Articles about learning styles theory–including my own–typically focus on debunking the theory.
This article, over at The Learning Scientists, takes a different approach: it chooses specific parts of learning styles theory, and shows how each small part derives from another–more useful–theory about learning.
The goal of this article, in other words, is not that you stop believing a false theory, but that you replace false beliefs with correct ones.
In my view, that’s a GREAT approach, and one that I plan to borrow.
If there are no differences in the ways that students are able to learn, which way is the preferred way?
A) Psychologists DON’T say that “there are no differences in the ways that students are able to learn.” There are lots and lots (and LOTS) of differences.
Instead, they say that we can’t put all of those differences into tidy categories, and teach this group of learners this way and that group that way.
B) We’ve got all sorts of specific teaching advice.
If you haven’t yet been to a Learning and the Brain conference, you should check them out. You’ll get all sorts of specific teaching advice, as well as the research behind it. [link]
Note, too, Deans for Impact offer this guidance. [link]
The Learning Scientists offer this guidance. [link]
The American Psychological Association has 20 Principles to keep in mind. [link]
I’ll even recommend my own book, which has all sorts of strategies and examples to help students with Attention and Working Memory. [link]