Learning Styles I had a difficult time when reading through the article Is learning styles-based instruction
effective? A comprehensive analysis of recent research on learning styles by Joshua
Cuevas. I had such a difficult time with this article because it directly refuted what I
learned in my Undergrad. In almost all of my education courses with my undergrad we
were taught about learning styles and multiple intelligences. We had to complete
assignments providing different lesson styles or activity options for students based off of
their learning styles/intelligence. I remember spending numerous weekends working to
make sure each part of my projects were correctly tailored for specific learning styles. So
it was difficult to read this and realize that all of that was likely for naught.
I agree with what I read in Cuevas article. The fact that he could cite study after study
that failed to properly show any sort of correlation between the learning styles and an
increase in learning is hard to contest. He made valid points that textbooks do not report
any empirical data to go along with the validity of these concepts. I do not recall ever
reading about empirical data on the subject of intelligences or learning styles during my
time in Undergrad. It was frustrating to read though and feel like the information that I
was taught and the concepts that I was told to enforce are not even valid in terms of
having proper data to back them. It makes me question what other aspects of the teacher
education programs are lacking valid research. It also makes me question why it is still
being taught as an imperative teaching concept if there is no evidence of this.
In the article, Cuevas states, In a rather blunt assertion, Woolfolk argues that the
research behind learning styles is suspect, the measures unreliable, and the claims
inflated but does suggest that there is some value to learning styles, mostly in treating
students as individuals and in helping them develop metacognition about their own
learning. I did agree with this. Although there may not be direct learning benefits from
incorporating different learning styles and although it might not be as important as
teacher education programs may lead pre-service teachers to believe, I do feel that it can
help students see the different sides of learning. It can help them to realize more of who
they are as an individual and things that they enjoy. Just because it might not
increase
their learning, does not mean that it cannot benefit them in other ways, or just keep them
from being bored with how they are currently studying or doing school work. The text did
say that while learning styles did not necessarily increase learning, one study showed it
may decrease the time and increase the efficiency of the student which can be deemed
as a benefit.
Ultimately the goal as a teacher is to be sure that students are learning and are being
successful and however that may occur as long as it is beneficial to the students and
helps to build them up is what is most important. Teachers should be sure to only use
methods that they have seen to be successful and not to be wasteful of their time andenergy with their students. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says So whether you eat or drink or
whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. That is what we need to be striving
towards. We need to be sure that we are glorifying God in all that we do and we can do
that by doing our jobs to the best of our abilities. If learning styles have not been proven
effective then maybe they should not be used.
Cuevas, J. (2015). Is learning styles-based instruction effective? A comprehensive
analysis of recent research on learning styles. Theory and Research in Education,13(3),
308-333. doi:10.1177/1477878515606621 Answer Preview
Sorry for the hard time you experienced reading an article by Joshua Cuevas on learning styles-based instruction which is a comprehensive analysis of recent research on learning style. Fortunately, all you read from the article is true. Cuevas did a thorough study of the learning style specifically the one used in traditional classroom program which is what most of us including Cuevas applied while in school. Teachers also, are taught to use the same learning style after college and they eagerly long for the day they will start applying what they learned (Cuevas, 2015). They look forward to having the most motivated and bright students. Unfortunately, not all students become motivated using the traditional classroom learning style; the majority dont. As you have stated, it is beneficial for the students and the teachers to know the different learning styles because the students will have options when choosing the learning style that best suits them (Cuevas, 2015). The teachers will also advise the less motivates, students, to change
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