M. David Merrill (merrill@id2.usu.edu)
Wed, 10 Feb 1999 20:32:17 -0700
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 20:32:17 -0700 From: "M. David Merrill" <merrill@id2.usu.edu> Subject: Discussion Comments 2
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Dear Discusants
What is learning style?
As represented by the following comments, this is obviously causing some
confusion. I’m not sure that I can clarify this issue in a few words but I
can
attempt to indicate what I thought I meant by the use of this term.
“…on what we mean by learning style.” Bill Braun
“I would suggest that the learning style is a variable not a constant for
students.”
“ … a student who is sick or tired my change his or her learning style.” John
Buckley
“When I think of learning styles, it is usually in terms of
input channel preferences, such as visual, verbal, and haptic (kinesthetic).”
Kurt Rowley
“we need to move away from the concept of learning style as
preference and think of it more in terms of ability.” Phil Duchastel
“I believe it is the learning strategies that students employ we should
examine
not their learning style.” Terry DePaolo
“The best approach to learning style is perhaps the one suggested by Bob
Leamnson, which implies (if I read this right) that there is a time to be a
holist and a time to be a serialist, a visualist, a verbalist, etc.” Phil
Duchastel
I used the term very loosely. I used learning style as a generic term to
refer
to individual differences. I recognize that his is probably a careless use,
but I would remind you that this started in an interview where we are not
always as careful as we should be to define our terms. So, in my paper, I am
referring to both those somewhat stable characteristics that distinguish one
student from another. These stable characteristics may change with learning,
may change over time, but I don’t believe that they are easily changed by
merely wanting to change.
I don’t think that when a student is sick or tired they can easily change his
or her learning style. Engaging in challenging material may increase our
abilities in a nonpreferred modality for example and may eventually change our
ability but not just by willful thought. Some of the comments suggest that
various approaches to learning materials is what we mean by learning style.
Terry DePaolo suggested that learning strategies is more important. It is not
how a student approaches an instructional task that I had reference to by
learning style.
Hopefully this clarifies the issue a little. While I don’t think the
individual differences that may play a role in learning are unchangable, on
the
other hand I don’t think they can be arbitrarily changed by a given student
merely by intending to do so.
I agree with Phil Duchastel’s excellent summary of my position. May I repeat
his words here.
“I suggest we must define levels of analysis:
“Level 1 - Internal, basic mechanisms, such as building associations and
modeling
events and things.
“Level 2 - Information interactions - interacting with the information
provided,
be they definitions, examples, etc.. David, this would be your 'transactions',
I
believe.
“Level 3 - Instructional approach (architecture, style), such as directive,
discovery...
“Level 4 - Educational context, dealing with aims, motivation, rewards,
etc. -
what you allude to, Roger, with 'engagement and interaction',
“I believe.Learning style has nothing to do with level 1, which is immutable
over time, as you suggest, David. Level 2 is of the greatest importance (your
thesis) and 3 and 4 can vary as long as 2 remains intact. Varying 3 and 4 is
the crux of the discussion. Can we tune them to better match learner styles?
[YES. YES. YES this is what I am trying to say. Thanks Phil.]
“Now, theoretically, there should be an ideal match between levels 2 and 3
(and
4), for any given learner (i.e. a learner with a certain set of abilities).
The
job of instructional science is to find that match, to establish the
grammar of
learning in context. And the style issue basically sidetracks us from that
aim.
“So, David, be strong, don't give in to the learning style fuzzies!”
I’m trying to be strong, but reasonable. And I do believe that at levels 3
and
4 that we can fine tune, or adapt the instruction to more readily accommodate
individual differences (learning style). Thank you for making this very
articulate summary of my position.
Phil Duchastel
So What?
James Atherton raised the question, “…my students' responses -- as practicing
teachers of post-16 students and adults -- tends to be so what -- how can I
really use this in class?’"
It is obviously very difficult for an individual teacher in a live
classroom to
accommodate the individual differences of 30 or 40 students. This is true in
basic abilities like reading level, prior experience, etc. let alone with
other
individual differences such as visual, auditory, or hauptic. But I’m
intetested in the future. I’m interested in building adaptive instructional
systems that can make learning more effective, efficient, and appealing to
more
students. I’m interested in what is possible not what we can do in our 18th
century approach to classroom instruction. Computers have fantastic
potential. If indeed, individual differences do make a difference in
learning,
then we should do all we can to facilitate the instructional experience for
our
students. There is not yet available in the market place an instructional
system that adequately or appropriately adapts to individual learners. I
believe we have the technology to build such a system. Should we? Will we?
Or will we continue to line up 30 students and “spray and pray” our
instruction
to them in classrooms.
Thanks for your comments. Sorry to be a little slow in getting this
posted. I
am traveling and blizzard conditions in Utah made my trip to the airport a
little slower than anticipated taking my time last night for commenting. I am
writing this on the airplane and hope that I will have an opportunity today to
post before I go to the hotel tonight. Thanks for your patience.
Dave Merrill
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