Step Five— Quadrant Three Left
In step five of the 4MAT System the emphasis shifts from acquisition and assimilation to testing
and adaptation Students now take the lead to apply what has been taught. In quadrant three left
the goal is reinforcement and diagnostic evidence of the student’s ability to apply the concepts
taught. The teacher’s role here is coaching and assisting as students refine their ability to find applications of their ideas. This teaching set engages Kolb’s abstract concepts in action and Jung’s extroverted sensing functions. It also models Dewey’s idea that knowledge must be tested in the environment. Because the emphasis of this teaching/learning set is left mode, correct answers and student products which demonstrate their ability to apply the concepts are important here.