Complete thesis - Murdoch University

Sorter (Keirsey and Bates, 1984) was applied. As was noted in Chapter 5, it is very easy tomanipulate the instrument in order to achieve desired results, therefore it should be statedthat the result described below is based on a initial, naive completion of the survey (eg priorto investigating possible results).Based on the four Temperaments described in Chapter 5, this researcher was categorised asa Teacher within the temperament Idealist (ENFJ).Adapted from Keirsey and Bates (1984), the following is a summary of this personality type:Idealists are abstract in communicating and co operative in implementing goals,leading to intelligent operations as teaching and counselling (NFJ) or conferringand tutoring (NFP). As well as being abstract in thought and speech, and co operative,the Teacher is directive and extroverted. Teachers expect the best fromthose around them, usually expressed as enthusiastic encouragement, motivatingaction in others. They take for granted that their expectations will be met, andimplicit commands obeyed. Found in less than 5% of the population, Teacherslike to have things settled and arranged, but are at home in complex situationsthat require juggling of much data with little pre-planning, and act well as leadersof groups. Teachers value harmonious relations above all else, but with an educational(rather than social) focus: interested primarily in the personal growth anddevelopment of others.This fits in with the profiles exposed through the inventories applied in the collaborativelearning styles research. Soloman & Felder’s ILS scores for the researcher herself show as verystrongly reflective (or very slightly active, given a score of 9% active), moderately intuitive(27% sensing), strongly verbal (18% visual) and slightly more global than sequential (36%sequential). Kolb’s LSI identifies her as an Assimilator: an abstract, reflective What? person,good at inductive reasoning and creating theoretical models; who likes to know what theexperts think and responds to information presented in an organised, logical fashion, withthe instructor considered as expert.This profiling has implications for the learning environment in which the teacher participates.In terms of the interventions planned, the profile highlights aspects that need to be monitored.Key concepts from this identity are abstract; co operative; directive (implicit commands);liking for things to be settled and arranged. Of particular note, the directive quality andliking for settlement, may imply a less than flexible approach where flexibility and studentcentringare overarching concerns within this research.250