Applying Learning Theories in Social Care

This assignment examines the application of learning theories, specifically Kolb's experiential learning cycle, in the context of social and healthcare. It analyzes case studies involving Elma and Mr. Smith to demonstrate how different stages of the learning cycle can be used for effective interaction and care. The assignment further explores other relevant learning theories such as behavioral and social learning, highlighting their applicability in developing skills and understanding resident behavior within social and healthcare environments.

Understanding Learning
(Task 2)

Table of Content
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................3
Q3......................................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Teaching, experience, practicing and learning assist in gaining skills as well as
knowledge and ultimately leads towards a alteration in behaviour of a person or an
individual. All this concept is termed as learning (Kolb and Kolb, 2012). There are several
types of theories which help in proper learning. This study is based on the case study of Elma
who is working in residential home and tries to communicate with Mr. Smith who is around
90 years and was deaf. Hence, this report will discuss the Kolb's learning Cycle to know at
what stage learning of Elma get started.
TASK 2
Q3.
Kolb's learning theory (1974) explains the 4 different style of learning, on the basis of
four stage cycle of learning. Kolb said that various kinds of individuals generally make
preference for a particular single distinct style of learning. Different sorts of factors influence
preferred style of an individual. For instance, educational experience, basic cognitive
structure of people and social environment of a person. Whatever thing which make influence
on the choice regarding style, the preference for the learning style is the product of two
variable's pair or two different choices which are being made and which is presented by Kolb
as line of axis with the modes that are conflicting at each end (Konak, Clark and Nasereddin,
2014).
The learning cycle of Kolb is an effective model used for explaining the learning
process as:
 Concrete Experience: This step makes involvement of individual's own self
understanding and learning in doing an activity or any work. It may be team effort or
a individual. The experience include in doing activity does not make inclusion of any
sort of analysis but just carry out a work with extreme attention. Reflective Observation: It makes involvement of revisiting the activity which has
been completed. It is essential to know about the capability to converse, differences
and applying definitions. Abstract Conceptualization: It makes involvement regarding the making conclusions
from the entire procedure which have been done by doing an effort to develop a
correlation among them (Kolb and Kolb, 2012).

 Active Experimentation: This step makes inclusion of setting up the actions
according to the new consideration to handle the activities in a proper manner.
Source 1 Kolb's Learning Cycle
As per the mentioned case, where Elma is being situated at the care home along with
Mr. Smith and making a try for having a communication with him. The learning cycle of
Kolb begins at the very starting stage for the Elma where she is only concentrating to have a
interaction with Mr. Smith instead of making any outcome that Mr. Smith is old and deaf.
Learning cycle of Kolb can be implemented to the mentioned scenario which makes
involvement of the whole procedure of Elma trying to make conversation with Mr. Smith. It
can be defined as follows:
Elma just engage herself in making conversation with Mr. Smith without delivering
any kind of outcome or performing any analysis (McCarthy, 2010). It is defined as the first
step of the of the Kolb's learning cycle which is termed as Concrete Experience.

Elma then make realization that there is no reciprocating regarding the questions
from the side of Mr. Smith which are being asked by her, and then she made decision to end
the communication. It is called Reflective Observation.
Elma than make contact with the other members of the staff regarding the experience
of her interaction with Mr. Smith. The members of staff conveyed her that he is able to listen
at all but is able to do a lip reading. After that Elma realize that her face was not in front of
Mr. Smith while making communication with him, hence he was unable to look at her face at
the time of conversation. Elma make connection of all the activities which took place and this
is known as Abstract Conceptualization.
According to her knowledge about the situation, Elma again goes to Mr. Smith &
makes communication with the face in front of him, so that he will be able to do a lip reading
in relation to whatever is being said by her and they had a healthy communicative interaction.
This is termed as Active Experimentation (Schipper and Swets, 2012).
Elma's understanding from the whole experience is that while managing the deaf and
old aged individuals at the centres of home care, one thing is the most significant that there
must be a proper face by face communication with patients. There might be several examples
where patient or resident is not able to hear as he or she is deaf but is able to understand the
core of whole discussion by doing a lip read of main points of discussion and then make
reaction accordingly. Therefore, it is significant that resident must see the care giver while
making a proper communication. It is necessary for every care provider to make analysis of
the entire situation and then decide for the possible course of action before making initiation
of any stroke which may be in welfare of resident.
There are various similar kind of theories like the learning cycle of Kolb which may
assist in the procedure of development and learning of proficiencies in the centre of health
and social care. Three kind of such theories are being described as follows:
 Accelerated cycle of learning: It is described by Alistair Smith on the basis of lesson
plan in classroom. As per this style, there are 4 stages of learning:
i) Connection phase: It is in relation with the learners, context and the process
ii) Activation phase: It makes involvement of the analysis to gain knowledge if
learner is creating any issue, utilize any language's addition and multi-pronged
approach (Eysenck, 2013).

