Kolb's Learning Styles

In 1984, David Kolb published his model of learning styles and later developed and published a Learning Style Inventory. Primarily interested in the internal processes of learning, this learning style model used a 4-stage process to explain the human learning process and learning styles; concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.

"Concrete Experience" consists of a new experience or situation being encountered, or possibly a reinterpretation of an existing experience.

"Reflective Observation" is the new experience of particular importance as are any inconsistencies between the experience and subsequent understanding.

"Abstract Conceptualization" is defined as a reflection that gives rise to new ideas, or modifies an existing abstract concept.

Finally, the "Active Experimentation" is where the learner applies concepts to the world around them to see what results.