A learner who is use first for sequence will likely say something like

2Knowing Yourself as a Learner

Wessel Du plooy/Hemera/Thinkstock

Learning Outcomes After reading this chapter, you should be able to

• Describe the thoughts, actions, and feelings associated with each Learning Pattern.

• Analyze your use of Sequence.

• Analyze your use of Precision.

• Analyze your use of Technical Reasoning.

• Analyze your use of Confluence.

• Explain the terms Dynamic learner, Bridge learner, and Strong-Willed learner.

• Describe your Learning Patterns within the context of a personal learning profile.

• Identify the role of metacognition and self-regulation in intentional learning.

“The knowledge of your Learning Patterns provides you with an explanation of how you learn, not an excuse for failing to put forth the effort to learn.”

—Christine A. Johnston (2010, p. 107)

Section 2.1Understanding Learning Patterns

2.1 Understanding Learning Patterns Have you ever noticed how your approach to a task differs from that of someone attempting the same thing? Perhaps you are setting up a new device, interpreting an e-mail from your boss, or struggling with how to resolve a problem between coworkers. You might watch how someone else approaches these challenges and think to yourself, “That’s not how I would do that.”

If you are aware of these differences, you are not alone. In the 1930s cog- nitive scientists recognized that the different ways people undertake iden- tical tasks, such as solving nonmath- ematical or verbal puzzles, provided insights into how they learn. In one study, participants completed more than 300 such puzzles to better under- stand how each learned (Philip, 1936).

More than 80 years later, instead of completing puzzles to understand how you learn, you can take the Learn- ing Connections Inventory (LCI). This survey instrument was 6 years in the making and field-tested with over 9,000 children and adults. It takes the mystery out of how you learn and pro- vides you with a set of terms to accu-

rately and thoroughly describe your learning processes. The information gleaned explains what you may have always felt about yourself as a learner but may not have had the words to describe.

Your Scale Scores To understand the impact your Patterns have on you as a learner, you need to look first at the four scale scores that make up your LCI results. Each will be a number from 7 to 35. Notice that each score falls into a range of Use First, Use as Needed, and Avoid (see Figure 2.1).

• If you use one or more Patterns within the Use First range (25 to 35), you naturally turn to them to begin your learning experience. You feel their energy, understand how to employ them, and enjoy the sense of accomplishment each provides.

• If you use one or more Patterns in the Use as Needed range (18 to 24), you don’t feel the same urgency to use them as you do a Pattern that falls in the Use First range. Use as Needed Patterns are available all the time. Think of your car idling at a stop sign until you step down on the gas pedal. At that point, the idling turns from waiting to moving. The same is true with your Use as Needed patterns. You use them when you need to, but they are not the Patterns to which you turn first.

• If you have one or more Patterns in the Avoid range (7 to 17), you truly do not feel comfortable using them. Frankly, you avoid using them whenever you can because

Ivan-balvan/iStock/Thinkstock People with different Learning Patterns take different approaches to completing a task. Understanding others’ Learning Patterns is key to collaboration.

Section 2.1Understanding Learning Patterns

you have a hard time relating to them. You recognize that without specific strategies, you will find it difficult to make them work for you.

Figure 2.1: LCI score range

Identifying the range of use of each of your Learning Patterns can provide valuable insight into who you are as a learner.

Source: From Strategic Learning: A Guide to Your Learning Self (p. 11), by C. A. Johnston, 2012, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2012 by Let Me Learn, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

Basically, the higher your score, the more at ease you are with a Pattern. A person with a Use First Sequence score of 35 (represented as S35) will be even more comfortable with Sequence than someone with a Use First Sequence score of 27 (S27). A person whose score is closer to the border between two ranges (e.g., a score of 24) will find it easier to adjust as needed (more on this in Chapter 3.)

It is important to note that there are no “good” or “bad” LCI scores. Unlike other scales, LCI scores do not indicate that you possess or lack talent in any of the Patterns. The score simply indicates the degree to which you use the Pattern or the extent to which Sequential, Pre- cise, Technical Reasoning, and Confluent stimuli pass through each Pattern filter and enter your mind. In other words, if you have a Use First Pattern, the filter for that Pattern is wide open, allowing a great deal of stimuli to pass through. However, for a Pattern you only Use as Needed, the filter is open to a much lesser degree. And as you might expect, if you have Patterns that fall into the Avoid range, their filters are nearly completely closed off, mak- ing it difficult for you to receive the stimuli, much less process it with ease. (Check out the interactive version of Figure 2.1 in your e-book to better understand this concept.) It is not necessarily true that having a Use First score in a Pattern is better than having an Avoid. Avoiding a Pattern can be as useful to you in your life as Using it First. It is how you apply your awareness of your Patterns, and whether you do so with intention, that is most important.

Throughout this book, you will see scale scores listed as you read about various indi- viduals and their Pattern combinations. The scores will be abbreviated using letters and numbers to differentiate between the four

Knowing my Learning Patterns helped me figure out how to make my writing better.

—Quinn Berger, elementary school student (personal communication, August 2017)

Knowing my Learning Patterns has given me confidence in myself as a learner— something I never felt before.

—Brian Frieda, Ashford University college stu- dent and police chief (personal communication,

March 20, 2017, used by permission)

The moment I understood my Learning Patterns was a powerful moment—for me it was so affirming, even life changing.

—Bonnie U. Dawkins, master elementary school teacher (personal communication, June 2008,

used by permission)

Section 2.1Understanding Learning Patterns

Patterns. For example, if a person has a Sequence score of 27, a Precision score of 22, a Techni- cal Reasoning score of 18, and a Confluence score of 11, his or her scores will be listed as S27, P22, TR18, and C11. When you encounter sample scores, take advantage of the opportunity to reinforce your understanding of use levels and compare with your own scores.

Regardless of the level at which you use each Pattern (Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid), your scores offer you important insights into how your mind learns. Each gives you a height- ened awareness of how to leverage your learning potential.

Your Mental Processes Your LCI scores help you understand the degree to which you use a particular Pattern. How- ever, you must also understand what each Pattern represents in terms of your thoughts, actions, and feelings.

Thinking, acting, and feeling are three functions that occur in your mind, otherwise known as mental processes. Each Learning Pattern is propelled by specific thoughts, feelings, and actions. These mental processes basically work as a mental driveshaft within each of our Pat- terns. They energize our Patterns and direct our effort to learn and to assess our learning outcomes. They also work interactively to form a culture within each Pattern that is distinct from that found in the other Patterns (Johnston, 2010).

For example, Sequence thinks, “I want structure, order, and organization”; acts by planning, organizing, and making lists; and feels a sense of achievement when a task is complete and can be crossed off a daily to-do list.

Precision thinks, “I want details, specifics, the facts”; acts by looking up facts, verifying infor- mation, and recording data; and feels success when information is proved correct.

Technical Reasoning thinks without words, concentrating on how whatever is being consid- ered or studied works or functions. Within Technical Reasoning, the action is action: “Just do it! Get it done!” A feeling of success comes with simply getting the job done—and doing it well.

Confluence thinks, “I want to be able to see the big picture and imagine what does not yet exist”; acts by looking beyond the immediate situation and imagining what could be; and feels accomplishment when the risk taken proves to be worth it.

It is important to understand your mental processes, because knowing how you think and act and what gives you a sense of achievement allows you to better motivate yourself to complete tasks that don’t match your Pattern combination. This is what it means to be an intentional learner. The Interactive Learning Model (ILM), the theoretical basis of the LCI, helps us understand what actually goes on inside our mind as learning is taking place, as well as what motivates us to learn. The ILM also illustrates how our mental processes interact to motivate or drive the degree and amount of effort we put forth when completing a learning task (see Figure 2.2).

At the heart of motivation is effort. Our will to learn is propelled by the effort we put in. There are three kinds of effort, each a result of the interaction between mental processes.

Section 2.1Understanding Learning Patterns

1. Informed effort uses the thoughts and actions found in each Pattern to keep you moving toward a goal. When you use informed effort, your learning is focused; your decisions to act are based on knowledge and understanding.

2. Engaged effort is your effort in action. Your actions pair with your feelings. When you use engaged effort, you direct your energy with intention; you move forward actively—with interest and commitment.

3. Reflective effort characterizes your sense of self. Your feelings bond to your thoughts, creating a can-do attitude. When you use reflective effort, you have an increased understanding of the effect a task’s completion has both on you and those around you.

Such broad-based motivation comprises the will to learn. Have no doubt that your success is based on the effort and grit you put forth to make the interactive processes of thought, action, and feeling work within each of your Learning Patterns.

Figure 2.2: Interactive Learning Model

How your Learning Patterns think, feel, and act directs your will to learn. Each mental process interacts with another to produce a certain kind of effort that motivates your will to learn.

Source: Adapted from Finding Your Way: Navigating Your Future by Understanding Your Learning Self (p. 31), by C. A. Johnston, 2015, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2015 by Let Me Learn, Inc. Adapted with permission.

Your Learning Patterns Your LCI results can open many educational, professional, and personal doors because they allow you to answer a fundamental question about yourself: Who am I as a learner? What makes me unique as a learner? How does knowing my Learning Patterns add to what I know

Section 2.2Sequence

about myself? How can I apply this information to my life right now? How can I use it to guide my plans for the future?

The key to being a successful adult learner is to understand your Patterns and apply them with intention to whatever situation in which you find yourself. In the next four sections (Sec- tions 2.2–2.5), you will delve further into the Patterns. Each description includes a table that outlines the specific thoughts (how you think), actions (how you act), feelings (how you feel), and statements (what you might say) that typify each Use First and Avoid Pattern. This will help you identify how each of your mental processes works to generate the effort needed to accomplish a learning assignment.

As you read the descriptions and review the tables, carefully consider your own LCI scores. With which Pattern descriptions do you identify strongly? To which do you find yourself less attached? Do any of the descriptions remind you of interactions with family, friends, or coworkers?

2.2 Sequence Sequence is the Learning Pattern that organizes, plans, and completes tasks without inter- ruption, using clear instructions and a time frame that allows you to double-check your work once it’s completed. Sequence seeks examples, uses lists, and thrives on schedules.

Use First Sequence The learner who Uses Sequence First typically begins a task by asking, “What are the directions?,” “What am I expected to do?,” or “Can you post some examples for me to look at?” Those who use Sequence at a high level want the security of seeing what the expectations are; they want to make sure there is no hidden agenda.

If you have Use First Sequence, you hate having your supervisor or instruc- tor change directions after you have started your work. Your security— your sense of self as a learner—comes with “I can do this well by using the techniques that have brought me suc- cess before. I will use them over and

over.” If you use Sequence to a high degree, you thrive on practice and enjoy checking with others to see how they are approaching the task. Online students with Use First Sequence will post their responses and then anxiously await feedback from their instructors and classmates.

Coscaron/iStock/Thinkstock Do you frequently use a calendar or list-making app on your smartphone? Do you need step-by-step instructions to complete a new task? If so, you may be Use Sequence First.

Section 2.2Sequence

Those who are Use First Sequence tend to be highly organized and orderly—sometimes to the point of inflexibility. In the workplace, those who are Use First Sequence appreciate meetings that feature agendas. They use lists and calendars to display all family activities for the day, week, and month. However, they may procrastinate if they do not have directions or a full understanding of what is expected, and they can become stressed if plans change frequently.

Shane, who was tasked with recruiting volunteers to staff a nonprofit organization’s food booth, applied his Use First Sequence to develop a list of directions explaining the booth’s operations (including things like health department restrictions). He also developed a spread- sheet to track shifts per day and created an online sign-up form. The food booth was so well operated that the local food bank asked Shane to help organize its volunteer shifts!

Use as Needed Sequence Use as Needed Sequence finds it helpful to plan and make lists but is not bound by a sched- ule or concerned when some items on a list are not completed. ‘There’s always tomorrow,” is the attitude here. When Plan A falls apart, Use as Needed Sequence people can work with Plan B, C, and so on.

Consider Fran, who turned to her Use as Needed Sequence to put together an itinerary and purchase tickets for an upcoming trip. When she arrived at the airport, however, she dis- covered her flight was overbooked. Instead of being upset, she volunteered to take a later flight and in exchange received two free round-trip tickets. Fran’s Use as Needed Sequence helped her be accommodating, adaptable, and willing to reset her priorities and schedule.

Avoid Sequence If you are Avoid Sequence, you often skip reading and following directions, consciously choose not to live by a schedule, and rarely double-check your work. You often miss deadlines or do not complete the task as assigned. Avoiding Sequence can make submitting work and post- ing responses on time feel like an annoyance. It can make you think you don’t need to read or follow directions. In fact, directions remain a mystery to you, since your mind does not easily wrap itself around multistep directions, whether they are written or spoken.

Ella, for example, kept getting stuck as she tried to follow her tax software’s step-by-step directions for describing her home office.

“What do the directions say?” her husband asked.

“It wants the ‘area of the house.’ I’ve put in ‘upstairs.’ I’ve tried ‘second floor.’”

Her husband burst into laughter. “The directions are asking for the square feet of our house, not the location of your office.”

Like, Ella, those who are Avoid Sequence frequently misunderstand even the most standard of directions.

Section 2.3Precision

There are benefits to Avoiding Sequence, such as the ability to easily start over when a plan is not working well. Managers who are Avoid Sequence often create an unstructured work environment.

Table 2.1 outlines how you might think, act, and feel if you Use Sequence First or Avoid Sequence. If you Use Sequence as Needed, you might identify with parts of both Use First and Avoid.

Table 2.1: Sequence Pattern Use Sequence First (25–35)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

I think in categories and organizational objectives.

I plan and break tasks down into the steps that need to be completed in logical order.

I feel secure when I have a plan and can work according to it.

What’s the goal for this? Let’s stay on task!

I think with clarity, not clutter.

I organize my schedule, my work space, and my life space.

I thrive on a well- ordered life.

There is a place for everything and everything in its place.

I think in phases: begin- ning, middle, and end.

I do a task from begin- ning to end and prefer to do so without inter- ruptions or a change in direction.

I feel complete when I can bring closure to a task.

