01.21.06
What is your learning style?
The study of learning styles is one in which you tend to see numerous models, with a great deal of disagreement as to what really constitutes learning style, how it relates to personality, and how you can determine one’s learning style. That said, here is an interesting site that I ran into on Merlot. The site uses a particular learning style model that utilizes four distinct continuums: Visual/Verbal, Active/Reflective, Sensing/Intuitive, and Sequential/Global. This model differs from many others, but works just as well as any.
The point is not to determine which of the numerous models is correct. Rather, the object is to illustrate that any given classroom probably has a very ecclectic collection of learning types. You can use any model to do this. These professors, at North Carolina State University, have posted an online instrument you can take. More illustratively, you can have your students take it and then take a look at the diversity in learning styles that they exhibit. The 44 question survey is easy to take, doesn’t take long, and is scored immediately. The result can be printed. I’m going to ask my students to take the survey and I’ll put the results here. As for me, I was in the middle of the continuum on two of the scales and at the extreme end of the other two. Kudos to these faculty for posting this … it’s a great tool.
