#LearningStyles ‘Awareness’ Day: Collected Resources

March 1st, 2012 was unofficially set as Learning Styles ‘Awareness’ Day. This day was organized with the intent of sharing research and information about what Learning Styles are, and more importantly are not, and how they are being out into practice. There are a number of practitioners who apply learning styles theories in ways that research shows no benefit. The goal of Learning Styles ‘Awareness’ Day was to have multiple voices speaking on the same topic at the same time, so that the message is amplified and heard by more people.

For more information about #LearningStyles ‘Awareness’ Day, check out these posts that set the stage for the day:

#LearningStyles ‘Awareness Day’ – March 1st, 2012

More information about #LearningStyles ‘Awareness’ Day

One of my favorite resources to share about Learning Styles is this video from Daniel Willingham.  I like to share it for a few key reasons:

  1. It’s short – under 7 minutes
  2. It speaks about learning styles in simple, non-technical terms
  3. It’s research-based

The primary article I point people to is a recent one, Why Is the Research on Learning Styles Still Being Dismissed by Some Learning Leaders and Practitioners? by Guy Wallace. I like this post because it shares thoughts from leaders in the industry on why the learning styles ‘myth’ is a problem, and more importantly, explores why so many learning professionals continue to design for learning styles despite the research showing it’s lack of impact. It’s a must read.

Another post that I like – not only for it’s research but for it’s brazenness – is Learning Styles Instructional-Design Challenge by Will Thalheimer. This post shares a challenge with the world: Prove that taking learning styles into account in designing instruction can produce meaningful learning benefits… and win $1,000. The post doesn’t go deeply into the research, but the criteria associated with the challenge – and the fact that to date no one has one the prize – provide great examples of the lack of impact provided by using learning styles in instructional design.  He’s held that challenge each year since 2006. The prize remains unclaimed.

My own contribution to the discussion, My #LearningStyles Awakening, is less about my conclusions about learning styles and more about the journey I took to reach it.  This, in a way, was my main goal for #LearningStyles ‘Awareness’ Day.  To reach people who, like me, were just unaware of the vast amounts of research available, and help them see learning styles through a more research-based lens.

A number of people participated in the discussions and sharing on Twitter and LinkedIn.  I thank each of them for helping in this effort to build greater awareness within our profession. This post collects the resources shared regarding Learning Styles. I will continue to add resources to this post as I encounter them, so feel free to add more via the comments and I will add them within the post.

The Myth of Learning Styles by Cedar Riener and Daniel Willingham
Once upon a time there were 7 billion #LearningStyles by Dan Steer
Foo Foo About: Designing Instruction for Learning Styles Differences by Guy Wallace
#LearningStyles Awareness Day – Catering to Interaction Preferences Instead by Judy Unrein
ISPI 2000 Conf – 99 Seconds YouTube video from Rob Foshay
Think You’re An Auditory Or Visual Learner? Scientists Say It’s Unlikely by Patti Neighmond
Debunking the Myth – There Is No Such Thing As “Learning Styles” by Guy Wallace / Sigmund Tobias
Evidence-Based Training: Debunking the Myth of Learning Styles by Steve Nguyen
Learning Styles Reviewed by Association for Psychological Science AND FOUND WANTING by Will Thalheimer
Memes and Myths by Owen Ferguson
#LearningStyles Awareness Day review by Clark Quinn
Learning Styles by Clark Quinn
Learning Styles, Brain-Based Learning, and Daniel Willingham by Clark Quinn
Rethinking Learning Styles by Clark Quinn
Situated Learning Styles by Clark Quinn
I take on CLO Magazine who take on some Myths by Alan Montague
Learning Styles Library Diigo list from Christy Tucker
Amazing learning styles research by Donald Clark
Learning Styles and Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning: A Systematic and Critical Review by Frank Coffield, David Moseley, Elaine Hall and Kathryn Ecclesto (Free Download)
Learning styles: Worth our time? by Cathy Moore
Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence by Harold Pashler, Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, and Robert Bjork
Revisiting Learning Styles by Christy Tucker
#LearningStyles Awareness day Storify by Anne-Laure Thomas

And last but not least, you can always count on The Onion to get a message across in a sarcastic and humourous way: Parents Of Nasal Learners Demand Odor-Based Curriculum

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