Nothing feels better than crossing an item off of my to-do list.

Avoid Sequence (7–17)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

Why practice? I avoid directions and practicing.

I feel like I’m wasting my time.

Do I have to do it again?

These directions make no sense!

I ignore directions and written plans, such as a syllabus.

I feel confused by the directions.

What do you mean I have to follow these directions?

Why can’t I just jump in?

I begin a task where I am most comfortable.

I don’t feel the need to start by using only one entry point.

Does it really matter what I do first?

Source: Adapted from Strategic Learning: A Guide to Your Learning Self (p. 12-13), by C. A. Johnston, 2012, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2012 by Let Me Learn Inc. Adapted with permission.

2.3 Precision Precision is the Learning Pattern that seeks information and details, asks and answers ques- tions, and researches and documents facts.

Use First Precision Verbatim comments found in the short answer section of the LCI indicate that individuals whose scale scores demonstrated a Use First level of Precision wanted specifics. “Don’t make me guess.” “I get frustrated when I can’t find accurate information or don’t have the time or opportunity to

Section 2.3Precision

find it.” These individuals want to be sure they have the right answer.

If you are Use First Precision, you ask lots of questions and want to receive thorough explanations. You typically begin an assignment by gathering a lot of data and a lot of facts. You can be relentless in seeking informa- tion. You probably love trivia—sports stats, game shows, and so on. When your Precision is at a Use First level, you may enjoy taking a test because it allows you to measure how much you know about a specific topic. Those who Use Precision First are meticu- lous and feel good when the work is done exactingly.

One hazard of being Use First Precision is that you do not always use your time wisely, because you think you can squeeze in one more text message or check your Facebook feed one more time. Use First Precision learners may procrastinate by getting lost in the details or by spend- ing too much time researching.

Read the story that follows and see with which person’s Patterns you most identify:

Matt, who is Use First Precision (P35), and his Avoid Precision daughter, Eve (P09), went shopping for her first car. Before the trip, Matt studied Consumer Reports, while Eve looked at pictures of popular models. Once at the dealership, Eve suggested that she look around and talk to the salesperson on her own first, knowing her father would focus on details that were not important to her. “Once I’ve picked out the model I really want, I’ll come find you in the waiting room and have you do the number crunching and negotiating. Deal?” Eve said. Matt conceded. Eve’s strategic decision allowed them both to use their Patterns with intention and have a more pleasant car-buying experience.

Use as Needed Precision Use as Needed Precision operates with the understanding that “close” counts, and exactness isn’t always necessary. Melissa, for example, posted the following on her Facebook page:

I was helping my aunt freeze succotash. Before I began labeling the containers, my Use First Precision forced me to ask, “How do you spell succotash?” “Corn and lima beans,” my aunt replied. I guess her Use as Needed Precision was satis- fied describing the content rather than labeling it by name. (Used by permission of Melissa Smith)

Avoid Precision Of course, not everyone uses Precision to the same degree. In fact, you may actually Avoid Precision. If so, you rarely read for pleasure, don’t attend to details, and tune out long-winded

BananaStock/BananaStock/Thinkstock A person who has Use First Precision will most likely take detailed notes on a topic.

Section 2.3Precision

conversations. To an Avoid Precision learner, the written responses of a Use First Precision learner sound like “Blah blah, blah, blah.” Such a learner might say, “I just let all that information go in one ear and out the other. If I don’t, it just overwhelms me.” Take our earlier example of Matt and Eve. At one point during her teen years, Eve (P09) referred to her father (P35) as “the Interrogator” because he asked her so many questions. Her Avoid Precision nature dreaded hav- ing to come up with detailed responses. At times, not only did she Avoid Precision, she avoided her father. Only after coming to an understanding of their Patterns was she able to interact with him in a mutually respectful manner, thus earning him the privilege of car shopping with her.

It might be tempting to think that you cannot do well in the information age if you are Avoid Precision. That is not true. With the ready availability of information online, you can make your Avoid level of Precision work for you. For example, information is now at your fingertips through your mobile devices and allows those who are Avoid Precision to reference factual information in seconds, versus trying to remember the details. You can more quickly skim and scan information without getting bogged down in the voluminous amount of detail you have found. You may turn to reading summaries and abstracts (when appropriate to your research), rather than reading extensive articles. As long as the source you have selected is factually based and logically developed, you can use abbreviated sources to make your case and thereby succeed, even when avoiding Precision.

Table 2.2 outlines how you might think, act, and feel if you Use Precision First or Avoid Preci- sion. If you Use Precision as Needed, you might identify with parts of both Use First and Avoid.

Table 2.2: Precision Pattern Use Precision First (25–35)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

I think in information.

I challenge statements and ideas that I doubt.

I thrive on knowledge. I need more information. Let me write down the answer to that.

I ask many questions.

I prove I am right. I feel confident when I have accurate information.

What is . . . ?

I leave no piece of information unread.

I write things down. I feel informed when people share their information.

I am currently reading three different books on . . .

Avoid Precision (7–17)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

Do I have to read all of this?

I don’t have specific answers.

I am overwhelmed when confronted with details.

Don’t expect me to know names and dates!

How am I going to remember all of this?

I skim instead of read- ing details.

I fear looking stupid. Do all these details matter?

Who cares about all this stuff?

I take few, if any, notes. I get frustrated trying to find the one right answer.

Stop asking me so many questions!

Source: Adapted from Strategic Learning: A Guide to Your Learning Self (p. 13-14), by C. A. Johnston, 2012, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2012 by Let Me Learn Inc. Adapted with permission.

Section 2.4Technical Reasoning

2.4 Technical Reasoning Technical Reasoning is the Pattern that learns from real-world experiences, looks for rel- evance, and prides itself in coming up with practical answers. It emphasizes the ability to problem solve using independent thinking and hands-on interaction.

Use First Technical Reasoning Technical Reasoning is very differ- ent from Precision in the way it oper- ates within the mind. While Precision might be described as the Pattern of the most words, Technical Reasoning would be the Pattern of the fewest. In fact, its most unique trait is that it allows you to think without words. However, this same characteristic may lead you to struggle to find the words to articulate your thoughts, especially in writing. Individuals who Use Tech- nical Reasoning First wrote the short- est answers in the LCI’s short answer section.

If you Use Technical Reasoning First, you look for relevance and practicality. You solve prob- lems, think in operational terms, and prefer to work by yourself. Michaela, a retail manager, turns to her Use First Technical Reasoning to build displays and troubleshoot customer ser- vice problems. Her employees describe her as very hands-on, and she regularly pitches in to help them look for solutions to the many issues they come across in the warehouse, on the floor, and at the registers.

Many individuals who Use Technical Reasoning First understand the functionality of tools, gadgets, and technical instruments. They like to take things apart to see what makes them tick and put them back together without any leftover screws.

Interestingly, the Pattern of the most words (Precision) and the Pattern of the fewest words (Technical Reasoning) can work together at the Use First level. However, Technical Reasoning typically affects working relationships by limiting the amount and flow of information pro- vided by Precision, keeping it to the minimal “need to know.” Only relevant facts are shared with coworkers, while “information for information’s sake” is not.

