Should we be using learning styles? - Learning for Teaching

1 LSRC reference Should we be using Learning styles ? What research has to say to practice Learning style instruments are widely Should we be using Learning styles ? What research has to say to practice used. But are they reliable and valid? Do they have an impact on pedagogy? This report examines 13 models of Learning style and concludes that it matters fundamentally which model is chosen. Positive recommendations are made for students, teachers and trainers, managers, researchers and inspectors. LSRC reference LSRC reference Should we be using Learning styles ? What research has to say to practice Learning style instruments are widely Should we be using Learning styles ? What research has to say to practice used.

2 But are they reliable and valid? Do they have an impact on pedagogy? This report examines 13 models of Learning style and concludes that it matters fundamentally which model is chosen. Positive recommendations are made for students, teachers and trainers, managers, researchers and inspectors. LSRC reference Should we be using Learning styles ? What research has to say to practice Frank Coffield Institute of Education University of London David Moseley University of Newcastle Elaine Hall University of Newcastle Kathryn Ecclestone University of Exeter The Learning and Skills Research Centre is supported by the Learning and Skills Council and the Department for Education and Skills The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Learning and Skills Research Centre or the Learning and Skills Development Agency Published by the Learning and Skills Research Centre Feedback Should be sent to.

3 Sally Faraday Research Manager Learning and Skills Development Agency Regent Arcade House 19 25 Argyll Street London W1F 7LS. Tel 020 7297 9098. Fax 020 7297 9190. Copyedited by Helen Lund Designed by sans+baum Printed by Cromwell Press Ltd Trowbridge, Wiltshire 1540/05/04/500. ISBN 1 85338 914 5. Learning and Skills Research Centre 2004. All rights reserved LSRC reference Contents Acknowledgements Foreword 1 Section 1 The appeal of Learning styles 1 Learning styles in practice i 1 The mainstream appeal of Learning styles 5 Learning styles in practice ii 5 Summary 7 Section 2 The context of post-16 Learning 7 Introduction 7 Policy initiatives 11 Sectoral and institutional pressures 13 Qualifications and curricula 13 Initial teacher training and professional development in further education 14 Students' motivation 15 Conclusion 17 Section 3 The systematic review of Learning styles models 17 Aims of the research 17 Approaches to the literature review 19 Influential models of Learning styles 19 Rationale for

4 Organising the literature review 22 Summary evaluations of 13 major models of Learning styles Allinson and Hayes' Cognitive styles Index (CSI). Apter's Motivational Style Profile (MSP). Dunn and Dunn's model and instruments of Learning styles Entwistle's Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for students (ASSIST). Gregorc's styles Delineator (GSD). Herrmann's Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI). Honey and Mumford's Learning styles Questionnaire (LSQ). Jackson's Learning styles Profiler (LSP). Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI). Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Riding's Cognitive styles Analysis (CSA). Sternberg's Thinking styles Inventory (TSI). Vermunt's Inventory of Learning styles (ILS).

5 37 Section 4 Implications for pedagogy 37 Introduction 37 What advice for practitioners? 45 The appeal of Learning styles 46 The objections to Learning styles 47 Still no pedagogy in the UK. 48 Differing definitions and models of pedagogy 51 Section 5 Recommendations and conclusions 51 Introduction 51 Positive recommendations 54 Continuing problems with the research field of Learning styles 62 Gaps in knowledge and possible future research projects 62 Final comments 65 References 70 Appendix 1 List of Learning styles instruments and theories 75 Appendix 2 List of search terms used in the literature review 77 Appendix 3 Glossary of terms LSRC reference Figures and tables Figures 18 1 Selection of literature for review 18 2 Curry's onion' model of Learning styles 20 3 Vermunt's model of Learning styles (1998).

6 20 4 Families of Learning styles 43 5 The 4 MAT system Tables 23 1 Allinson and Hayes' Cognitive styles Index (CSI). 24 2 Apter's Motivational Style Profile (MSP). 25 3 Dunn and Dunn's model and instruments of Learning styles 26 4 Entwistle's Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). 27 5 Gregorc's Style Delineator (GSD). 28 6 Herrmann's Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI). 29 7 Honey and Mumford's Learning styles Questionnaire (LSQ). 30 8 Jackson's Learning styles Profiler (LSP). 31 9 Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI). 32 10 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). 33 11 Riding's Cognitive styles Analysis (CSA). 34 12 Sternberg's Thinking styles Inventory (TSI).

7 35 13 Vermunt's Inventory of Learning styles (ILS). 53 14 Effect sizes of different types of intervention 58 15 13 Learning styles models matched against minimal criteria LSRC reference Acknowledgements The project team would like to extend thanks to the authors of the models reviewed in this report for their comments and reactions to our work which enabled us to improve the quality of the final version. We also wish to acknowledge the steady and sensitive support of John Vorhaus of the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) and the administrative skills of Louise Wilson of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Eugene Sadler-Smith read an earlier version of this report and made some useful comments for which we are also grateful.

8 LSRC reference Foreword The theory and practice of Learning styles has generated great interest and controversy over the past 20 years and more. The Learning and Skills Research Centre would like to express its appreciation to the authors of two complementary reports, for the time and effort that went into their production and for providing a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners in the Learning and skills sector. These reports serve two key purposes: first, they contribute to what we know about models of Learning styles and to our knowledge of what these offer to teachers and learners. Second, the reports identify an agenda for further research: to evaluate rigorously key models in a variety of Learning environments in order to better understand their merits and deficiencies.

9 We publish these reports in the spirit of stimulating debate and enabling knowledge of Learning styles to be developed for the benefit of practice and policy. The complementary report Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 Learning provides a systematic and critical review of Learning styles models. Final sections are common to both reports: these draw out the implications for pedagogy and offer recommendations and conclusions for practitioners, policy-makers and the research community. LSDA would also like to thank the steering committee for incisive commentary and support throughout the project. Dr John Vorhaus Research Manager Learning and Skills Development Agency Steering committee members: Professor Charles Desforges Professor Noel Entwistle Professor Phil Hodkinson Dr John Vorhaus LSRC reference page 1.

10 Section 1. The appeal of Learning styles Learning styles in practice i Finally, Megan passes her degree. Her team manager is very interested in her research and asks her to run Megan is a communications lecturer in a further some staff development sessions on Learning styles education (FE) college, studying for a BA in Post-16. for other curriculum teams. Following these, the college Education. She was inspired by some sessions applies to the Learning and Skills Research Network on Learning styles during the course to make this (LSRN) for funds to enable other staff to carry out the focus of her action research project. She similar action research. administers a well-known Learning styles inventory 1.