Hi there - I'm going to be delivering an event on learning styles (Honey & Mumford) to a group of approximately 12 individuals. These people are not members of a team.
Towards the end of the day, when participants have identified their own individual learning styles, I'd like to split the group of 12 into two groups, which, for the purposes of this exercise, will become two teams.
I'd like to use a game/activity which incorporates the strengths associated with all four learning styles (Honey & Mumford).
The purpose of the game/activity will be to highlight the benefits of diversity within a team as well as providing an opportunity to reflect on the potential development needs when one or more of the learning styles is lacking within the team, e.g. when approaching a new task.
Can anyone suggest a game or activity that I could use that will be fun (very important), preferably free or not too expensive (!) and that covers all the aims mentioned above?!!
I had thought of an exercise involving building something (with lego), but can't seem to put it together in my own (reflector) brain!! Any help really would be appreciated.
PS - I will also have covered Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle and so an activity or game that draws out the different stages would also work.
Kind regards
Sally
www.Strength2Strength.co.uk
Sally Brydson
One Response
Learning styles team exercise
Sally
This is both simpler and more complicated than it first seems. It is simpler in that you could use almost any activity that people can learn from having a go at and improve second time around. Giving each group a piece of A4 paper and asking them to tear it so that it remains as one piece but is as long as possible is one of those vaguely bizarre tasks that I am cautious about but facilitated wisely is OK for this purpose. Get each team to do it in 90 seconds. Then give then 30 seconds to describe to each other what they did. Then give them 40 seconds to identify some key principles. Finally give them 50 seconds to plan what they will do next time. Now repeat the exercise. But this is merely an illustration of the learning cycle in action.
It is more complicated in that it is important to distinguish between learning performance (does having diverse learning styles in a team make for better team learning?) and task performance (does learning preference have anything to with how well you can complete a task?).
I’d want to check for evidence to support whatever learning you are seeking to impart. I’m not sure that there is a strong correlation between the mix of learning preferences in a team and its propensity to perform. And whilst I am firm advocate for diversity in all its forms, including cognitive diversity, I am aware that several types of diversity, including certain personality differences, can be disruptive of team processes and performance as well as sometimes being a benefit.
On balance I’d stick with quickly and simply bringing Kolb to life with an exercise rather than get too deep on the team issue unless that is part of your objectives.
Hope that helps
Graham