4-MAT Process4-MAT Process

Dr. Bernice McCarthyDr. Bernice McCarthy

About Dr. Bernice McCarthy:About Dr. Bernice McCarthy:

1980-developed an open-ended, 1980-developed an open-ended, holistic teaching model holistic teaching model

Model takes into consideration Model takes into consideration individual learning stylesindividual learning styles

Focus on left and right brain teaching Focus on left and right brain teaching strategiesstrategies

The purpose of the model was to The purpose of the model was to “raise teacher awareness as to “raise teacher awareness as to

why some things work with why some things work with some learners and other things some learners and other things

do not.”do not.”

McCarthy’s model identified four McCarthy’s model identified four types of learners. Each type of types of learners. Each type of learner has a different need in learner has a different need in

order to “invest” in the learning order to “invest” in the learning process.process.

Innovative LearnersInnovative Learners

Interested in Interested in personal meaningpersonal meaning

Need to have Need to have reasons for learningreasons for learning

““WHY?”WHY?” Connect new Connect new

information with information with personal experience personal experience and convince of and convince of usefulness in daily usefulness in daily lifelife

Cooperative Cooperative learninglearning

BrainstormingBrainstorming Discussion Discussion

Why?Why?

Analytic LearnersAnalytic Learners

Interested in Interested in acquiring facts in acquiring facts in order to deepen order to deepen their their understanding of understanding of concepts and concepts and processesprocesses

LecturesLectures Independent Independent

researchresearch Analysis of dataAnalysis of data Hearing what ”the Hearing what ”the

experts” have to experts” have to saysay

FactsFacts

Common Sense LearnersCommon Sense Learners

Interested in how Interested in how things workthings work

Want to “get in and Want to “get in and try it”try it”

Concrete, Concrete, experiential experiential learning activitieslearning activities

ManipulativesManipulatives Hands-on tasksHands-on tasks Activity-based Activity-based

application application activitiesactivities

How things workHow things work

Dynamic LearnersDynamic Learners

Interested in self-Interested in self-directed discoverydirected discovery

Rely heavily on Rely heavily on their own intuitiontheir own intuition

Seek to teach both Seek to teach both themselves and themselves and othersothers

Independent studyIndependent study SimulationsSimulations Role playRole play gamesgames

Discovery-Teach selves and Discovery-Teach selves and othersothers

Effects of 4-MAT Process:Effects of 4-MAT Process:

Improved retentionImproved retentionHigher achievementHigher achievement Increased motivationIncreased motivation Improved thinking skillsImproved thinking skillsLower remediation (success rates Lower remediation (success rates

with at-risk and special education with at-risk and special education students)students)