Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are differences between Mind Styles (learning styles of Concrete Sequential, Abstract Sequential, Concrete Random, and Abstract Random, and Hub) as identified by the Gregorc Style Delineator and preferred staff development training methods of teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade. Methodology. Two basic methods of research were used, descriptive and causal-comparative (ex post facto). A researcher-developed survey, the Participant Data Sheet, and the Gregorc Style Delineator, were used to gather data from 292 K-5 teachers in Monterey County, California. The Gregorc Style Delineator allowed each participant to self-assess his/her Mind Style; the Participant Data Sheet allowed each participant to prioritize five preferred staff development training methods. Frequency counts, cross tabulation tables, and the Kruskall-Wallis H Test for Independent Samples were selected and computed to analyze the research questions. Findings. This study found: (1) the Concrete Sequential Mind Style represented the highest percentage of K-5 participants while the Abstract Sequential Mind Style represented the lowest percentage; (2) the most preferred staff development training method for teachers of grades K-5 was cooperative/small group interaction; (3) the least preferred staff development training method for teachers of grades K-5 was reading by self; (4) there was no one preferred staff development training method in common for all five Mind Styles; (5) four of the five Mind Styles in the K-5 population chose "make it and take it," cooperative/small group interaction, and discussion as their most preferred staff development training methods; least preferred was reading by self; (6) there were significant differences in mean preference rankings for lecture and cooperative/small group interaction as preferred staff development training methods among the five Mind Styles of the K-5 teacher population; Concrete Sequentials rank lecture as their highest preference while Abstract Randoms rank it as their lowest; Abstract Randoms rank cooperative/small group interaction as their highest preference while Concrete Sequentials rank it as their lowest. Conclusions and recommendations. This research suggests that all five Gregorc Mind Styles do not have a staff development training method preference that is common to all or to each one. However, the most preferred for the K-5 grouping, chosen by four of the five Mind Styles, was "make it and take it," cooperative/small group interaction, and discussion. These staff development training methods should be incorporated by persons responsible for such training into staff development sessions in order to meet the unique differences of Mind Styles in perceiving, interacting, and responding to the learning environment. Training designs should include methods that appeal to the Concrete Sequential Mind Style as the majority of K-5 teachers fall into this category. At the same time trainers need to choose methods that involve social interaction and participation as four of the five Mind Styles prefer such activities reading by self should be minimally used. In addition, now that trainers are aware that teaching to one's Mind Style may make staff development more meaningful, Mind Style research should be incorporated into training as a vehicle to raise teachers' awareness of their own style and that of the students with whom they interact.