Learning theories about learning styles emerged because each child has a different way of understanding things. Some learn more quickly through pictures, others prefer to listen, and still others need to experience things directly to understand.

That's why it's important to understand the various learning style theories. By understanding them, you can adapt the learning method that best suits your child's needs.

1. Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is a learning style theory presented by David Allen Kolb. According to him, experiential learning is a learning process through the formation of experience.

Based on student researchSebelas Maret University, Surakarta, implementing experiential learning is capable of improving the quality of learning by 17.87%. There are four stages of experiential learning, that is:

1. Real Experience Level (Concrete Experience): At this stage, students can only experience the experience, but cannot yet understand and explain an event.
2. Observation Reflection Stages (Reflective Observation): At this stage, students begin to seek answers based on reflection on events, including developing why and how questions.
3. Conceptualization Stage (Abstract Conceptualization): At this stage, students are free to formulate or conceptualize the results of their observations.
4. Implementation or Experimentation Stage (Active Experimentation): At this stage, students are able to understand and apply experiences in the real world.

2. Activist, Reflector, Theorist, and Pragmatist

This learning theory includes the humanistic learning type proposed by Peter Honey and Alan Mumford. They adapted the experiential learning theory from Kolb, by developing the following four types of learning.

1. Activity Type, namely the type that prioritizes discussion and not rare love competition.
2. Reflector Type, namely the type who likes to study with focus and calm, for example in the library, attending seminars, and so on.
3. Theoretical Type, namely the type who likes to analyze and read scientific literature.
4. Pragmatic Type, namely the type who likes to practice what they learn and doesn't like theory.

3. Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic

Walter Burke Barbe, an American educationalist, designed a learning style theory called VAK (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic). Based on his research with Milone in 1981, Barbe discovered that if a child has a tendency 30% visual, 30% mixed, 25% auditory, and 15% kinesthetic.

He also revealed that there are three types of children's learning styles, including the following:

1. Visual, namely the type that grasps material more quickly through the sense of sight, so they like visualizing images.
2. Auditorium, namely the type that grasps material more quickly through hearing, such as giving verbal instructions.
3. Kinesthetic, namely the type that involves a lot of movement to understand the material, such as role playing.

4. Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, dan Kinesthetic

The VARK or Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic learning theory was developed by Neil Fleming by adapting the VAK learning style. The difference is in the addition of one type of learning style, namely reading or writing.

Children with learning styles reading/writing, they tend to understand material more easily in text form. They prefer to learn by reading books, reviewing notes, or writing summaries.

5. Learning TheoryPerception-Based and Information Processing

Anthony Gregorc and Kathleen Butler proposed that children's learning styles differ depending on how they acquire and process information. This theory states that each child's perceptions are the foundation of their learning style.

There are two characteristics of perception according to Gregorc and Butler, namely:

1. Concrete, which involves the five senses in absorbing information.
2. Abstract, which involves ideas, concepts, and invisible properties.

In addition, there are two sorting capabilities, namely:

1. Sequential, which involves organizing information in a linear and logical manner.
2. Random, which involves organizing information randomly without any particular order.

This theory states that every child possesses perceptual and sequencing abilities, but some tend to be dominant. There are combinations of perceptual and sequencing abilities in children, namely:concrete sequential, abstract sequential, concrete random, and abstract random.

6. Learning Theory for Technical and Science Education

Richard Felder and Linda Silverman developed a type of learning style known as The Felder Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM). This learning style type reveals that the learning process consists of two steps: receiving information and then processing it.

Felder and Silverman found five areas that influence the learning process, called active/reflective, visual/verbal, sensing/intuition, sequential/global, and inductive/deductive. They state that students who use the full spectrum can achieve optimal learning.

7. Multiple Intelligence

Howard Gardner, a psychologist from Harvard University, developed the multiple intelligence theory. This theory states that every child has at least nine types of intelligence, namely:

1. Linguistics, the ability to use and process words.
2. Visual Spatial, the ability to capture the world of visual space.
3. Logical-Mathematical, the ability to use numbers and mathematical logic.
4. Musical, the ability regarding music.
5. Kinesthetic, the ability to use body movements to express oneself.
6. Interpersonal, the ability to be sensitive to other people's feelings.
7. Intrapersonal, the ability to be sensitive to one's own feelings.
8. Natural, the ability to be sensitive to the natural environment.
9. Existential, the ability to answer questions related to the existence of nature.

8. NASSP

NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) is not learning theory, but rather an educational organization that also developed a model of student learning styles. According to this organization, learning styles are a combination of internal and external processes in each student. There are three categories of NASSP learning styles:

1. Cognitive, it’s a way to understand, organize, and remember information.
2. Affective, it reflects the motivation of students.
3. Physiological, it’s related to body condition or physical tendencies.

9. Cognitive Approach

Anthony Grasha and Sheryl Riechmann developed a broader, less specific scale of learning styles. This approach emphasizes students' cognitive psychology, which focuses on how the brain processes information. The learning style types are:

1. Avoidant;
2. Participative;
3. Competitive;
4. Collaborative;
5. Dependent; as well as
6. Independent.

Do you know the various learning theories regarding learning styles?

There are many learning theories about children's learning styles, starting from experiential learning to cognitive approaches. These theories help you understand that every child has a unique way of absorbing and processing information. One way to identify a child's learning style is through a learning style assessment.

Sampoerna Academy with its international standard curriculum adopts STEAM approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). This learning approach not only emphasizes academic mastery, but also develops various 21st-century skills through direct practice.

load, contact us And Find out more about how Sampoerna Academy optimally supports your child's learning style!