The data collection phase of the PSALS study is now complete.  For those who requested a finding summary, results will be available in the Fall.

Thinking Nature is a research project which aspires to increase our understanding of how people makes sense of complex problems. At a time when there are more and more complex problems in the world, the ability to better understand them is becoming an essential skill needed in organizations, communities and society. We have observed that many of us struggle to make sense of complex challenges, and in turn,  this struggle makes it difficult to come to decisions and solutions.

A fundamental question inspired our research:

How does the way we think influence our approaches to complex problem solving?

The name of our study: Problem Solving And Learning Styles hints at our desire to add to the existing body of research on how adult learning styles influence the way in we which perceive and comprehend our experiences in the world.

The data gathering phase has begun and is scheduled to conclude in early summer 2010. Final analysis will be completed by the Fall of 2010, and we plan to share the results of our study with  others interested in organizational and adult learning.

Our intention is to offer additional insights that contribute to the development of new ways of teaching and guiding people in understanding complex issues. Our hope is that greater knowledge about this area will help us all to become better equipped to develop more effective and sustaining solutions.

The Role of Learning Styles In The 21st Century

Because organizations and communities are increasingly dynamic and uncertain, we may find that we are increasingly called upon to learn and adapt quickly in order to respond to changes unfolding around us. Our preferred learning styles guide the way we perceive and make meaning of the world around us. They also influence the way we internally represent experiences, the way we recall information and influence our choices.

In the emerging, networked world of information-based economies, learning is becoming more important than productivity in determining a person’s or an organization’s adaptation, survival, and growth (Kelly, 1999). Increasingly complex and service-oriented jobs demand flexibility as a requirement for sanity and success.

Excerpted from: Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions in R. J. Sternberg and L. F.  Zhang (Eds.), Perspectives on cognitive, learning, and thinking styles. NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2000.

Change Is Unfolding

It is not uncommon to think about learning as something that only occurs in a workshop or classroom.  Yet, in reality, we are continually learning  as we go through our daily lives.  We learn in order to discern difference and sameness, and we learn as make both simple and complex decisions.

Your Privacy. All information in the study remains confidential and will used only for analysis purposes.  Data will not be shared with 3rd parties for any purpose.