To close out the year, we are revisiting a classic episode from 2020- because it feels important and timely.  With the rise of personalized learning and the power that AI to help us meet the dream of personalized learning, we are now, more than ever, ready to leverage insights from educational science in ways that can be helpful and not helpful.  Many new technologies have emerged promising to identify learner’s Learning Styles and customized learning experiences to align with learning styles. So, understanding the differences between learning styles, preferences, and their impact on learning has become crucial to creating more effective and personalized learning experiences.

FROM 2020: Let’s talk about learning styles! The idea that we learn better in our “preferred learning style” is pretty pervasive and has become part of popular culture. Scores of consumer sites sell and promote various examples and models, urging people to “find your learning style”. But, is there any evidence to support this? As educators, do we have a duty to follow the science? Join Stacy Craft and Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Tesia Marshik as they unpack the learning styles neuromyth, the culture around this popular idea, why it is harmful and how to persevere to create quality effective educational experiences that still allow learners to reflect on how they learn.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact us at [email protected]

Additional Resources

Sun, X. (2024). Debunking the Myth of Learning Styles: A Case for Evidence-Based Instruction and Communication. Intercom.

The Myth of Learning Styles by Cedar Riener and Daniel Willingham

Stop propagating the learning styles myth by Paul A. Kirschner

Learning Styles as a Myth – Yale University

Daily Prompt: Learning Styles

Videos:

https://youtu.be/NvM4mnEIxuQ – The Myth of Individual Learning Styles with Dr. Robert Bjork

Learning Styles and the importance of critical self-reflection with Tesia Marshik – TEDxUWLaCrosse – https://youtu.be/855Now8h5Rs

Books:

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel