Cognitive Scientists do not support Learning Styles
Check Cognitive Scientist Daniel Willinham's site
http://www.danielwillingham.com/index.html
and this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sIv9rz2NTUk
Hi James, Thanks for sharing the video. Although Dr. Willinham's conclusion is that we do not need to teach to the learning styles, I maintain that we need to vary our delivery so that we not only reach all the learning styles, but also asist our student to adapt to other styles. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
we not only reach all the learning styles, but also asist our student to adapt to other styles.>>>> That is not what he is saying at all. He has a second video under the one that I gave the link for where he reiterates that learning style theory tells us how students learn and the theories are wrong.
I quote him in my book "Student Learning Assessment for Realists" and direct teachers to how students do learn; actually, how we all learn.
He does say that we need to teach to motivation and perhaps other personality traits of students, but he does not say nor does Middle States accrediting agency tell teachers to teach to learning styles.
Hi James,
I'm sure that in you're research you've probably come across several scholars who do support the notion of learning styles. In fact, it is a component of many graduate programs in Education pedagogy. I think what's most significant about the module is not where we locate ourselves within theoretical debates, but how our exposure to the debates/concepts can inform our teaching practices. This body of research was largely in response to the tradition of teachers being highly oblivious to their students' experiences as learners. Many, if not most, teachers simply delivered content without regard for ways in which said content would be not only best received, but also valued and retained. So I think the spirit of the Learning Styles movement encourages teachers to take a more proactive role in identifying methods of optimizing learning. I think the strategies offered are beneficial.
Scholars may support the theory but cognitive scientists do not. The spirit of the learning styles may encourage teachers to be more proactive but students don't learn as learning styles say they do. Middle State accrediting agency for our college says:
Should faculty members aim to accommodate each student’s learning style?
Faculty members should not try to accommodate individual learning styles for several reasons.
1. Models of teaching and learning styles are not yet sufficiently validated to be able to determine definitively how each student learns best and customize instruction accordingly
(Zarghani, 1988).
2. As Gregorc (cited in Wilson, 1998) notes, “attempting to teach to all students’ styles can quickly cause a teacher to burn out.” Gardner (1996) states that “there is no point in assuming that every topic can be effectively approached in at least seven ways, and it is a waste of effort and time to attempt to do this.”
3. While students should use their “strong” learning styles to best advantage, it’s just as appropriate for them to develop their abilities to use other learning styles (Grasha, 1990; Montgomery & Groat, 2002) and to work with faculty whose styles differ from their own.
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and here is a site of a cognitive scientist with two very short videos; one on why they don't exist and his follow-up clarification.
http://www.danielwillingham.com/videos.html
Hi James, Thanks for your posts to this forum. I appreciate your own point of view but in my 30+ years of teaching, have seen the benfits of teaching to the learning styles. I agree that it is unrealistic to expect every teacher to appeal to every learning style in every class. However, I encourage our instructors to try to vary their delivery as much as possible. I actually believe that this keeps instructors engaged and avoids "burn-out". Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career!
Susan Polick
I appreciate your own point of view>>>>>
This is not my point of view made up on my own, it is based on clinical evidence. As teachers, most of us are very motivated to do the best by our students and are perhaps overly willing to try anything that will help students learn. The fads oome and go as should the learning styles fad. I have found that using the cognitive basis of learning I am much better able to design outcomes and lessons that stick.
Hi James, I also appreciate your position. I guess it really boils down to what we think works best for each of us and our students. Have a great week!
Susan Polick
Hello everyone. I thoought this was a great posts. I never stopped to consider the effects of learning styles on actual cognitive learning. That said, as far as training goes, the learning styles are very valuable. There's a difference between training someone to an action, and cognitive learning (understanding the entire scope of an action). I can see how cognitive learning isn't effected by these actions though. Interesting column....
Does anybody have any feelings, thoughts, ideas on Howard Gardner's "Multiple Intelligences" and how his work fits into learning styles and learning in general?
I haven't done a great deal of research in this area, but I think you are misunderstanding Dr. Willingham's statements. While he does say that teaching a person in their best learning modality doesn't affect their educational achievement, he does not discount the idea completely. He says that, instead, what matters most if that the material is "taught in the content's best modality. All students learn more when content drives the choice of modality."
I've done the research and I don't think I misunderstood him.
Hi Melissa, Thank you for sharing that information! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I think I have to agree with you. I have found that teaching highly complex subject matter almost always requires it be taught in it's best modality. Although one might hope to adapt it to different learning styles, sometimes it's just not possible. Incorporating more than one approach is logical, but there are points, as in anything in life, where the ideal cannot be met. I submit that there is NO correct answer, merely practical theories and experience.
Hi Mark, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that while varying delivery options is ideal it is not always possible. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
