cycle developed by David Kolb (published in 1984). His learning theory works on two levels: a four-stage cycle of learning and four separate learning styles. (Graphic on the top)
1. Four stage cycle of learning (black):
Effective learning can only happen if a learner executes all four stages of the cycle.
2. Learning styles (red):
There are four distinct learning styles which are based on the learning cycle. Kolb assumed that different people naturally prefer a certain single learning style
Reflection on the four stage cycle of Learning
My Natural Learning Style
The result of the “Kolbs Learning Style questionnaire” (see document above) is that my natural learning style is „Diverging“. I was not surprised by this outcome as I intuitively thought that I am a Diverger.
Naturally, they learn best by watching (observation) and feeling (experience). Divergers tend to look at things from different perspectives and like to gather information, and I definitely can find myself in there. But of course, they can also learn by doing (experimentation) and thinking (conceptualisation), it just does not come as easily and they might have to train themselves to learn in these ways.
Diving Into Learning Styles Besides My Natural Learning Style
In Action Learning Cycle 2 I was involved in many projects that forced me to move out of my comfort zone and to learn to make my way through all four stages of the cycle. This way I enormously widened my skills in the other three learning styles apart from my natural style. Another result is that now I can identify myself better with the learning style „Converging“.
I would say that I made a big step towards learning how to find practical uses for ideas and theories. I learned to make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems.
My partner and I experimented with new ideas for our life and business so that in the end we can apply the best fitting practical application. Both of these skills are typical for „Converging“.
The best experience to widen my „Accommodating“ learning style was the planning and implementation of our herb field. This style is based on intuition rather than logic. I was attracted to a new challenge and just wanted to carry out our plan to grow herbs. This was a strong and valuable hands-on experience and we now can build on our experience to grow herbs.
The learning style that is the least present is „Assimilating“, which has to do with a concise and logical approach. I would say that my partner has a strong “assimilating” learning style. So it is automatically his part and I trust his logical and concise approaches. That is the reason why the learning style “Assimilating” is the least present for me personally.
To read additional thoughts to the Kolbs Model, please go to the Supporting Evidence
Skill-Building
I created a cumulative skill-building document. I collected all the skills I worked on during my project-related OPs. To each skill, I wrote a short comment, so my assessment is easier to understand.
Please view here my: Skill-Building Document
Skill-flex-radar
Conclusion of my Skill-Building
During this Action Learning Cycle I improved to balance different (life-)projects, through managing my time and projects efficiently.
I started to strongly work on my skills in the category "Land & Natural Stewardship" (details see table above in dropbox). I have been interested in acquiring skills in this area for a long time. Now that we have our own piece of land and I really need these skills, this category is very relevant to my life. I realize that although I'm just beginning to develop various skills in this category, I'm very happy with my skill-building outcome.
The focus on permaculture helps me a lot to work on my land-based skills in the future.
By growing herbs, I learned a lot about their medical applications. I now would say that I have an overall impression of the therapeutic properties of some main herbs. But this is just the start of my skill-building, as I definitely want to learn a lot more about herbs and their usage.
A category I definitely want to work on is „marketing“. I want to build skills in „business and website design“ and „public relations“.
Cumulative Reflection of Implementation
In general, my implementation attitude is based on the result of well-thought research. Also during implementation, I often pause implementation and research upcoming questions. So my natural learning style as „Diverger“ can be seen.
I want to become more spontaneous and develop a stronger „just-do-it“ attitude to experiment with new ideas and test them in reality. I recognized that I often have a lot of ideas and instead of just trying them out I write them on a to-do list that gets longer and longer. Many ideas would not take much time to achieve and I would feel more satisfied if I just would take action.
But what definitely is missing when I implemented projects is a proper tracking (and documentation) of the implementation process. Often it does not seem very relevant for me, but afterward, good tracking would have been very helpful.
Time & Project Management (Optional)
„You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.“
(Quote: The one Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller)
Setting Priorities:
For me, the most important and effective method to successfully implement a project in time was to set clear priorities. My best practices in setting priorities were the following:
1. Decide on what project you want to work on
2. What are the ultimate and most important steps that need to be done to implement a project successfully and in time? I always tried to remember the 80:20 rule: What tasks can I implement so that I reach with 20 percent of effort 80 percent of the result.
Inner Attitude: Focusing
Setting priorities is good, but I realized that it needs more to effectively manage a project: Focusing.
Working focused on a project is an inner attitude that is in my eyes the key to successfully implement projects. I am working to develop this attitude just recently when I produced my OP4 and needed to decide how we continue with our herb project. Together with my partner, I heard an audiobook called „The One Thing“. The Core message of the book is „concentrate on just one thing“ and then the project you are working on will automatically be successful. So this inspired me at least to implement it as it is possible in our current life situation: With one little, child, being pregnant, working on my university studies and starting to implement a permaculture herb-project, it is not so easy to just focus on one thing. But I decided I will focus on one thing in our permaculture project for the next year.
Main Tools I used:
- for my regular documentation of the different projects, I used throughout the cycle a free offline desktop wiki called ZIM.
- It is very simple to structure and user-friendly also for people who are not practiced to work with computers.
- additionally to ZIM I always had a Notebook that included different projects I was working on. Spontaneously I was able to note my new thoughts, ideas, and tasks for the project.
Both tools are in general very easy to use and replenish each other. Nevertheless, I recognized as a project progressed, both Zim and my Notebook looked messy and not well organized. In the beginning, I always had a high motivation that everything is sorted and clear but this motivation vanished over time. That is something I need to work on.
In OP 4 I created for Project and Time Management a simple Gantt Chart in an excel table. For such a big project that makes sense. I want to use a simple version of a Gantt Chart for my future projects because it is very clear and has a high meaning.
Resource Reference for this Page
Graphic - Kolbs Model - created by David Kolb
Graphic - Skill-Flex-Radar - created by a GaiaU student, filled out by Carolina Jakobi