One hazard of Use First Technical Reasoning is that you may procrastinate if you do not see the purpose of a task. Use First Technical Reasoning learners often report being bored in school because of “too much pointless busywork.” As a college student, it is important to find assignments relevant and be able to apply them to the real world in order to keep your Tech- nical Reasoning engaged.

Ondine32/iStock/Thinkstock If your Technical Reasoning is at a Use First level, that may mean that you enjoy hands-on learning and may struggle with conveying thoughts aloud or in writing.

Section 2.4Technical Reasoning

Use as Needed Technical Reasoning Being Use as Needed Technical Reasoning still helps you solve problems. Doing so, however, is not a priority. As one mother said, “I could fix the leaky toilet or re-tile the bathroom, but that’s not how I choose to spend my weekend. That’s what home repair services are for.” Those who Use Technical Reasoning as Needed willingly contribute to solving organiza- tional and operational problems and enjoy the challenge of doing so.

Avoid Technical Reasoning Those who Avoid Technical Reasoning find it frustrating when seeking to communicate with someone who uses very few words. They feel closed out when forced to watch someone dem- onstrate a process without getting directions and explanations. They frequently offer their own explanations in a questioning voice, as if to say, “Am I understanding what you are doing?” They seek more than a monosyllabic explanation of what is occurring. They find it difficult to relate to nonverbal problem solving.

Rich, an emergency medical technician with Use First Technical Reasoning (TR30), was work- ing with a group of Habitat for Humanity volunteers to build a house. The volunteers con- sisted of an accountant (TR14) and a salesperson (TR10), both of whom Avoided Technical Reasoning. They were trying to decide the dimensions of the front entrance steps. Rich lis- tened and then moved away. Standing alone, he sketched the slope of the steps, went back to the doorway and remeasured, and then returned to the group with a diagram of what was needed. The group was impressed with how efficiently Rich visualized the situation and came up with a solution.

Table 2.3 outlines how you might think, act, and feel if you Use Technical Reasoning First or Avoid Technical Reasoning. If you Use Technical Reasoning as Needed, you might identify with parts of both Use First and Avoid.

Table 2.3: Technical Reasoning Pattern Use Technical Reasoning First (25–35)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

I think of a situation as a puzzle to be solved.

I size up the situation and solve the problem.

I feel satisfied when I solve a problem.

Good job! Bring on the next problem.

I seek relevance and challenge.

I concentrate and figure things out.

I feel useful when a task has a purpose.

How will I ever use this in the real world?

I want to know how something works.

I work with my hands and then with my head.

I enjoy working alone to figure things out.

What a great design!

(continued)

Section 2.5Confluence

Table 2.3: Technical Reasoning Pattern (continued)

Avoid Technical Reasoning (7–17)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

Why should I care how this works?

I avoid using tools or instruments.

I am inept. If it is broken, throw it away!

Somebody has to help me figure out what are the contributing factors to this problem.

I can explain the problem in words and prefer to talk about it instead of taking action to solve it.

I’m uncomfortable when required to represent a problem using a schematic.

I’m an educated person; I should be able to do this!

Why do I have to assem- ble this?

I rely on the directions to help me succeed.

I lack the confidence to construct things.

I need written directions, not just pictures!

Source: Adapted from Strategic Learning: A Guide to Your Learning Self (p. 15), by C. A. Johnston, 2012, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2012 by Let Me Learn Inc. Adapted with permission.

2.5 Confluence Confluence is the Learning Pattern that describes the way we use our imagination, take ini- tiative and risks, and brainstorm ways to approach situations in a unique manner.

Use First Confluence Has anyone ever told you that you think outside the box? This is Confluence at work. You thrive on change. You see life’s connectedness rather than its disjointedness. You see con- nections that perhaps others do not see. When Confluence is your Use First Pattern, you use metaphors and comparisons rather than explaining something in detail. “The office today was a real zoo,” you might say, or “I’m like a sponge.” Metaphors like these offer you a quick way to explain what you are seeing or experiencing without taking the time to express it with exactness.

A bank associate, who is highly Sequential, wrote of her frustration in trying to carry on a conversation with her husband, who is highly Confluent (see Figure 2.3):

I realized . . . why I have such a hard time communicating with him. He starts with one topic and veers into so many different directions that I can’t keep track of where the conversation is going. For example, he started by talking about “birds of a feather” and then talked about music, weight lifting, eating, why our friend can’t sell his house, and then something else (I was really lost at this point). (Rice, 2006, used by permission of Debbie Rice)

Section 2.5Confluence

Figure 2.3: Confluence and Sequence in conversation

Your ability to follow what someone is saying during a conversation could be related to the differences between your Learning Pattern combinations.

Used by permission of Debbie Rice

In the world of business, Confluence is identified as “blue-skying” it: offering ideas that do not have practical uses or make money—yet. Individuals with Use First Confluence describe being frustrated when others reject their ideas because they do not fit the mold or veer from the instructions. Some students regard Confluence as the “creative” Pattern, but as discussed in the Tips & Tools feature box, creativity actually exists in all Patterns.

A drawback of Confluence is the tendency to take on too much, pursue multiple ideas, and leave projects unfinished. The key to using Confluence effectively is to anchor your ideas and excitement to either a plan, well-researched information, or a well-grounded purpose. In this way, you can use your Confluence with intention to achieve a specific outcome. When con- nected to your entire team of Learning Patterns, Confluence can provide the spark that moves you toward greater innovation and achievement. It all depends on how intentionally you use your Patterns.

Use as Needed Confluence People who Use Confluence as Needed are open to trying new things. Individuals in the Use as Needed range are not the first to volunteer to try something new, but they will join in once they see it is safe and fun. Use as Needed Confluence folks are accommodators; they are the “we can make this work” people who don’t become frustrated when a schedule abruptly

Section 2.5Confluence

changes or a meeting is suddenly canceled. When Ben’s luggage was stolen while he was on vacation, his reaction was, “Well, these things happen.” Did Ben enjoy the disruption? No, but his Use as Needed Confluence helped him cope.

Avoid Confluence Of course, if you are Avoid Confluence, you think taking risks is foolish and wasteful. You are cautious as you make life decisions. You would rather not make mistakes, especially if your Avoidance of Confluence is tied to the fact that you Use Precision First.

During her younger years, the fact that Emily was Avoid Confluence (C14) caused her to struggle as her family moved from one location to another. It wasn’t easy for her to adjust to new schools all the time. It took her months to make friends. As she entered middle school, her Avoid Confluence became a type of social protection, a shield against making snap deci- sions or taking risks. On her LCI she wrote, “School is the best part of my day because there I follow the same schedule every day. No surprises.”

Table 2.4 outlines how you might think, act, and feel if you Use Confluence First or Avoid Confluence. If you Use Confluence as Needed, then you might identify with parts of both Use First and Avoid.

Tips & Tools: Understanding Pattern Power

The first step to using your Patterns well is to have a thorough knowledge of the intricacies of each of them, no matter your level of use. Once you have developed this skill, you can fully understand the nature of the team of Patterns within you. However, it is important to avoid putting any of your Patterns in a box. No Pattern is the smart Pattern. No Pattern is the bor- ing one. No Pattern is the creative one. Moreover, you are a combination of all four of your Patterns.

