Don’t Tell Me Your Learning Style (Please)
"I identify as a visual learner, so I have a preference for comprehending information through charts and PowerPoints."
"As a kinaesthetic learner, I thrive when I can engage in hands-on activities to grasp concepts."
If you've ever been involved in the design or facilitation of learning experiences, chances are someone has mentioned their preferred learning style to you.
Now, you might be thinking, "I don't dismiss it entirely," but humor me for a moment. In my experience, individuals often cling tightly to their learning style preferences, making it challenging to steer them in a different direction. But let's delve into the truth about learning styles; there's actually limited scientific evidence supporting the idea of tailoring instructional methods to match learners' preferred styles.
In fact, several studies have concluded that the concept of learning styles lacks a strong empirical foundation in education.
So, what does this mean for those of us designing learning experiences? Well, it opens the door to more effective approaches that have solid backing. Here are three proven methods to enhance learning and retention, and they don't revolve around learning styles:
Foster Meaningful Learning: Encourage learners to connect with the content by sharing real-world scenarios or linking the material to their past experiences.
Assess and Present Content Appropriately: Consider the nature of the content you're teaching. For example, when instructing a claims adjuster in assessing auto damage, it wouldn't make sense to play an audio clip of an accident for auditory learners. Instead, show them images of the damage or use the actual vehicle for assessment.
Embrace Multiple Teaching Modalities: The more diverse the approaches to presenting information, the better learners understand and retain it. For instance, when training a new sales representative on cold calling, incorporate various methods such as a sales 101 class, recorded role-play examples, live role-play sessions with mentors or coaches, and eventually independent practice with ongoing feedback.
In the realm of education and training, there's a plethora of beliefs about what works best for learners. I challenge you to question and challenge these common beliefs. Base your instructional design decisions on evidence-backed methods rather than long-held but unproven beliefs. Even if you remain attached to the idea of learning styles after reading this, I encourage you to conduct your own research into this topic and explore the alternative methods I've outlined.
