Page 43 - OSEP Educator LG

Honey & Mumford’s Learning Styles Theory

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford outline four different types of learners: Pragmatist,
Activist, Reflector and Theorist. This theory offers another way of helping teachers
understand the differences between learners as the result of their preferred learning
style.

The four categories are outlined below. It’s important to understand that most people
cannot be categorised according to one category alone, but rather tend to identify better
with one category more than others.

Learning Style Likes Dislikes

Pragmatist  Obvious links between  No obvious benefit
 Practical topic & their work  No opportunity to
 Down-to-earth  Opportunities to practice
practise & get feedback  No guidelines
 Practical examples  Too much theory
Activist  New experiences  Lectures
 Like to be leaders  Social learning e.g. role  Long discussions
 Tend to be extroverted play, teamwork  Individual tasks
 Tend to act first & think  Being thrown into the  Following precise
later deep end with a task instructions
 Enthusiastic about new
ideas but get bored in
following through
Reflector  Observing others  Tight deadlines – don’t
 Tend to think carefully  Opportunities to reflect like to rush their work
before coming to and review  Being observed eg. role-
conclusions  Producing analyses and plays
 Can look like passive reports  Being the leader
learners  Adequate time to  Being thrown in the
 Prefer to listen and prepare their work deep end
observe others before
offering their own opinion
Theorist  Complex tasks that  ‘Touchy feely’ stuff (ie
 Process information into require skills and emphasis on emotions
logical theories knowledge and feelings)
 Tend to be perfectionists  Structure and clear  Lack of structure
 Tend to be objective purpose  Participating in activities
rather than subjective in  Opportunities to without knowing the
the way they analyse question and probe for purpose or principles
information (without critical analysis that underpin them
emotion)  Prefer to learn with
people who think
‘rationally’ like them

OSEP Educator Learner’s Guide Page 41