Stephen Mahaley (mahaley@mail.duke.edu)
Tue, 03 Aug 1999 14:05:55 -0400
Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 14:05:55 -0400 From: Stephen Mahaley <mahaley@mail.duke.edu> Subject: learning styles defined
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For Bob Leamnson -
An article found through an ERIC search lists a slew of styles:
EJ489548 EC609484
Teaching for Different Learning Styles.
Cropper, Carolyn
Gifted Child Today Magazine, v17 n5 p36-39 Sep-Oct 1994
Available From: UMI
This study examined learning styles in 137 high ability fourth-grade
students. All students were administered two learning styles
inventories. Characteristics of students with the following learning
styles are summarized: auditory language, visual language, auditory
numerical, visual numerical, tactile concrete, individual learning,
group learning, oral expressive, and written expressive.
Now, all of this will be tempered by the realities of our own
situations. If you find yourself teaching at a post-secondary level,
well then chances are pretty darned good that your learners can cope
with written, oral, and auditory strategies. They've made in to college
level coursework, right? The concerns of the post-secondary level
teachers are different, in my experience, than those of the secondary or
elementary. Again, I would suggest that it is a rare student who makes
it on to college or university who does not have the cognitive ability
to work and learn in a written, oral or auditory styles.
The learning styles are much more evident, I think, within a more
diverse population - say, at your average public elementary, middle or
high school (in the US). Here you can find instances of absolutely no
light bulb going off with a student until he or she can grab a
manipulative and physically represent the problem, for example.
In response to Dr. Terrell's comments -
Well, yes and rightly so. In a tightly defined arena, where the
learners are the weld testers, and the new task is to learn the correct
method for weld testing, a prescribed instructional path should be
followed. Let's be reasonable! And, let's make that instruction
include the things you mentioned, with visuals, Q and A, practice with
guidance (hands on), reading, testing (written and performance) and so
on. Hey, you'll save your 12 million and cover most of the learning
styles all in one go!
Steve Mahaley
Stephen M. Mahaley
Distributed Learning Support Specialist
Duke University
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