thinking and learning preferences are equally engaged?
WHOLE-BRAIN THINKING AND LEARNING
Interestingly; using the sensory modalities as learning channels seems to have become generally accepted as
'mainstream' training practice. For example, Larry Reynolds also wrote about them briefly in his article for
Training Journal entitled `Learning to learn'.6
Some of you may have heard of `whole brain learning'. This concept was popularised by certain areas of Neuro
Linguistic Programming (NLP) in the 1990s and is generally perceived to be the combined use of the left- and
right-brain hemispheres, where left-brain thinking involves logical and sequential thought and right-brain thinking
involves pattern recognition and creativity. In fact, cognitive neuroimaging technology shows that both sides of
the brain are involved in the majority of daily activities, thinking and problem solving.
For me, whole-brain thinking and whole-brain learning involves much more than right- and left-brained thinking
described above. It is the conscious application, whenever and wherever appropriate, of any or all of the many
different styles of thinking that have hitherto been identified. These may be applied in sequence, using the same
principle as Edward De Bono's `six thinking hats7 or, more often, they will be randomly applied with no
supporting structure. And, naturally, problems can arise when each person in the room, thinking that his (or her)
particular processing style is `right, correct or better' than other people's, tries to impose his thinking and
learning style on the rest of the group.
Some types of thinking, such as Aristotelian deductive reasoning and logical thinking processes, have been
around for thousands of years. Others, such as 'mismatching' thinking, have only recently been categorised and
labelled. I would conservatively estimate that the number of different styles or types of thinking that could
independently be identified and measured by psychometric methods currently numbers about 50. Thinking
Styles measures 26 of them, which are further sub-divided into sensory, people and task-focused dimensions.
This is a functional working categorisation and although there are other cognitive styles that have been
identified, such as people's time orientation, not all of them are currently measured by psychometric methods.
DEVELOPING FLEXIBLE THINKING
It is a mistake to think that some of the learning or thinking preferences are 'better' than any of the others. It is
possible that certain styles may be more appropriate than others in certain circumstances. However, it is also
possible that the same (or a similar) outcome can be achieved through the use of a different cognitive
processing style. For example, even though people's strategies for solving crossword puzzles may vary, their
outcome of completing the puzzle may be achieved equally as well.
in order to become an excellent trainer, consultant or manager, it is not a question of cherry picking one
cognitive or learning style and ignoring the others, but rather of developing the flexibility of thinking to apply and
use the most appropriate strategy for whichever tasks or skills you want to focus on.
There are many different ways in which HR professionals can develop their knowledge in the area of how styles
of thinking affect learning styles - such as books, workshops and information on the Internet. For example, Peter
Honey has a free Trainer Styles questionnaire on his website that you can complete online" and the Thinking
Styles website offers some free cognitive flexibility exercises that you can use to begin developing flexibility
within your own thinking skills.
However, it is not enough simply to become knowledge and information junkies. The best trainers and HR
professionals are constantly exploring ways in which they can practise the application of new knowledge to
develop their skills. As Peter Honey says `Trainers who are best equipped to help diverse learners know their
own style and how this spills over into their training style, are alert to the styles of their participants and adjust
their style to cater for a range of different style preferences.'10 Long live lifelong learning!