Creativity is found in every Pattern. Insights and ideas abound in each Pattern. In Sequence, creativity is the ability to generate a unique plan that addresses a task’s complexity. Sequential creativity identifies and works out all issues in advance of them occurring.

In Precision, creativity is captured by using words in an original way to persuade, entertain, or make a convincing argument. Always accurate and factual, the creative use of Precision allows one to communicate with others at the highest level.

In Technical Reasoning, creativity is evident in innovative problem solving. Field-fitting is an example of creative Technical Reasoning: When the best blueprints or designs don’t fit the physical reality of the work site, a creative use of Technical Reasoning is able to modify them on the spot and get the job done.

In Confluence, creativity is having a Steven Spielberg level of imagination, a SpaceX degree of pioneering vision, or the ability to launch an iPhone-like product that has never before been proposed. In other words, Confluent creativity conceives of what has never before been imag- ined and couples it with the willingness to take risks to make fantasy a reality.

Section 2.6Understanding the Different Pattern Combinations

Table 2.4: Confluence Pattern Use Confluence First (25–35)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

I think to risk is to learn. I take risks. I am not afraid to risk and fail.

Nothing ventured, noth- ing gained!

I think outside the box. I brainstorm. I let my mind wander without boundaries.

I feel energized by pos- sibilities that are still in the idea stage.

I have an idea. No, wait! I have an even better idea!

I connect things that are seemingly unrelated.

I read over, under, around, and between the lines.

I revel in connecting the dots.

Think big picture!

Avoid Confluence (7–17)

How you think How you act How you feel What you might say

Where is the focus? I look for the purpose. I feel unsettled. Let’s stay focused!

What do you mean, imagine?

I avoid the unknown. My head is in a whirl! Where did that idea come from?

Who is in control? I operate with clear goals and a single, laser- like focus.

I don’t want any more changes or surprises!

This is out of control!

Source: Adapted from Strategic Learning: A Guide to Your Learning Self (p. 16–17), by C. A. Johnston, 2012, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2012 by Let Me Learn Inc. Adapted with permission.

2.6 Understanding the Different Pattern Combinations Patterns do not work in isolation. You never use just one. Your Pattern combination always consists of all four Patterns working as a team, in concert with each other to create whole- ness—a combination for success. Working together, they form a vibrant relationship that you can feel at work and that others can readily observe. There is no combination of Patterns that is stronger; there is no combination of Patterns that is weaker. Your Patterns are who you are. They are right for you. They work well for you—when you know how to use them with intention.

The nature of the relationship among your Patterns is the result of the number of Patterns you Use First, Use as Needed, and Avoid. Standard combinations of Learning Patterns consist of at least one Use First Pattern or all Use as Needed Patterns. As a learner, you should fall into one of the following categories:

1. Dynamic. You have at least one (possibly two) Use First Patterns. 2. Strong-Willed. You have at least three (possibly four) Use First Patterns. 3. Bridge. You have all Use as Needed Patterns.

Ninety-seven percent of all learners have a Use First Pattern. Fifty percent have an Avoid Pat- tern. Interestingly, only 3% have no Use First or Avoid Patterns (Johnston, n.d.).

Section 2.6Understanding the Different Pattern Combinations

When exploring your combination of Learning Patterns, it is always important to ask your- self, “Is this me?” If your Pattern combination does not fall into the Dynamic, Strong-Willed, or Bridge categories, then you most likely have a nonstandard combination and will want to retake the LCI. A nonstandard combination is one that has an Avoid Pattern but no Use First Pattern. Some examples include the following:

One Use as Needed and three Avoid (e.g., S22, P16, TR17, C14)

Two Use as Needed and two Avoid (e.g., S18, P20, TR11, C16)

Three Use as Needed and one Avoid (e.g., S23, P19, TR20, C12)

There are many reasons why these irregular combinations might arise. You may have been tired when you completed the LCI and were unable to invest energy in completing it. You may have been distracted when taking it. You may have worried that this was a test of your intel- ligence or capacity to learn. Getting an accurate score on the LCI is also less likely to occur when you have recently experienced one or more of life’s greatest stressors:

• A change in a personal relationship (death, birth, separation, or marriage) • A change in work status (loss of job, start of new employment) • A change in locale (move to new area or new home)

If you need to retake the LCI, clear your mind and focus on the task at hand. Remember that this is not a test. Choose more specific responses for your answers. Once you have a standard set of scores, you are ready to explore your combination of Learning Patterns.

Dynamic Learner Dynamic is the combination of Learning Patterns that uses at least one Pattern at the Use First level, while the remaining ones are any combination of another Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid. The majority (67%) of learners are Dynamic.

When your Patterns form a Dynamic configuration, you experience yourself shifting from the use of one Pattern to another. You sense when you are moving from a Use First to a Use as Needed Pattern. You feel the change based on your affective (emotive) response to the Pat- tern, and you recognize how your level of confidence is being affected, particularly when you move from your Use First Patterns to those you Avoid.

As a Dynamic learner, you can relate to others well and understand how they use their Learn- ing Patterns. You can identify when a colleague or supervisor is shifting from one Pattern to another when giving directions or when faced with an abundance of questions. You have a strong sense of Pattern empathy and are able to sense when others in your work setting are having their Pattern needs ignored.

Here is a Dynamic learner’s description of how his Patterns work:

John LoCrasto Jr. (Dynamic learner—two Use First, two Use as Needed): Sequence 23 (Use as Needed) Precision 26 (Use First)

Section 2.6Understanding the Different Pattern Combinations

Technical Reasoning 30 (Use First) Confluence 23 (Use as Needed) Used by permission of John LoCrasto.

John LoCrasto Jr. is a lead engineer for a large construction company, and large is a key word in his job description. He supervises a large number of opera- tors of large construction equipment, working on large projects—building airports, bridges, dams, railway systems, and more. John’s Use First Techni- cal Reasoning is apparent when he describes his childhood: “From early on, I liked to use Technical Reasoning to learn. . . . I loved taking stuff apart and put- ting it back together,” he recalls. “I found things to do after I’d get out of school where I learned more in a hands-on way. . . . I liked working on my own.”

After a stint in the U.S. Navy, John worked his way up to lead engineer in a large construction company. Technical Reasoning is the Learning Pattern John uses most, but his Use First Precision also plays an important role in his work. “Let’s say you’re operating a crane and setting steel,” he says. “You’re using your skills to swing two workers 30 to 40 stories up in the air. You’re swinging that piece of steel, and those workers are standing up there, and you’ve got to make sure it lands where it’s supposed to!”

When he supervises other machine operators, John must give precise instruc- tions. Giving exact instructions also involves his Use as Needed level of Sequence.

John’s job also requires him to employ his Use as Needed Confluence, as engi- neers must often view problems in new ways in order to solve them. “Some- times,” John notes, “what it says on a plan doesn’t work out in the field, so you have to ‘field-fit.’”

Strong-Willed Learner Strong-Willed is the combination of Learning Patterns that uses three or more Patterns at the Use First level and the remaining Pattern at the Use as Needed or Avoid level. Thirty per- cent of learners are Strong-Willed.

Strong-Willed learners seek opportu- nities to lead rather than be led. Their Pattern combination of three or more Use First Learning Patterns positions them to be their own self-contained team.

Do your Patterns operate in a Strong- Willed relationship? Do you experi- ence a high degree of determination as a result of your multiple Use First

Julief514/iStock/Thinkstock Those whose Learning Patterns form a Strong- Willed combination tend to take leadership roles and would rather be in control of planning and decision making.

Section 2.6Understanding the Different Pattern Combinations

Patterns? Do you prefer to control the plan, the ideas, the talks, the decisions, the processes, and the outcomes? If so, your Patterns are likely putting you into situations that make it dif- ficult for you to work with others because you could (and would prefer to) do it all yourself.

As a result, you might be critical of those you perceive as not getting on board fast enough or who fail to carry their load. You may struggle to recognize the difficulty that your approach causes for peers, colleagues, family members, and teammates. You may also find it difficult to understand the behaviors of those who have several Avoid or Use as Needed Patterns. This gap in empathy can be a blind spot in your ability to lead others. Understanding yourself as a learner and being aware of how your approach affects those around you is particularly impor- tant when you have a Strong-Willed Pattern combination.

Bonnie Dawkins (Strong-Willed learner—three Use First, one Avoid): Sequence 25 (Use First) Precision 29 (Use First) Technical Reasoning 07 (Avoid) Confluence 30 (Use First) Used by permission of Bonnie Dawkins.

Bonnie Dawkins has always wanted to be a teacher, helping children love learning as she does. Today her Learning Patterns help her meet the demands of teaching sixth-grade students. Bonnie’s Use First Sequence equips her to plan and organize her school year and the children’s curriculum. Her Use First Precision drives her focus on ensuring that all students “learn to read and read to learn”—she wants to make sure her students can both decipher the words on the page and read for information and comprehension. Her Use First Confluence helped her develop sophisticated book projects for her students to work on.

Since learning about Learning Patterns in a graduate class, Bonnie has been a woman on a mission, working to integrate the LML system into every aspect of the curricu- lum, whether social studies, English language arts, math, or science. As a Strong-Willed learner, Bonnie tends to try to do it all: “I can swoop down on a situation, plan it, drive it, and attend to all the parts—including your role, which, if you want me to, I’ll design for you.”

Bonnie’s efforts do pay off: Her students are now using personal strategies to guide their learning and working together more effectively because they better understand them- selves and one another as learners. However, Bonnie also has been known to become exhausted and worry that there is “always more I can be doing.” She recognizes that she must use her Strong-Willedness with intention and balance her role as a guide with her desire to be in control. “I forget that I am not in charge of everything. I cannot control every outcome. I don’t own their learning; I facilitate it.”

Bridge Learner Bridge is the combination of Learning Patterns that features no Use First or Avoid but instead consists of all four Patterns at a Use as Needed level. These learners are rare, making up only 3% of the population.

Section 2.6Understanding the Different Pattern Combinations

If all of your Pattern scores fall between 18 and 24, you have a combination of Learning Pat- terns that bridge the difference between a Use First and an Avoid level of a Pattern, creating the opportunity for you to work seamlessly to connect and solve learning challenges. When your Patterns form a Bridge relationship, you are comfortable using all of them. While you experience a difference between them, you feel no urgency to use one over another. Your Pat- terns serve a helpful role by leading from the middle.

Frequently, Bridge learners will say things like: “I don’t need the spotlight; I just want to con- tribute in my quiet way.” “I feel like a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, but I find I can blend in, pitch in, and help make things happen.” “I weigh things in the balance carefully before I act.” “I encourage others rather than take charge of a situation.”

These learners are team catalysts who, by listening and interacting with others, bring people closer to resolution while eliminating grandstanding and arguing. They use phrases such as, “If I were you, I might consider. . .” and offer quiet alternatives rather than specific demands. Of all the different roles a Bridge learner plays when working on a team, interpreter is most important. Individuals who use a combination of Use First or Avoid Patterns often find it diffi- cult to understand where the other is coming from. Their Patterns may conflict, causing a gap in their understanding of one another. This is when the Bridge learner is especially helpful to the team. The Bridge learner can relate to and therefore explain the thoughts, actions, and feelings of one learner to another in a respectful way. The Bridge learner can close the gap of understanding between learners with conflicting Patterns by bridging the distance between their Use First and Avoid Patterns.

Connie Lindsey (Bridge learner—four Use as Needed): Sequence 21 (Use as Needed) Precision 23 (Use as Needed) Technical Reasoning 24 (Use as Needed) Confluence 22 (Use as Needed)

Connie Lindsey is an executive vice president at one of America’s leading financial institutions. She heads a team of 90 individuals and is responsible for managing bil- lions of dollars in clients’ assets. As a woman of color from a difficult socioeconomic background, her success in the male-dominated world of finance is notable; her Bridge Patterns enable her to interact successfully with investors, coworkers, and government regulators.

Connie uses each Pattern in the Use as Needed range. In her work, Precision plays an important role in ensuring accurate reporting. Confluence helps her interpret clients’ requests and meet their needs. “We depend to a large degree on our ability to see things in new ways,” she said. Connie also recalls using her Technical Reasoning Pattern as a student, as she has always preferred to work independently.

Connie describes her Patterns as acting as a “bridge” to bring people together; she has encouraged others to contribute according to their own Use First ways of learning. Con- nie learns—and leads—by listening to others, and she keeps everyone focused on the group goal.

Section 2.7Building Your Personal Learning Profile

As an executive, Connie has observed firsthand that people learn in different ways. “It is extremely important for leaders to recognize this in order to maximize the performance of members of the team,” she says. “I usually ask questions that help me understand their Learning Patterns, and I adjust to those to assist them in achieving team goals.”

2.7 Building Your Personal Learning Profile Once you understand the different Patterns and the implications of various combinations, you can examine your own Pattern combination and build a personal learning profile.

A personal learning profile (PLP) demonstrates your awareness of how you use each Pat- tern. Your PLP takes note of your scores, your use level of each Pattern, and the type of learner you are (Dynamic, Strong-Willed, or Bridge). More importantly, your PLP helps you articulate how your mind works and how that causes you to feel and act in everyday life. For example, if you are Use First Technical Reasoning, you might say, “I’m a person who doesn’t use many words to say what I have to say.” Developing a PLP is the first step to owning your Patterns because it requires you to translate your LCI scores into a description that is specific to you.

Take a look at the following annotated PLP for Brennan. Each part of his PLP is followed with some further explanation.

Part 1: LCI results

Identify the type of learner (Dynamic, Strong-Willed, Bridge) you are in the box provided.

Strong-Willed learner

Sequence Precision TechnicalReasoning Confluence

Record your LCI scores in the boxes provided.

23 29 35 25

Record the level of use in the boxes provided.

Use as Needed Use First Use First Use First

Note that the level at which Brennan uses each Learning Pattern is indicated by his scores. Recall that the ranges are as follows: Avoid: 7–17 Use as Needed: 18–24 Use First: 25–35

Section 2.7Building Your Personal Learning Profile

Part 2: How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Sequence (Write a paragraph of four to five sentences describing the degree to which you use this Pattern.)

