Practical Learning

How would I describe my learning style? I could go back to some previous posts. I learn by doing like everybody else. I am also more independent than most. I can also deviate from previous posts and talk about practical learning.

Dependent vs independent learning styles

If you really want a binary system of learning styles, I can come up with something better than learning through sight and sound. Some students need substantial outside assistance. Others need very little. We could view this as dependent and independent learning.

The ultimate learning style

A lot of teachers are finally rejecting the misguided belief that there are two learning styles. Their new belief is that everybody learns in pretty much the same way. They are effectively pushing the idea that there is only one learning style.

Do the teachers' mistakes regarding learning styles prove they were right?

Now that learning through sight and sound have sort of been disproven, how are teachers responding? Are they willing to admit to their mistakes? In short, no.

Learning styles are infinite

Let me repeat myself for a moment. Learning styles reflect differences in how people learn. If there is any variability at all, then learning styles must exist in some form.

The either-ors of learning styles

Either learning styles exist or they don't. This seems simple enough. Since learning styles have been disproven, we have shifted from believing that they do to believing that they don't.

Have learning styles been disproven?

Numerous articles have been posted online about how learning styles have been disproven. They point to studies that show how students who study based off of their learning styles do not perform any better at testing. In some cases, they perform worse.

Have learning styles been used for personalization?

For years, teachers patted themselves on the backs for accommodating both learning styles, sight and sound. By doing so, they felt they were meeting the variable needs of their students. In reality, they were showing hostilities towards individualism, which remains a problem to this day.

Labeling learning styles is shallow

I am not a fan of labels. This is because I find labels to be shallow. Who we are is more substantial than quick words. When it comes to learning styles, I find it absurd that teachers have thought that attaching a single word to a student is sufficient to explain how he or she learns.

Learning styles and individualism

We are all different. What is best for you educationally is not the same as what's best for me. Unfortunately, the teaching profession has generally shown intolerance for differences between their students.

Learning Style or Memorizing Style?

When people talk about learning styles, they are usually discussing the idea that people learn through sight and sound. Some people add kinesthetic and possibly others. For the sake of simplicity, I will be discussing sight and sound.

What is a learning style?

In order to discuss my views on learning styles, it seems like it would be best to start with a simple question. What is a learning style?

Learning styles

For years, I have been highly critical of the concept of learning through sight and sound. Lately, I have been hearing a lot about how the concept has been disproven. While I feel somewhat validated, I disapprove of the kinds of arguments that teachers have been making in regards to the new information.