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Volume 33 Number 5 Summer 2001 Learning
Style Awareness Annette Vincent and Dianne Ross Abstract According to Keefe (1991), learning is a change in learner behavior resulting from what has been experienced. Experiencing pain after touching a hot stove, for example, teaches us to be more careful in the future. Our behavior thus modified, we are said to have “learned.” Learning is more than just the sum of our life experiences, however. There are certain principles hidden deep within our minds that control the way we learn in unique ways. Whether we wish to acknowledge them consciously, these governing principles establish our style of learning and define us as individuals. For educators, it is important to note that learning styles can be determined through direct student observation. What we discover is that learning styles function as teaching blueprints in some respects. They indicate a student’s preferred method of learning and guide the development of instructional strategies that incorporate the appropriate content and context. Throughout history, teachers have used techniques that focus on methods of learning. Today, these techniques are being validated by an ever-increasing number of modern scientific studies (Instructional Strategies, 2001). As a result of this explosion of research, educators interested in producing teaching materials for their students can now look for general guidelines from accepted theories of learning. The professional literature abounds with these theories, which can be categorized as follows (Madhumita & Kumar, 1995):
Although this increased emphasis is welcomed, the sheer number of learning theories currently being researched has posed problems for educators simply looking to implement practical classroom strategies. Because learning theories are not mutually exclusive or necessarily complementary, educators are forced to borrow from many different approaches. The following examples are just a few of the learning styles presently found in the literature:
Professional educators are often confused by the wealth of available information. Although most agree that learning styles exist and acknowledge the significant effect that learning styles have on the learning process, they are unable to form a consensus regarding the establishment of a single set of accepted principles. Our research focused on only three specific learning styles: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. Testing Instruments The Center for New Discoveries has an online test that is immediately analyzed, and the results are presented to the person taking the test. This 36-item test uses the visual (picture), auditory (hearing), and kinesthetic (physical) styles of learning (Learning Style Inventory, 2001). Another Learning Style Inventory (LSI) consists of 100 statements that elicit self-diagnostic responses (Dunn, Dunn, & Price, 1987). The data collected yield a profile of each individual’s preferred learning style. Learning style is evaluated in terms of selected elements, including the immediate environment (sound, light, temperature, design), emotionality (motivation, personality, responsibility, structure), sociological preferences (learning alone, with a colleague or adult, and/or in a variety of other ways), physiological characteristics (auditory, visual, tactual, and/or kinesthetic, time-of-day energy levels, intake, and mobility needs), and global versus analytic (determined through correlations among sound, light, design, persistence) (Dunn & Dunn, 1992, 1993). Purpose of the Study The purpose of our research is to assist business educators in determining the learning styles of their students and to create and implement instructional strategies designed to enhance student learning. To do this, a study of computer science students was conducted. The objectives of this study were to:
Procedures After receiving permission from the university’s Review of Research Involving Human Subject Committee, students in six business computer classes were given the 36-item LSI (2001) to test three different learning styles: visual (picture), kinesthetic (physical), and auditory (hearing). Each student participant gave written authorization allowing the results of his or her inventory to be used in this research. Data Analysis Of the 177 students taking the test, 111 were business majors, and 66 were not. Ninety-one were female, and 86 were male. There were 62 freshmen, 54 sophomores, 33 juniors, and 28 seniors. Table 1 shows that approximately 42% were auditory learners, 25% visual, 13% kinesthetic, 10% visual/auditory, 5% kinesthetic/auditory, 3% visual/kinesthetic, and 3% visual, kinesthetic/auditory. Data show that some students scored equally in more than one style (i.e., visual/auditory, visual/kinesthetic/auditory).
Table 1 results were recalculated to eliminate combined style results in Tables 2, 3, and 4. Fractions were used in cases where students scored equally in multiple styles (.5 in cases of two styles, .33 in cases of three styles.) Table 2 shows that the style with the highest percentage is auditory (50%), followed by visual (33%), and kinesthetic (17%).
Table 3 shows the LSI results for business and non-business students. Learning styles of business students are auditory (28%), visual (23%), and kinesthetic (12%). Non-business students’ learning styles are auditory (22%), visual (10%), and kinesthetic (5%).
The distribution of male and female results in Table 4 shows that the learning style with the highest percentage for males is auditory (27%), followed by visual (14%) and kinesthetic (8%). For females, the results indicate that the predominant style is auditory (24%), followed by visual (19%) and kinesthetic (8%).
Conclusions A better understanding of learning styles can benefit not only educators but also their students. Students benefit by using knowledge about their particular learning style to better manage their learning. Educators benefit by developing lesson plans and materials that disseminate identical information across the spectrum of learning styles. (“When Learning,” 2001). Information such as that supplied by the Learning Style Inventory is invaluable. The LSI is online, easy to take, provides immediate results, and supplies suggestions for improving learning. It may not provide all the answers, but it makes students aware of the learning process and may motivate them to study learning styles in greater detail. Recommended Teaching and Learning Strategies Although the learning style most prevalent among our research participants was auditory, other styles cannot be ignored when assessing teaching strategies. Auditory Background. Auditory learners enjoy listening and talking and have outgoing personalities and difficulty with written instructions. They must hear to understand and learn best by listening to an explanation (Kanar, 1995). These people do not necessarily make pictures in their minds, as do the visual learners, but rather filter incoming information through their listening and repeating skills. The auditory learner tells wonderful stories and solves problems by “talking” about them. Speech patterns will represent exactly how the auditory person thinks (e.g., “I hear you; that clicks; that sounds right; that rings a bell”). In school, the auditory learner learns by listening and can easily repeat statements back to the teacher. The auditory student likes class discussions but can become easily distracted. Of the three styles, auditory is the most talkative (often talking to themselves) and has more difficulty writing (“When Learning,” 2001). Strategies for teaching auditory learners. Teachers of auditory learners need to provide as much auditory stimuli as possible, such as verbal reinforcement, group activities, and class discussions. Additionally, they can use drills, have students read aloud, and let them put information into a rhythmic pattern—poem, song, or rap. Advice to auditory learners should include:
Visual Background. Visual learners have vivid imaginations, learn by seeing images, are quiet by nature, and find verbal instructions difficult. They prefer the visual sense, must see to understand, and learn best by reading and watching (Kanar, 1995). Visual learners actually think in images or pictures, as if they have a movie camera in their minds. They take in what they hear or read and translate it into images in their brains. When visual learners want to recall what they have learned, they simply glance upward and look at the images they have stored on their “picture screen.” Visual learners speak in terms of “I see; I get the picture” (“When Learning,” 2001). In a classroom, the visual learner performs very well because all testing is conducted in a written “visual” format. This requires that visual images be made when recalling information. Good readers read the black and white text and then convert the information to pictures. This makes the memory process easier. The visual learner will easily conform to most classroom standards, such as sitting quietly, writing neatly, and organizing materials well. Strategies for teaching visual learners. Teachers of visual learners need to provide as many visual clues as possible. Strategies include:
Teachers should use bright colors, encourage students to take notes, and draw pictures in their notes to associate with facts. Advice to visual learners should include:
Kinesthetic Background. Kinesthetic students prefer the tactile sense. They are poor listeners, learn by doing, express emotions physically, and have an outgoing personality. They must touch or feel to understand. They learn best by engaging in hands-on activities (Kanar, 1995). If they can touch and feel whatever they are learning about, the kinesthetic/tactile learner will process and remember the information quite well. As students in a classroom, these people are usually quite restless, have more difficulty paying attention, and “can’t seem to get focused” (a visual term). These learners like to speak about learning in terms of their feelings and say things like “I feel” or “I’d like to get a better handle on this information.” Kinesthetic learners do not have the internal pictures of neatness and organization that visual learners make so easily in their minds. This is one of the reasons that kinesthetic learners have a more difficult time demonstrating what they know in traditional classrooms. It is normal for them not to be organized. These students often have a poor “sense” of time (“When Learning,” 2001). Strategies for teaching kinesthetic learners. Teachers of kinesthetic/tactile learners need to provide many activities to allow students to participate in learning. They need to provide hands-on activities, provide for physical movement within the classroom, and encourage note taking. If possible, they should provide stories filled with action. Students should also be advised to summarize daily activities in their notes as a study aid. Advice to kinesthetic learners should include:
In addition to these strategies, the following general guidelines make for good teaching of all styles of learning (Vincent & Ross, 1998):
As educators learn new ways to address the various learning styles of their students, they are building on the strengths of their students and are ultimately contributing to success in the classroom as well as success in the professional world. Contributors Annette Vincent, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Business Systems Analysis and Technology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She currently teaches microcomputer applications in business—beginning, advanced, and multimedia. She has taught office management, business communication, and methods of teaching business education courses. She has written numerous articles for professional journals. Dianne Ross, MS, teaches microcomputer applications in the Department of Business Systems Analysis and Technology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has made numerous presentations on microcomputer applications related to usage, learning styles, and citation analysis. Contact Dr. Annette Vincent References Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1992). Teaching elementary students through their individual styles: Practical approaches for Grades 3–6. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1993). Teaching elementary students through their individual styles: Practical approaches for grades 7–12. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Dunn, R., Dunn, K., & Price, G. E. (1987). Learning style inventory. Lawrence, KS: Price Systems. Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books. Instructional strategies [Online document]. (2001). Grand Forks: University of North Dakota, Volcano World. Available: http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/ msh/llc/is/is.html. Kanar, C. C. (1995). The confident student. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Keefe, J. W. (1991). Learning style: Cognitive and thinking skills. Reston: National Association of Secondary School Principals. Keirsey, D.W. (2001). Keirsey temperament sorter [Online document]. Available: www.advisorteam.com/ user/ktsintro.asp. Kolb, D. A. (1985). Learning style inventory. Boston: McBer & Company. Learning style inventory [Online document]. (2001). Windsor, CA: Center for New Discoveries in Learning. Available: www.howtolearn.com/personal.html. Learning styles, the Gregorc styles [Online document]. (2001). Available: www.indiana.edu/~w505a/learningstyles.html. Madhumita, & Kumar, K. L. (1995). Twenty-one guidelines for effective instructional design. Educational Technology, 35(3), 58. McCaulley, M. H. (1990). The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: A measure for individuals and groups. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 22, 181–195. When learning and testing styles don’t match [excerpt]. (2001). School Smart Kids! [Online serial], 1(4). Available: www.howtolearn.com/ndil3.html. Vincent, A., & Ross, D. (1998). Learning types: Carl Jung’s theory and strategies for the classroom. NABTE Review, 25, 21–26. A PDF file of the full article is available. Contact: jrte@iste.org. Please specifiy Volume and Issue number.Copyright © 2001, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). All rights reserved. |
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