USE AS NEEDED SEQUENCE:

I read directions if I feel the need to do so. Primarily I check to see if I have done this type of assignment before. If I have had previous experience, I will ignore the directions and simply repeat what I did for the previous assignment. If the task is new to me, I usually will take time to read through the directions carefully.

When it comes to following a schedule, I might jot down a brief to-do list. I see schedules as loose guides rather than rigid determiners of what I need to do or when.

Like everyone, I see my time as valuable so I focus on doing important things. Picking up after myself does not rank high, so it is not unusual for me to leave things where I last used them. For the most part I put my tools back where they belong because I want to be able to find them when I need them.

I never take the time to make an outline when writing a paper. Simply listing my thoughts in the order I want to include them in the paper works much better for me.

It is worth noting that Brennan created this PLP for a class assignment, which required him to use multiple sen- tences to describe each of his Patterns. Brennan has Use First Technical Reasoning (TR35)—the Pattern that uses the fewest words—so if he were making a PLP for his own use, he would likely use bulleted lists to talk about how he uses each Pattern.

Part 3: How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Precision (Write a paragraph of four to five sentences describing the degree to which you use this Pattern.)

USE FIRST PRECISION:

I take pride in knowing things. Sometimes I get myself into debates. I love to share the information that I’ve learned and find it frustrating that sometimes I meet resistance when people confuse factual information for my personal opinions. In addition, since I have so many interests, I consistently have insight to share on a variety of topics. People sometimes find my deluge of information condescending, though of course that’s never my intent. I’ll read 2,000 pages of plans and specs on the job, so I know I can deal with Precision—but when it comes to writing, that’s a different thing.

Brennan knows a lot of things and can absorb a great deal of information. You may expect that with a Use First level of Precision (P29), he would write more, but the fact that he is Use First Technical Reasoning (TR35) keeps him from outwardly expressing all that he knows inwardly. Doing an assignment with a required number of sentences for each Pattern frustrates him and stretches his patience.

Part 4: How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Technical Reasoning (Write a paragraph of four to five sentences describing the degree to which you use this Pattern.)

USE FIRST TECHNICAL REASONING:

If I have a problem to solve, I’ll spend hours thinking about whatever is puzzling me. Mostly I keep my thoughts to myself. When it comes to writing, it is painful, and I procrastinate. Usually the topics don’t inter- est me, and I have to motivate myself to write about something that’s not relevant to me.

Brennan’s Use First Technical Reasoning (TR35) is centered on his interest in problem solving. This dominates his approach to writing, even though he is Use First Precision (P29). He needs something to interest him if he is to be motivated to complete a writing assignment.

Section 2.8Becoming an Intentional Learner

Part 5: How I Use First, Use as Needed, or Avoid Confluence (Write a paragraph of four to five sentences describing the degree to which you use this Pattern.)

USE FIRST CONFLUENCE:

I don’t mind following rules, but I don’t like it when I’m given a specific question to answer, and I’m restricted in terms of what I can write about. I prefer open-ended questions and being able to dig into my hundreds of other interests. I like to improvise. I take risks, but they are usually well calculated because I do not want to make a foolish mistake.

The fact that Brennan is Use First Confluence is tempered by his other Patterns. His Use as Needed Sequence makes him willing to follow the rules and provides a framework to shape his Use First Precision written responses. His Use First Technical Reasoning seeks relevance and a practical purpose for writing about a topic. He feels the fact that he is Use First Confluence most when he finds himself restricted to doing only one type of written response, when in fact he is much more attracted to writing about things that interest him.

A PLP can be a useful tool for applying your Patterns in everyday life and framing your out- look on learning. It can help you strategically prepare to complete a challenging assignment by reminding you who you are as a learner. It can also act as a home base to which to return whenever you are called on to describe yourself as a 21st-century learner—whether to peers, instructors, coworkers, employers, or supervisors.

If you wish to create your own PLP, consider revisiting the sections in this chapter that describe each Pattern and jot down key terms and phrases that resonate with you. Take time to reflect on how your Patterns play an important role in every aspect of your life. Your PLP should be a thoughtful description of yourself and include language that is clear, vivid, and positive.

2.8 Becoming an Intentional Learner Learning about your Patterns and identifying how you use them in everyday life can be an insightful exercise. Maybe you now have a better idea of why you love making to-do lists; maybe you finally understand why you struggle with lengthy writing assignments. It turns out it is because you are more comfortable with one Pattern than another!

You have learned a lot about yourself thus far. But to be a truly intentional learner, you have to take it a step further. Whether you are a Dynamic, Strong-Willed, or Bridge learner, it is important to use your Pattern combination with intention. To do so, you must harness your awareness to complete the task at hand. In other words, you must tune in to how your Patterns affect the way in which you approach tasks—and then make the necessary adjustments so you can succeed. Understanding how your Learning Patterns affect your behavior is central to becoming an intentional learner. At the heart of intentional learning is the awareness that you know how to control, manage, and use your learning processes.

There are two major steps involved in harnessing your Patterns to achieve a goal. The first is to listen to the voice of each Pattern and identify how its “talk,” or metacognition, is seek- ing to guide your action. The second step is to direct each Pattern’s action by regulating the degree to which you let the Pattern drive your behaviors.

Section 2.8Becoming an Intentional Learner

Metacognition In the context of intentional learning, metacognition is defined as the internal talk that goes on within your mind as you are learning. While its traditional definition is “thinking about thinking,” the pioneers of metacognition described it more specifically as “learning to direct one’s own mental processes with the aid of words” (Vygotsky, 1986, p. 108). Your internal talk consists of the “chatter” of your Learning Patterns as they call to one another—expressing their feelings, concerns, or the actions in which they want to engage (see Figure 2.4). Each of your Patterns plays an important role in your learning; each has a different perspective and a distinct voice.

Figure 2.4: Metacognition

Communication among the Patterns within your brain–mind interface form the internal talk of your metacognition.

Source: Adapted from Strategic Learning: A Guide to Your Learning Self (p. 26), by C. A. Johnston, 2012, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2012 by Let Me Learn, Inc. Adapted with permission.

Section 2.8Becoming an Intentional Learner

Only when you listen to your internal metacognitive chatter can you begin to take charge and respond appropriately. You may miss the voice of your metacognition because you are sur- rounded by other audible distractions: ringtones, people’s voices, music. Or you may ignore the chatter because you have decided not to notice it. One reason you might opt to ignore your internal talk is because you are not prepared to listen to its message.

Table 2.5 illustrates how chatter works within your mind. Jay is working on his online as- signment. Each of his Patterns is responding simultaneously (metacognating) over the task to be completed.

Table 2.5: Example of internal chatter

Jay’s Patterns Jay’s metacognition

Jay’s Use First Sequence (S27) is demanding:

“What? These are the only directions? I need an example of what a good answer looks like. Is this question like the one we had in the last unit? How did I do it last time? I made a chart. I’ll make a list of stuff to include. I need to look at the directions again!”

