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To detach our ego from the outer world or from inner experience 2.To assume a mental set 3.To account for acts to oneself; to berbalize the account 4.To shift reflectively from one aspect of the situation to another 5.To hold in mind simultaneously various aspects 6.To grasp the essential of a given whole: to break up a given into parts to isolate and to synthesize them 7.To abstract common properties reflectively; to form hierarchic concepts 8.To plan ahead ideationally , to assume an attitude toward the more possible and to think or perform symbolically (1941, p. 4) Concreteness , on the other hand, represents the absence of these abilities the immersion in and domination by one's immediate experiences. Yet as the circular model of the learning process would imply, abstractness is not exclusively good and concreteness exclusively bad.To be creative requires that one be able to experience anew, freed somewhat from the constraints of previous abstract concepts. In psychoanalytic theoirv' this need for a concrete childlike perspective in the creative process is referred to regression in service of the ego (Kris, 1952). Bruner (1966) in his essay on the conditions for creativity further emphasises the dialectic tension between abstract detachment and concrete involvement. For him the creative act is a product of detachment and commitment, of passion and decorum, and of a freedom to be dominated by the object of one's inquiry.The active/reflective dimension is the other major dimension of cognitive growth and learning. As growth occurs, thought becomes more reflective and internalized, based more on the manipulation of symbols and images than overt actions. The modes of active experimentation and reflection, like abstractness/concreteness , stand in opposition to one another. Reflection tends to inhibit action and visa-versa . For example. Singer (1968) has found that children who have active internal fantasy lives are more
Teamwork is prevalent in organizations, yet it has pitfalls such as social loafing, groupthink, overdependence on a dominant leader, overcommitment to goals, and diffusion of responsibility. Such negative factors can be overcome and team effectiveness improved when teams intentionally focus on learning. This article draws on nearly four decades of research and theory on experiential learning theory in teams. We identify learning as the key component of six aspects of team development: purpose, membership, role leadership, context, process, and action. Teams learn differently in early versus later stages of development. The Kolb Team Learning Experience addresses all six aspects through a structured written simulation. Upon completion of the simulation, the team has knowledge about the functions of teams in general, experience about the functions of its team specifically, and awareness of learning and progress through the learning cycle modes.
Background
Becoming an experiential educator involves more than just being a facilitator or matching learning style with teaching style. Experiential education is a complex relational process that involves balancing attention to the learner and to the subject matter while also balancing reflection on the deep meaning of ideas with the skill of applying them.
Aim
To describe a dynamic matching model of education based on Experiential Learning Theory and to create a self-assessment instrument for helping educators understand their approach to education.
Method
A dynamic matching model for “teaching around the learning cycle” describes four roles that educators can adopt to do so—facilitator, subject expert, standard-setter/evaluator, and coach. A self-assessment instrument called the Educator Role Profile was created to help educators understand their use of these roles.
Results
Research using the Educator Role Profile indicates that to some extent educators do tend to teach the way they learn, finding that those with concrete learning styles are more learner-centered, preferring the facilitator role; while those with abstract learning styles are more subject-centered preferring the expert and evaluator roles.
Conclusion
A model for the practice of dynamic matching of educator roles, learner style, and subject matter can aid in the planning and implementation of educational experiences. With practice, both learners and educators can develop the flexibility to use all educator roles and learning styles to create a more powerful and effective process of teaching and learning—in Mary Parker Follett’s words to, “. . . free the energies of the human spirit . . . the highest potentiality of all human association.”
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