The myth of learning styles and the point of studying in different ways
Have you ever been asked what your learning style is? You might have been encouraged to think about whether you learn best by listening or reading – or whether you have a primarily visual, auditive or kinesthetic learning style. The idea is that you learn best if you adapt your study technique to your learning style. However, the fact is there is no evidence for that it works; rather, the opposite may be true.
Of course, most of us prefer certain ways of taking in information over others. Some people might like listening to course literature, others else might think it’s more fun to draw mind maps than to write out glossaries of terms, perhaps some prefer to study at home rather than do group work in the classroom. But doing what you prefer, or what you are used to, does not automatically mean that you get better results in your studies. On the contrary, it seems that we humans are more alike than we are different when it comes to how we learn best.
See for example Rogowsky, Calhoun & Tallal 2015 – apa.org
Using several ways of learning is the best approach
In general, we learn best if we engage and activate several different senses – i.e. we use several learning styles. So, it is smart to include both visual elements and text when taking notes and to follow the text in front of you while listening to the course literature – and group work is best if all participants prepare themselves individually in advance.
Some people might understand or remember something just from listening to someone talking, while others need visual aids, time to take notes and the opportunity to read several times to grasp the same thing. But that doesn’t mean that people who learn from the lecture have a different learning style, but rather that they have better prior knowledge, more aptitude in the subject or perhaps just slept better the night before. When the difficulty level increases, or the conditions change, everyone needs several different techniques to keep up.
Instead of learning styles it can be useful to think in terms of learning strategies – and you can never have too many. In order to create the best possible conditions for your own learning, you can practice the things you don’t already know, whether that be a matter of how you memorise, take notes, comprehend or concentrate. That way, you are filling your toolbox and preparing yourself for complex learning situations. When one strategy is not sufficient, you have others to deploy.
Try out new learning strategies and share with one another
There is, then, good reason to do an inventory of your strategies: What are you good at? What is your general approach? What do you find difficult? What is your approach then? What do you need different or multiple strategies for? Browse the texts here on campusonline.lu.se to see if you can find something new to try:
When you're reading course literature on a screen
In regards to not-taking by hand or on a computer
Efficient group work using digital meeting technology
Give feedback to other and become a better writer yourself
There may be other new tools that you can try, to vary your strategies. Here are a few tips:
Accessibility tools – Try having the text read out loud for you while you're reading
Mentimeter – Challenge your study group with polls and quizzes
Studio – Work through material by recording videos
Then ask your coursemates what they usually do and share your own strategies with them. Help create a generous atmosphere in which you share your best tips and help one another. That is something that benefits everyone.