Jay’s Use as Needed Precision (P20) is saying:

“Wow, there’s a lot of information here. What does this word mean? Oh, I see a definition in a box. . . . Should I read it over to make sure I got it? Oops, it’s getting late. I have to get this done!”

Jay’s Use First Technical Reasoning (TR28) is asking:

“Do I need to read all this? Maybe I don’t. What’s the main thing I need to do? I should take a break and walk around.”

Jay’s Avoid Confluence (C13) is wondering:

“The directions say I need to make my answer interesting. Interesting? How? Why can’t I do the same thing I did on the last assignment?”

Just as it is vital for Jay to listen to the internal talk of his Patterns, it is important that you listen to the chatter going on among your Learning Patterns. Rather than being a distraction, the chatter among your Patterns allows you to actively listen to how your Patterns are at work within your mind, pulling and tugging you in different directions. This awareness offers you the insight necessary for “purposeful decision-making about how to proceed with the task” (Baird, Fensham, Gunston, & White, 1991, p. 164). Your metacognition challenges you to hear the harmony and disharmony within your think- ing, sort through it, and then respond appropriately to the task at hand. Lis- tening to your metacognition takes practice, patience, and skill.

Self-Regulation The skill most needed for listening and responding to your metacognition is self-regulation (Borkowski, Carr, Rel- linger, & Pressley, 1990, p. 79). Self- regulation is the ability to consciously examine your own thoughts and behavior to identify which of them is

monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Thinkstock Being aware of your Patterns and the Patterns of others helps you self-regulate and select the Pattern that will help you appropriately respond to any situation.

Conclusion

causing you to be unproductive. That is not easy to do when your Patterns are arguing about how to proceed or achieve. This is where grit can play a significant role. Whether setting goals for a healthier lifestyle or establishing a more productive study schedule, grit helps you use your informed, engaged, and reflective effort to achieve a successful learning outcome.

Self-regulation allows you to take charge of your Patterns and “talk back” to them, prioritizing their messages to complete the task at hand. Without a conscious effort on your part to know and use each of your Patterns with intention, they can keep you from responding appropri- ately to situations—and thus keep you from being a successful learner.

Self-regulation is steeped in self-discipline—a type of self-discipline that is not rigid but flex- ible; open to facing reality; aimed at problem solving; and prepared to redirect your energy toward achieving your goal. If you are thinking this sounds like grit, you are correct. Self- regulation operates using your personal set of self-management skills that include conscien- tiousness, self-discipline, and perseverance (Moffitt, 2011). This is grit in action! Use the questions in the Tips & Tools box to assess whether you are self-regulating your learning.

Conclusion Understanding yourself is no longer a puzzle to be solved. You now have information you can use with intention. Furthermore, the stories of the different individuals in this chapter affirm that who you are as a learner and how you use your combination of Learning Patterns has value. Every combination can get the job of learning done; each Pattern contributes to successful learning.

As you continue to develop your self-awareness and identify intentional learning strategies, you will become a stronger and more capable student, ready to flex and use your Learning Patterns to succeed. This awareness will set you apart as a maturing learner—one who is determined, persistent, and prepared to achieve the goal of a college degree.

Tips & Tools: Self-Regulating Your Learning

Are you self-regulating your learning? Use these questions to assess yourself.

• Am I actively monitoring my thinking? Do I take the time to pause and think about what I am reading and whether I understand the content?

• Am I planning the use of my time appropriately? Do I schedule time to do a task com- pletely rather than just squeeze it into an already busy schedule?

• Am I identifying and using all of the resources provided? Do I explore the videos and Further Reading sections to expand my knowledge and understanding?

• Am I open to receiving feedback on my work? Do I read and accept the comments of my instructors, giving weight to their suggestions and applying them when completing my next assignment? (Marzano, 1992, p. 138)

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

1. Using what you have learned about each of your Learning Patterns, explain why being asked to do a writing task works or doesn’t work well with your Pattern com- bination. Then explain if building a prototype or model allows you to express your- self better than in words. Why or why not?

2. Observe a child, family member, or coworker and describe the combination of Learning Patterns that stand out in this person. Which Patterns do you most easily observe? Which ones are not as evident?

3. Think of an experience you have had in which the Patterns of a family member or coworker clashed with yours. Identify how you now view the incident in light of the fact that you recognize you were experiencing a clash of Learning Patterns.

Additional Resources Edwards, L. (2013). Self-regulated learning [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=3OQsT7w6MBM

This 3-minute video provides a compact explanation of how to develop self-regulation skills.

Let Me Learn. (2015). Let Me Learn 20 years V4 1 [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bE4Erk5NtHE

This lively 5-minute history of the work of Let Me Learn depicts the thousands of learners it has helped over the past 20 years. Now you can number yourself as one of them!

Key Terms

Avoid LCI scale scores that range from 7 to 17 for a certain Pattern. Learners will feel stress whenever asked to use that Pat- tern unless they have specific strategies for working with it.

Bridge A pattern combination for a learner whose four LCI scale scores all range from 18 to 24 and who can apply each Pattern on a Use as Needed basis.

Confluence The Learning Pattern that describes the way we use our imagina- tion, take risks, and brainstorm ways of approaching things in a unique manner. Confluence allows the learner to fit dis- parate pieces of information into the big picture.

Dynamic A Pattern combination for a learner who uses one or two Patterns at the Use First level and any other combination of Avoid or Use as Needed for the remaining Patterns.

Interactive Learning Model (ILM) The simultaneous mental operations (thoughts, action, and feelings) that interact within each of a person’s four Learning Patterns as learning is taking place.

metacognition Traditionally, thinking about one’s thinking. In the context of LML, the ability to hear the talk (sometimes called internal chatter) among one’s Learn- ing Patterns and respond to it by using per- sonal strategies to intervene and respond.

personal learning profile (PLP) A record of one’s Learning Patterns described in one’s own words; a way to translate the Pattern scores into an authentic, personal profile.

Precision The Learning Pattern that seeks information and details, asks and answers questions, and researches and documents facts.

Conclusion

scale scores An individual’s numerical LCI scale scores, ranging from 7 to 35 on each Learning Pattern, that indicate to what degree an individual uses each Pattern; typically expressed in the following order: Sequence, Precision, Technical Reasoning, and Confluence.

self-regulation A set of self-management skills that include conscientiousness, self- discipline, and perseverance, as well as being able to consider the consequences of actions when making decisions.

Sequence The Learning Pattern that needs to organize, plan, and complete work assignments without interruption, using clear instructions as well as a time frame in which to check one’s work.

Strong-Willed A Pattern combination for a learner whose LCI scale scores are 25 or more in at least three out of four Patterns.

Technical Reasoning The Learning Pat- tern that describes the way we seek rel- evant real-world experiences and practical answers. This is the Pattern of the fewest words. It emphasizes the ability to problem solve using independent, private thinking and hands-on interaction.

Use as Needed LCI scale scores that range from 18 to 24 for a certain Pattern. Learners can use this Pattern when they need to, but it isn’t the one they turn to first.

Use First LCI scale scores that range from 25 to 35 for a certain Pattern. Learners are most comfortable with this Pattern and naturally turn to it when they start a learn- ing task.