Critical Analysis of Learning Styles

Throughout my high school and early college career, the concept of a learning style is far from foreign. I have learned of the three main learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. I have taken multiple tests and found out what my learning style is and that it has not changed much throughout my educational career. Earlier in this course, I learned that I need to adapt the way the teacher is teaching to the learning style that best suits me. My learning style is mainly visual and kinesthetic. However, the questionnaire created by Barbara Soloman and Richard Felder has given me a lot more insight to my learning style. I have learned more about my learning style such as what type of learner I am, how I learn best, my preferred way to

Whether you believe learning styles are a myth or fact they still can help you learn the material for class. Just because you take this test online and it says that you are one hundred percent auditory learner doesn’t mean you can’t learn other ways. Learning styles can help you discover more creative ways for you to remember a topic or specific details. How Amy made a poster it helped her present her topic but also helped her learn and remember her topic. By writing it down and being creative you will remember the topic a lot better. I’m not a firm believer in learning styles but I do think that they can help. I am an auditory learner so listening helps me learn although it isn’t the only way I can learn. One of the ken talks we had watched

In school everyone learns differently; however, according to the article The Myth of Learning Styles, “The idea of learning styles is based on a theory… developed in the early 1980’s.” (pg 1.) A lot has certainly changed from the 1980’s as we learn new more material in every class we take. With this being said, someone the scientists referred to in the article “assumed” that learning styles challenged the way of the educational system when in reality, it is simply a myth. Students, like myself, only prefer to process information that they find useful or interesting to him or her. Thus giving us the problems of that teachers may take too long to cover one idea, and students may miss out out on information because he or she did not prefer that learning style.

We all learn in diverse ways, inclined by the combination of our past educational experiences, study practices and personal approach to particular tasks. This can be designated as our learning style, defined as ‘particular ways of gathering, processing and storing information and experiences’ (Cuthbert, P.F., 2005).

ii. Another important factor I must consider when identifying the needs of my learners is their learning process. A commonly used theory of learning process is that of Kolb (1984) who describes four different stages of the learning process as; Concrete experience, observation and reflection, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation. This theory particularly gained insight into the fact that greater understanding is achieved by learners when different and appropriate means are deployed to teach the same concept.

It can be argued that the more modalities employed and presented to students, the greater their chance for successful learning becomes. As educators, if we appeal to all strategies of learning, we are more likely to enhance the learning of everyone in our target audience. This may be challenging as we ourselves tend to flock to a particular learning style, and in turn, tend to teach the same way. It also may be a challenge to address each individuals learning style, as it may be difficult, or even impossible to know each and every one of their learning preferences. However, the first step in overcoming that challenge is to be well versed in our own learning preferences. If we are well versed in our own

However, as through as this theory may seem, there are still some who are skeptic of the learning style notion. In the article "Let Go of 'Learning Styles' Myth,” it states “Teachers are well meaning, but buying into the "learning styles" myth has not been definitively shown to improve educational outcomes. So let it die already.” Researchers and educators alike who do not accept this theory agree that students should learn to understand material regardless of their learning style, in order to strive in the competitive world. Even though this ideology makes sense, the outcomes of using our outdated methods have unfortunately been distraught. Students deserve to be successful in their education without having tests determining how smart they

We all learn in different ways, influenced by the combination of our past educational experiences, study practices and personal approach to specific tasks. This can be described as our learning style, defined as ‘particular ways of gathering, processing and storing information and experiences’ (Cuthbert, P.F., 2005).

In this chapter I learned about my learning style and how different learning styles impact our lives.

Over the 8 weeks in this class, I was able to learn in full detail unique techniques about the different learning theories. Since every individual learns differently, it is important to gain a understanding on all the different types of learning styles and struggles so that the learning environment can run as smoothly as possible and better insure academic success.

VARK Learning Styles refer to a learning theory that differentiates individuals into learning groups. This theory became well known in the 1970s. It is used in identifying individual students learning capabilities. Each learning styles depends on cognitive, emotional, environmental factors and previous experience. Educators use the different learning style in classroom activities, curriculum, and assessments. The acronym for VARK stands for the following learning style: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic/tactile. Each variable represents a distinctive preferred way of learning for an individual. Visual learners prefer the use of images, maps, and graphic organizers to access and understand new information. Auditory learners use listening, speaking such as lectures and class discussions to process data. On the other hand, some students favor the reading and writing method utilizing note taking and translating concepts. Finally, the kinesthetic or tactile style of learning depends on hands-on and the use of qualities such as gestures, body movements, and positioning in learning (Peyman et al., 2014).

Learning styles and barriers to learning can be by the VARK to give a profile of learning preferences of how a person takes in and gives out information or Tidwell and Rodgers Practical learning styles Questionnaire. The VARK learning styles determines if the person learns by being a theorist, reflector, activist and/or pragmatist. The practical learning styles questionnaire looks at how people learn by their orientation, whether they are a realistic or creative, by their interaction, are they a doer or a thinker, by how they represent things, either by words or pictures, and how they process information, whether they are a surface or deep processor. There are many other

Willingham, D. T., Hughes, E. M., & Dobolyi, D. G. (2015). The scientific status of learning styles theories. Teaching of Psychology, 42(3), 266-271. doi:10.1177/0098628315589505

Personal learning styles are highly complex and unique to specific individuals. It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact learning style. Though there are different categories, we often fine tune them to our own abilities. By examining our traits and tendencies we create a clearer understanding of how we process and learn information. With careful review, I have developed a specific analysis of my learning characteristics, including an evaluation of skill levels. Based on what I have recently learned and know from experience, I have also devised a structured plan for improvement of time management and study skills.

My learning style is a baking recipe. With baking, everything has to be done perfectly in order to create the perfect baked good. The recipe has to be followed exactly and the measurements have to be precisely measured. If one component is off then the baked good will not turn out. Additionally, when making a baked good for the first time most people read the recipe over and over again before attempting to make it, and still it does not always turn out. This is why some people hate baking and would rather buy their baked goods.