Learning styles & the importance of critical self-reflection | Tesia Marshik | TEDxUWLaCrosse

Summary

This script challenges the widely-held belief in learning styles, arguing that despite their popularity, they lack scientific evidence. It explains that preferences for auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learning do not enhance learning outcomes. The speaker emphasizes the importance of teaching based on content and meaning rather than sensory modes, and warns against the pitfalls of adhering to unproven educational strategies.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The concept of learning styles is widely believed but lacks scientific evidence, suggesting that people learn better through different sensory preferences.
• 👂 The belief in auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning styles is pervasive, yet studies show no significant difference in learning outcomes based on these styles.
• 🧐 Over 90% of surveyed students and teachers believe in learning styles, indicating the need for evidence-based teaching methods rather than relying on unproven theories.
• 🎓 Educators are often advised to accommodate learning styles in their teaching, but research suggests this is unnecessary and may not benefit students.
• 💡 People do have preferences for how they would like to learn, but these preferences do not enhance learning effectiveness in controlled studies.
• 📈 Meta-analyses of decades of research have consistently found no evidence that matching teaching to supposed learning styles improves educational outcomes.
• 🌟 Learning is more about understanding and retaining meaning rather than being tied to a specific sensory mode, which challenges the learning styles theory.
• 🤔 The effectiveness of teaching methods depends on the content being taught, not the learner's supposed style, emphasizing the need for content-specific strategies.
• 🎼 Incorporating multiple senses in learning can be beneficial, but not because of individual learning styles, rather because it enriches the learning experience for everyone.
• 🚫 The persistence of the learning styles myth may be due to widespread belief, the appeal of the idea, and confirmation bias that leads people to overlook contradictory evidence.
• 🛑 Discontinuing the belief in learning styles can free up educational resources for more effective strategies and prevent the potential harm of limiting learners' perspectives on how they can learn.

Q & A

What are the commonly believed types of learning styles?

The commonly believed types of learning styles are auditory, where individuals learn best by listening; visual, where individuals learn best by seeing; and tactile or kinesthetic, where individuals learn best by doing or engaging in physical activities.

What does the speaker claim about the existence of learning styles?

The speaker claims that learning styles, as commonly believed, do not exist when put to scientific tests. The belief in learning styles is pervasive but not supported by evidence.

Why do many people still believe in learning styles despite the lack of scientific evidence?

Many people believe in learning styles because the idea is incredibly pervasive and sounds logical and real. Additionally, there are companies and organizations that profit from this belief by offering training on learning styles.

What is the percentage of students and teachers who believe they have a learning style according to surveys mentioned in the script?

According to the surveys mentioned in the script, over 90 percent of students and teachers believe they have a learning style.

What is the main finding of the studies conducted to test the effectiveness of learning styles?

The main finding of the studies is that learning outcomes are the same regardless of how the material is presented, indicating that learning styles do not enhance learning in experimental conditions.

What is the role of meaning in learning and memory according to the script?

According to the script, most of what we learn in the classroom is stored in terms of meaning and is not tied to one particular sense or sensory mode. Meaningful learning involves organizing information and making connections to our experiences.

What were the findings of the chess study conducted by Chase & Simon?

Chase & Simon found that expert chess players could recall almost all pieces on a chessboard after a brief exposure, while beginners could only remember about four. This was due to the meaningful arrangement of the pieces to the experts, not superior visual memory.

Why do the findings from the chess study also apply to other areas such as basketball, computer programming, and dance?

The findings apply to other areas because they demonstrate that information is stored in terms of meaning rather than sensory modes, a principle that is not limited to chess but can be extended to various domains where knowledge and experience create meaningful patterns.

Why does the speaker argue that the best way to teach something depends on the content itself?

The speaker argues that the best way to teach something depends on the content because different subjects require different methods for effective learning. For example, recognizing songbirds is best done visually, while distinguishing their songs is best done auditorily.

What is the myth about learning styles, and why does it persist?

The myth about learning styles is the belief that individuals have a preferred way of learning that is most effective for them. It persists due to widespread belief, the appealing nature of the idea, and confirmation bias, where people tend to seek information that supports their existing beliefs.

What are the potential negative consequences of believing in learning styles?

Believing in learning styles can lead to wasted educational resources, as teachers may focus on accommodating non-existent learning styles. It can also be misleading and dangerous, as it may prevent teachers and students from exploring more effective learning strategies and can cause students to lose interest or give up when not taught in their 'preferred' style.

What does the speaker suggest as an alternative to focusing on learning styles?

The speaker suggests focusing on research-supported strategies that have a proven impact on learning, rather than on the unproven concept of learning styles. This includes making learning meaningful through organization, connection to experiences, and multisensory teaching methods.