Con By Jason Neiffer

Learning Styles: a Myth 1 Running Head: Learning Styles: a Myth with Serious Consequences

Learning Styles: a Myth with Serious Consequences Jason P. Neiffer University of Montana C&I 510, Fall 2010

Learning Styles: a Myth 2 It is a persuasive argument that must be very luring to hard-working teachers: because all of our students are unique and different, of course they must learn differently. Any teacher faced with a class of 30 students knows that not all lessons speak to all students in the same way and frequently, changing up the delivery model seems to engage students at a level that seems impossible with “traditional learning” methods do not seem to match. Plus, how is one to explain those learners that don't find success in our classrooms? Certainly there must be an explanation of why students fail in our classrooms despite our best efforts otherwise. Born of these well-meaning feelings is the concept of learning styles. While learning styles are mentioned with hushed and reverent tones that border on religious truth, a brave set of cognitive scientists, after years of research trying to explain these concepts, conclude that there is no evidence that such classifications exist. Despite hundreds of casual reference in educational literature, there is no conclusive study that proves that learning styles exist and worse, a number of for-profit educational groups have latched on to learning style theory to help sell their cure-alls for this non-problem. There are countless references to learning styles in educational literature, ranging from how to best utilize e-learning in K-12 schools to how to best train employees in human resource practices. Many of these sources seem to conclude that learning styles are an obvious extension of our modern scientific study of the brain and its function. Fontichiaro (2009), for example, uses learning style theory to justify adopting for adopting “21st century skills” in elementary library training, noting, in part, that “We now know much more than ever before about individual learning styles, learning pace, and preferred learning modalities. We know that children of similar intelligence may work at different speeds, follow different thinking paths, or process information differently,” without making any reference to a study or proof that these learning styles exist. Other writers use learning styles to argue for more individualized education, an argument articulated by Grasha (2002), who argues that college teaching should be transformed to be focused on the one-on-one experience. He uses learning styles as

Learning Styles: a Myth 3 a justification for his advocacy, although admitting that most research seems to focus on the “traditional learning environment.” Grasha also writes with Yangarber-Hicks that technology could be used an equalizer among learning styles, as technology provides different avenues to present content to classroom learners. Grasha and Yangarber-Hicks also find no question in the theory of learning styles, writing that “there is no question that learning styles should be taken into account when teaching with technology” (2000). Others go as far as suggesting that even if debate exists about learning style, broad assumptions useful in the classroom can be drawn from the theory, even if research disagrees with the conclusion (Moallem 2003). This advocacy transcends teaching and is often intertwined with political advocacy related to education. Governmental organizations have adopted learning styles advocacy, often uncritically, as part of their larger educational agenda (Revell 2005). With all of these references to learning styles and the advanced knowledge of the brain possessed by scientists and the educational community, certainly ample evidence must exist that these patterns are real. However, cognitive scientists argue that there is no support for learning styles. There is first a problem with defining learning styles and determining a functional vocabulary to discuss the issue using similar terms. Even advocates of learning style theories find the problem daunting. Pitts (2009) refers to “confusion” related to terminology concerning learning style research, citing one article that notes 127 different factors that impact learning styles. An opposite, but similar force, that confuses matters is the desire on the part of educators, schools of education and political leaders to develop a “silver bullet” to answer the problems of why schools don't always work with all students (Ansari 2008). This has the unfortunately impact of obscuring the debate, as the sheer number of learning style theories make arguing against the popularly held myth difficult (which may, unfortunately, include this paper) as it requires looking at each framework independently to discover its faults (Dembo and Howard 2007).

Learning Styles: a Myth 4 The second problem that exists with learning styles is that, simply put, research does not confirm the existence of learning styles. Despite decades of research attempting to identify differences between students to help educators better serve their needs, there is no conclusive evidence that says that learning styles exist. Willingham (2009) goes as far as stating that “Children are more alike than different in terms of how they think and learn.” Despite strong assertions and statements otherwise from learning style components, the evidence is clear that learning styles are “based on fiction, not fact” (Dembo and Howard). There may certain preferences or talents related to learning channels, however, these difference mean little in relation to learning or the classroom and should be discounted in planning instruction (Willingham 2009). One must then ask if learning styles are, indeed, not confirmed by research, why is it such a popularly held view among educators? Dembo and Howard (2007) attempt to answer this by looking at the blind faith that seems to accompany so many of the claims regarding learning styles. Many accept these theories because it seems to be confirmed by instructional practice or reactions from “untrained observers” which may include those practitioners. Dembo and Howard also question the tools used by those trying to measure learning styles, which in most cases amount to a simplistic way to categorize learning that push certain conclusions. Dembo and Howard write that, “A choice of demonstration over uninterrupted lecture, on its face, can be interpreted as an indicator of a visual learner. However, if most respondents choose the same answer, then it does not really measure anything in particular except, perhaps, the ability to read the question. Furthermore, the question has little value in discerning possible distinctive characteristics of the learner” (2007). Although it is certainly troubling that so many seem to adopt the learning styles theory despite the scant evidence in favor of the model, there may be additional implications to holistically adopting these theories in classrooms. First, well-meaning professionals adopting learning styles in their

Learning Styles: a Myth 5 learning environment may find that it create a less engaging and effective learning environment for their students. Learning styles theory has been widely used as both a system and classroom reform, sometimes to extreme ways. Revell (2005) describes schools in England that physically label students with their learning style and entire states in Australia that have adopted systems based on learning styles, something that Howard Gardner described in an interview as something that made him “uncomfortable.” In individual classrooms, learning style theories have been used to justify lessons described as “rag-bag” and “irresponsible” (Mumford, quoted in Sadler-Smith 1996). Second, many of the advocates seem less interested in the profess of students than in selling materials used to support learning systems supporting by learning styles. Many of those advocating learning styles offer commercial products ranging from professional development to computer software that can be used to meet the gaps in education created by traditional instruction (Ansari 2008). Worse, any of these commercial products carefully guard data of their effectiveness, making trials and research impossible to judge their effectiveness (Ansari 2008). Despite the persuasiveness of the arguments, learning style theory must be carefully examined before classroom practice is modified. Not only does research conclude that little support exists for the concept, practical suggests vary widely on how a teacher might even adopt such a teaching theory, making caution incredibly important (Learning Skills and Research Centre 2004). To do otherwise risks learning outcomes in the classroom and may even endanger teaching's standing among professionals (Dembo and Howard 2007).

Learning Styles: a Myth 6 References Ansari, D. (2008, Fall). The Brain Goes to School: Strengthening the Education-Neuroscience Connection. Education Canada, 48(10), 6-10. Dembo, M. H., & Howard, K. (2007). Advice about the use of learning styles: a major myth in education. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 37(2), 101. Fontichiaro, K. (2009, March/). MORE THAN FRIENDSHIP: SOCIAL SCHOLARSHIP, YOUNG LEARNERS, AND THE STANDARDS FOR THE 21-CENTURY LEARNER. Knowledge Quest, 37(4), 64-67. Grasha, A. F. (2002). The dynamics of one-on-one teaching. College Teaching, 50(4), 139+. Grasha, A. F., & Yangarber-Hicks, N. (2000). Integrating Teaching Styles and Learning Styles with Instructional Technology. College Teaching, 48(1), 2. Learning & Skills Research Centre. (2004). Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning. Retrieved from The University of Hull website: http://www.hull.ac.uk/php/edskas/learning %20styles.pdf Moallem, M. (2003). Applying learning styles in an online course. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 7(4), 209. Pitts, J. (2009). Identifying and using a teacher-friendly learning-styles instrument. The Clearing House, 82(5), 225+. Revell, P. (2005, May 31). Each to their own. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2005/may/31/schools.uk3 Sadler-Smith, E. (2006). Learning styles: a holistic approach. Journal of European Industrial Training, 20(7), 29+. Terrell, S. R. (2005, Summer). Supporting Different Learning Styles in an Online Learning Environment: Does it Really Matter in the Long Run? Online Journal of Distance Learning

Learning Styles: a Myth 7 Administration, 8(2). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer82/terrell82.htm Willingham, D. (2009). Why Don’t Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom. Hoboken, New Jersey: Jossey-Bass.