Dr. Candice Rideout Food, Nutrition and Health University of British Columbia

1. Ways of Learning: How can knowledge of different preferred learning styles help you mentor dietetic interns? Dr. Candice Rideout Food, Nutrition and Health University of British Columbia Dietetic Preceptor Event: September 24, 2013

2. Objectives By the end of today’s session, you will: • Identify your preferred learning style and consider the implications of your preference • Apply your understanding of learning styles to generate strategies to use when mentoring dietetic interns • Appreciate how engaging in the complete learning cycle results in the deepest learning

3. What is your learning “comfort zone”? Photo: Ashley Campbell

4. What is your learning “comfort zone”? Photo: Gia Goodrich Courtesy of Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

5. What is your learning “comfort zone”? Photo: Carlos Bussenius

6. What is your learning “comfort zone”? Photo: Nils Rohwer

7. Learning Style: How you like to take in and process information

8. What is your preferred learning style? • 10 – 15 minutes to complete the Learning Styles Questionnaire • If you agree with statement:  • If you disagree:  • On last page: tally your scores in each of 4 areas (highest score = your preferred style) • Remote sites: one person please email tamar.kafka@ubc.ca with the number of people with each preferred style at your site

9. What is your preferred learning style? Pragmatist: Likes to try things and see if they work Activist: Prefers doing and experiencing Theorist: Wants to understand reasons, concepts Reflector: Observes and reflects What do these categories mean?

10. Activist: Prefers doing and experiencing Thrive on challenge of new experiences • Brainstorming • Problem-solving • Discussions • Role-play • Decides intuitively Doing

11. Reflector: Observes and reflects Pause and Ponder • Observing activities • Receiving feedback • Interviews • Self analysis questionnaires! • Predict Watching

12. Theorist: Wants to understand reasons, concepts Integrate observations into theories • Statistics • Theories • Background information • Ideas, logic, systematic planning Thinking

13. Pragmatist: Likes to try things and see if they work Try it out, quickly and confidently • Case studies • Problem-solving • Try out new ideas • Apply learning to “real world” Experimenting

14. What is your preferred learning style? Pragmatist: Likes to try things and see if they work Activist: Prefers doing and experiencing Theorist: Wants to understand reasons, concepts Reflector: Observes and reflects How can you use this information?

15. How can you use this information? …to become a better learner yourself? …to enhance your work with dietetic interns? metacognition

16. Take it with a grain of salt… • Many different ways of assessing learning styles… validity of assessments often not established • Could labels discourage learning? • Think of it as a starting point, not a “diagnosis” Table Salt. Photo: Stuart Williams

17. How are preferred learning styles distributed… …among dietetics students? …among dietetics preceptors? Notes: These data are drawn from non-representative samples; results are intended to prompt reflection, not to describe these groups!

18. No difference in learning styles between pharmacy students and faculty members… although there were some differences associated with gender. Photo: Patrick Giblin Crawford SY, Alhreish SK, Popovich NG. Comparison of learning styles of pharmacy students and faculty members. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2012 76: 192.

19. What is your preferred learning style? Pragmatist: Likes to try things and see if they work Activist: Prefers doing and experiencing Theorist: Wants to understand reasons, concepts Reflector: Observes and reflects Should you tailor instruction to an intern’s preferred learning style?

20. Learning styles of medical students did not predict who chose to use supplementary online learning materials. Photo: MatyldaCzarnecka Nilsson M, Östergren J, Fors U, Rickenlund A, Jorfeldt L, Caidahl K, Bolinder G. Does individual learning styles influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting? BMC Medical Education. 2012 12:5.

21. Image: Stephan Caspar

22. Four approaches to learning… Pragmatist: Likes to try things and see if they work Activist: Prefers doing and experiencing Theorist: Wants to understand reasons, concepts Reflector: Observes and reflects …one complete cycle

23. Pragmatist: Plan the next steps Activist: Have an experience What can you do? Theorist: Conclude from the experience Reflector: Review the experience

24. Think of your last experience with an intern… How could applying knowledge of preferred learning styles and/or the complete learning cycle have made that interaction even more effective?

25. Pragmatist: Plan the next steps Activist: Have an experience What can you prompt interns to do? Theorist: Conclude from the experience Reflector: Review the experience

26. Pragmatist: Plan the next steps Activist: Have an experience Theorist: Conclude from the experience Reflector: Review the experience

27. Questions and Discussion “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” -Pablo Picasso Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Pablo Picasso