The Kolb Learning Cycle

by Lucy, KT and Sophie

A. Concrete Experience

Yesterday we went to the Cat Hill campus at Middlesex University and looked at the Learning Cycle process by David Kolb (see diagram). We were given extracts from an anonymous peer's blog, which we separated into the relevant stage of Kolb's system.

B. Reflective Observation

At first we were slightly bemused and unsure of the process. By dissecting the text and applying it to the cycle it enabled us to fully understand the diagram.

1. We felt the Concrete Experience was the easiest section to understand. Our understanding of this section is now "a previous personal experience that has happened".

2. The Reflective Observation of the text was another easy part to analyse, understanding it to be reviewing the event or experience.

3. Abstract Conceptualisation. This was a difficult section for us to decipher. We had difficulties differentiating between active and reflective as many tend to cross over. We simplified the term to developing an understanding by seeking information or forming new ideas.

4. Active Experimentation. We made a mistake in our cut and paste exercise with this section. Upon reflection we then realised our sentence should have been placed in the Abstract Conceptualisation. To make this section more understandable we referred to it as "trying out new ideas and learning from experience".

C. Abstract Conceptualisation

After our initial task we then asked to develop our text. We were asked to fill in any gaps of the cycle that were missed by our blogger's text. For example we had nothing in the Active Experimentation section, we would empathise with the blogger and create our own excerpt.

D. Active Experimentation

To put our experience into practice we will write about identifying instances when we have seen ourselves in each of the stages of Kolb's learning cycle. We will also write our learning diaries (and edit our blogs) accordingly to fit with this new learning cycle. My writing is below:

Another instance when I have seen myself in the different points of the Kolb cycle would be during the beginning of this home blog. Firstly, I didn't know where to start in the way of posting. I didn't want to start directly with information about myself. This is what I eventually did, but I didn't post it first. So I started my first blogging experience by posting a picture of Martha Graham. In terms of Kolb's cycle this was my concrete experience; posting a blog.

After experiencing other blogs and becoming a more accomplished blogger myself I reflectively observed that this picture meant nothing, nor told very much useful or interesting information to the reader. So why should anyone read a blog, which is merely a collection of photos that can be found elsewhere on the internet. As they say a picture can say a thousand words, but it doesn't mean it says what I personally feel about the picture.

My abstract conceptualisation of this problem was that if I am going to post an item, picture or link onto my blog, I should post with it an explanation, description or reason for putting it on there. It gives the reader more incite into a idea or topic, which consequently is more interesting than a picture on it's own with no explanation.

My active experimentation was to then add information about Martha Graham and how she had been a part of my training indirectly. I also added a link to a website, where there's is some more information about her. I compared her dance styles to another contemporary dancer. I set out the writing in the form of Kolb's cycle, starting with my studying of Graham's style, then reflecting the style, I went on to conclude the different styles of contemporary dance and finally completed the cycle with a plan to experiment with what I've learnt and try the stylesin my own choreography.

There you have a Kolb cycle within another Kolb cycle.