Examples of Kolb's learning cycle

Donald Kolb’s learning cycle consists of four stages; concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation. The cycle can be entered at any point but Kolb believes that in order to learn we must complete the whole cycle. There are four situations where I have found myself a certain stages within the learning cycle; Writing my CV, writing my teachers essay, finding out the effectiveness of specific imagery within my classes, and learning how to do a pirouette.

Concrete Experience: When writing my Curriculum Vitae as part of Task A I started by actively writing a draft using the instructions I had been given as part of my previous education. I started by sitting down at the table in front of my lap top and using my existing knowledge on how to write a CV typed my personal details, my work experience as a teacher and as a performer as well as my relevant qualifications using the plan that I had created from my previous knowledge on how to write a CV therefore by planning my CV active experimentation pre-ceded my concrete experience. This was the beginning of my learning cycle and following this I filled out the table reflecting upon situations that I excelled in and then looked at the skills that it took in order for me to succeed at the task. I also looked at the compared these skills with what I had already put on my CV which in turn lead me to conclude that I had skills such as team working and teaching skills that I had not put on my CV following learning that I had additional skills however when analysing this against what is required for a teaching CV I felt that these additions were not necessary for my perspective employers within the world of teaching.

Reflective observation: I have experienced reflective observation when writing ‘My Teachers’ essay and on this occasion this was where my learning cycle started on this occasion as I had to reflect on my prior experiences and learning. By looking at the bodies of knowledge that I had I had to reflect upon where this knowledge had come from and had to review what I had actually been taught and who I had been taught by. This involved me creating a number of ‘thought showers’ so that it was easier for me visually analyse what my knowledge was and where it had come from. This was the first stage of the cycle in this instance, followed by abstract conceptualisation when I concluded that the knowledge that I know hold on Jazz, Ballet and teaching methods are most relevant to my professional practice today and thereby choosing the teachers that I would choose in my essay. Following my reflection I was also able to concluded how I was using the information that I and learnt and which parts of it I was passing on to my students. Active experimentation involved me planning the essay thinking of ways to include what I had learnt while also the process of reflecting reminded me of ideas that I could include in my classes. The final stage of concrete experience involved writing the essay.

Abstract Conceptualisation: Within my teaching practice I wanted to try using some of the forms of imagery that I had invented during my FDI teaching classes. I wanted to use the imagery of holding a beach ball in order to try and make the children understand the shape of en avant. I concluded that the imagery of the beach ball was ineffective because none of the children’s arm where in the correct rounded shape that the arm position of en avant should be. If it had just been one child that had not grasped the concept my conclusion that using the imagery of holding a beach ball may have been different however as not one of the children in my class performed the correct arm shape I concluded that this was in-effective imagery. The cycle began with using the imagery in my primary ballet class in preparation for teaching the Port de Bras (concrete experience) while watching the children perform the arm position and seeing that it did not work was the reflective observation . following my analysis of the situation I was able to make the conclusion that I have described above (Abstract Concpualisation). The cycle continued with my planning/ trying out new imagery then trying out the new imagery on the children thus perpetuating the learning cycle again. I eventually managed to conclude at the abstract conceptualisation of the cycle that asking the children to imagine that they were hugging their mothers was an effective form of imagery when trying to get the children to perform the arm shape of en avant.

Active Experimentation: The occasion that I have chosen to example active experimentation was when learning how to do a double pirouette. The procession began with the experimenting with trying to turn trying to use the techniques that my teacher had informed us of (making sure your weight is over the front foot, a strong relevé, spotting, use of the back etc) building on the knowledge I already had on how to do a single pirouette. Planning what position my feet and arms where in while also thinking of what I must do next. Within the cycle the stage of concrete experience is actually doing the pirouette for the first time and then reflecting on the experience of what went wrong and what went right. On this occasion I concluded that my weight was too far back and I had not spotted very well thereby completing the abstract conceptualisation of the cycle. This immediately followed with active experimentation perpetuating the cycle of learning again. Although this is only a small learning cycle of one detail I believe that it clearly shows the different stages of the learning cycle.

Kolb’s learning cycle I believe can be applied and can explain the cycle of learning in all the situation I have described as with each situation I have effectively learnt something and it is evident that I have gone through the stages thereby complete or in some cases perpetuated the cycle of learning.