Learning & Teaching Topics
Learning Styles
Students learn and process information in different ways. Meeting the needs of diverse learners is not a way of lowering standards but rather a way of engaging all learners. Here are a sampling of common learning styles, preferred instructional methods, and the anatomical parts of the brain that each style utilizes:
- Visual: Pictures, images, and spatial understanding, including graphs, charts, and flowcharts (occipital and parietal lobes)
- Aural: Sound and music (temporal lobes)
- Verbal: Words in speech and writing (temporal, frontal lobes, especially Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas)
- Physical: Using the body, hands, and touch (cerebellum and motor cortex)
- Logical: Logic, reasoning, and systems (parietal lobes)
- Social (interpersonal): Prefers group work and learning with others (frontal and temporal lobes, limbic system)
- Solitary (intrapersonal): Prefers working alone and utilizing self-study (frontal and parietal lobes, limbic system)
In order to reach as many students as possible:
- Utilize Universal Design for Learning
- Use active learning strategies
- Leave some assignments more open-ended while others have more defined requirements
- Understand that the scientific method appeals to sensing, deductive, and sequential learners
- Utilize computer-assisted instruction to appeal to sensing and active learners
- Understand that reflective learners particularly benefit from brief pauses to allow thought
- Relate material to students’ life experience appeals to global and inductive learners
- Allow teamwork on assignments benefits active and interpersonal learners
- Understand that visual and sensing learners learn best with demonstrations, illustrations, and graphs
Topic References
Felder, R. (n.d.) Learning Styles. Retrieved April 15, 2009, from North Carolina State University Web site: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Learning_Styles.html
Jester, C. (n.d.) A Learning Style Survey for College. Retrieved April 15, 2009, from Diablo Valley College FAST Online Faculty Academy Web site: http://www.metamath.com/multiple/multiple_choice_questions.html
Learning Styles Online. (2007). Retrieved April 15, 2009, from Learning Styles Online Web site: http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/
McKeachie, W.J. (1995). Learning Styles Can Become Learning Strategies. National Teaching & Learning Forum 4(6). Retrieved April 15, 2009, from NTLF Web site: http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9511/article1.htm
Miller, S. (2000). Web Version of the Learning Styles Survey. Retrieved April 15, 2009, from FAST Online Faculty Academy Web site: http://www.metamath.com/lsweb/fourls.htm
Smith, M. (1996). David A. Kolb on Experiential Learning. Informal Education within a Formal Setting. Retrieved April 15, 2009, from InFed Web site: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm#learning%20style
University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. (2009). Teaching Strategies: Learning Styles. Retrieved April 15, 2009, from CRLT Web site: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsls.php
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Center for Teaching and Learning. (1997). Teaching for Inclusion: Diversity in the College Classroom. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from UNC Web site: ctl.unc.edu/TeachforInclusion.pdf
(204 page PDF)
Vanderbilt Center for Teaching. (2008). Learning Styles & Preferences. Retrieved April 15, 2009 from CTL Web site: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/cft/resources/teaching_resources/theory/styles.htm
VARK. (2009). VARK: A Guide to Learning Styles. Retrieved April 15, 2009, from VARK Web site: http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp