The common theme I noticed while conducting research about learning styles is the idea of individualism and focusing on differences between people within a population. While focusing on differences and that everyone has different characteristics and skills one might think that there are also different learning styles. I did think that there were different learning styles because throughout my experiences I have noticed differences in the way I learn compared to other students. I did notice that it was easier for me to learn while in a classroom and doing hands on activities because I was able to relate what I was learning to something I was actually doing or a conversation I could relate back to because of the people and the ideas that stemmed
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In an article by Catherine Scott she points out that endorsing the idea of learning styles wastes teaching and learning time, promotes damaging stereotypes about individuals and interferes with the development of evidence-based practices (Scott, 2010). Teachers from preschool to the university level are using learning styles in the classroom even though the idea is being criticized. The students are then almost being guided to what they should learn or to participate only in the way that the teachings are being structured to the student’s learning abilities (Scott, 2010). It does not help that many teachers and professors are using these learning techniques, so the idea of learning styles are being branched out even though research does not support the idea. Scott makes an important point when she mentions about promoting damaging stereotypes. When the differences are being pointed out in how different students are able to learn more effectively that is only causing more stereotypes and increases the impact of stereotype threat. Pointing out the differences and making one group of students feel as if …show more content…
The learning styles myth has the potential to cause instructors to spend tremendous amounts of time, energy, and resources trying to correct something that may not need corrected at all (Royal, 2015). Another main point that Royal addresses is that the students have been urged by instructors, advisors or counselors to gain study habits that best advance their learning style, which has led to students blaming their failure to learn on the instruction method not matching up with their learning styles (Royal, 2015). Not only does learning styles not have a valid research to support it, but the intense focus on the learning styles has created these significant consequences that greatly impact the students as well as the instructors.
For future research it is highly important to address some of the key points discussed in the research above. There needs to be more research done on learning styles using that correct design format because even though there is evidence that still does not support learning styles with the correct design there is not enough to change common knowledge and impact the views of the population. If the research was complied and brought to professionals and more
In an article by Catherine Scott she points out that endorsing the idea of learning styles wastes teaching and learning time, promotes damaging stereotypes about individuals and interferes with the development of evidence-based practices (Scott, 2010). Teachers from preschool to the university level are using learning styles in the classroom even though the idea is being criticized. The students are then almost being guided to what they should learn or to participate only in the way that the teachings are being structured to the student’s learning abilities (Scott, 2010). It does not help that many teachers and professors are using these learning techniques, so the idea of learning styles are being branched out even though research does not support the idea. Scott makes an important point when she mentions about promoting damaging stereotypes. When the differences are being pointed out in how different students are able to learn more effectively that is only causing more stereotypes and increases the impact of stereotype threat. Pointing out the differences and making one group of students feel as if …show more content…
The learning styles myth has the potential to cause instructors to spend tremendous amounts of time, energy, and resources trying to correct something that may not need corrected at all (Royal, 2015). Another main point that Royal addresses is that the students have been urged by instructors, advisors or counselors to gain study habits that best advance their learning style, which has led to students blaming their failure to learn on the instruction method not matching up with their learning styles (Royal, 2015). Not only does learning styles not have a valid research to support it, but the intense focus on the learning styles has created these significant consequences that greatly impact the students as well as the instructors.
For future research it is highly important to address some of the key points discussed in the research above. There needs to be more research done on learning styles using that correct design format because even though there is evidence that still does not support learning styles with the correct design there is not enough to change common knowledge and impact the views of the population. If the research was complied and brought to professionals and more