pseudoparanormal

The Myth of Learning Styles

By: Dylan Magee

In this article it goes into an in depth analysis on how the idea of unique learning styles for teaching their students is a myth and no backed by an modern research and how the myth has grown because of basic misconceptions and a lack of knowledge in neuroscience. The writer of the article, Mo Costandi, details how she once pursued a job as a science teacher and how while being trained for the position a constant theme was the idea of three types of learners,"visual learners, who acquire and process information best through images; others are auditory learners, who learn best by listening; and yet others are kin-aesthetic learners, who learn best by doing physical activities" (Costandi). The idea sprouted from the work of psychologist Howard Gardner of Harvard University, his theory included seven different types of learning and he hoped that the educational system could be molded around his theory so that children would have a better chance for success in the classroom, he was widely successful in spreading his theory. However, his theory is not based on fact and studies have never shown children to be much more favorable to one learning style over another. In fact, some tests have shown the opposite, that students actually perform better when they are made to learn in a way that is outside their comfort zone. neurologists conducted a study where they had several hundred teachers fill out a true and false survey about the brain to see how much they actually knew, 82% of teachers accepted the myth of learning styles as a fact even though there is no data to prove it. It closes by saying that teacher need to be taught more about the brain so they have a better actual understanding of how it works and so that money is not wasted to mold education to a myth that may not hold any water.

https://thinkneuroscience.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/the-myth-of-learning-styles/