Learning Styles. Competing ideas about learning Range of theories Some theories derive from research...

Learning Styles

Competing ideas about learning

• Range of theories• Some theories derive from research into brain

functioning.– specific neural activity related to learning can be

identified in different areas of the brain. • Other influential ideas derive from established

psychological theories.– personality traits, intellectual abilities and fixed

traits which are said to form learning styles.

• Different theorists make different claims for the degree of stability of styles.

• Some argue around “flexibly stable” – previous learning experiences and other

environmental factors create preferences, approaches or strategies rather than styles,

– or that styles may vary from context to context or even from task to task.

• Others argue that it is not about individual traits but that it is more productive to look at the context-specific and situated nature of learning and the idea of learning biographies rather than styles or approaches.

Many differing perpectives

Learning is biological/physiological process

Learner Teacher

FacilitatorLearners need to adapt to/adopt a range of styles

Learning styles are static

Learning is behavioural

process

Teaching styles need to adapt

and/or individualise

Learning styles change over

time/with context

Curry’s model revisited.

Cognitive Personality Style

Information Processing style

Instructional preferences

SignificantStable/difficult

to modify

More easily modified

Less significant

Seen as much more important

for “deep learning”

Continuum of learning theories

About genetics and cognitionWork with styles don’t try to change

Dynamic interplay between self and experience.Not about style about range of personal factors

Consequences for design/pedagogy?

Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning A systematic and critical review The Learning and Skills Research Centre, 2004

Example theories

Kolb Four stage model

Concrete Experience

Active Experimentation

Reflective Observation

Abstract Conceptualization

Multiple Intelligences Gardner

V-A-K-T learning stylesThink about when someone gets a gadget for Christmas that needs setting up

• Do any of these considerations impact on your choice of approach?

• How?• How do you think e-learning may help to

address some of the other issues raised?

Assessment of learning?

• What are the learning outcomes?• How will they be measured?• Who will measure them?• How will this be influenced by considerations

around learning styles?