iii) Demonstration phase: In this kind of phase, various ways to demonstrate
understanding and educative ways are being used.
iv) Consolidation phase: It makes involvement of studying process, content and
structure of learning and then previewing and reviewing. Ripples: It is another kind of cycle process of learning which is being given by Phil
Race who explained that there is a occurrence of learning due to series of ripples in a
kind of manner that every factor makes interaction with different in a way that there is
a harmony among all the factors. As per this theory, the learning procedure have 4
main elements: the first kind of element is needing/waiting is defined as motivation to
start learning. The another element is doing which arise by trial and error and practice.
Next one is the feedback, which involves making observations of others reaction and
making analysis of outcomes. At last there comes, digesting which means to make
sense of entire thing and receiving ownership. Such kind of not different in character
but want interconnecting ripples (Schipper and Swets, 2012).. Loop Learning: It is of two type i.e. single and double loop learning. Single kind of
loop is on the basis of feedback mechanism and is defined for single kind of learning.
Double kind of loop is on the basis of various assumptions and variables of work and
are utilised in difficult situations.
The major aim of all types of theories as described above is starting the act, analysis
of the act which is being used and adoption of revised approach in order to make performance
of the action according to observations. The learning theory can also be utilised in setup of
social and health care. They can give support to a care provider in making learning of
resident's issues and developing managerial skills so as to take effective care of an individual.
Social theory of learning is applied in social and health care centres as it supports in
gaining understanding of environment and personal characteristics. Both of the constraints
are of much importance in the practice of health and social care and understanding of
individual's personal development and professional skills and environment is also vital skill
which must be developed (McCarthy, 2010).
The care providers are required to grip residents with more patience and perseverance.
The approach which can be helpful for the one person may not be appropriate for other one.
Hence, every resident should make analysis carefully according to the learning approach and
theory utilized accordingly.

An essential constraints of care centre is continuous medical check up and nursing. As
described in learning theory, the care provider may encourage various basic skills such as
monitoring of the blood pressure and checking of sugar level by making observation of
continuous medical faculties at social and health care centres.
Another kind of theory that can be supportive when it is being looked from the
perspective of social and health care is called Behaviourist Learning theory, which assists in
developing skill of observing resident's behaviour before taking any action (Kolb and Kolb,
2012).
CONCLUSION
From the presented study, it can be concluded that Kolb's cycle of learning is very
much helpful as per the case of Elma and Mr. Smith. She is able to make proper interaction
with the support of different stages of Kolb's cycle. On the other hand, there are various other
learning theories like behavioural and social learning which can be used in health and social
care for such cases.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Kolb, A. and Kolb, D.A., 2012. Kolb’s learning styles. In Encyclopedia of the Sciences of
Learning (pp. 1698-1703). Springer US.
Konak, A., Clark, T.K. and Nasereddin, M., 2014. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle
to improve student learning in virtual computer laboratories. Computers &
Education. 72. pp.11-22.
Kolb, A.Y. and Kolb, D.A., 2012. Experiential learning theory. In Encyclopedia of the
Sciences of Learning (pp. 1215-1219). Springer US.
McCarthy, M., 2010. Experiential learning theory: From theory to practice. Journal of
Business & Economics Research. 8(5). p.131.
Schipper, T. and Swets, M., 2012. Innovative lean development: how to create, implement
and maintain a learning culture using fast learning cycles. CRC Press.
Eysenck, H.J., 2013. Learning theory and behaviour therapy. Readings in Clinical
Psychology. p.349.
Online
Kolb - Learning Styles. 2013. [Online]. Available through:<
https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html>. [Accessed on 22nd August, 2017].