There is a branch of anthropology which deals with this, in relation to the cultural context.
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nicholas Bowskill
Sent: 06 March 2015 16:18
Our senses function as interactive mediators between the mind and the social environment, don't they? Therefore it is surely only the social situation, or being mindful of particular social identities etc., that determines whether any one or more of our senses has *saliency* in a given moment (I think saliency may be more accurate than 'preferences' because it is not always a conscious selection).
Best Wishes,
Nick
--------------------------------------
Dr.Nicholas Bowskill,University of Derby (Education),
Kedleston Road,
Derby
Nicholas Bowskill is a former Kelvin-Smith Scholar at University of Glasgow. He is lead tutor for SEDA online workshop on Introduction to Educational Change and an online tutor (Education) at University of Derby. SharedThinking is an independent consultancy.
On 6 March 2015 at 15:22, Emma Davenport <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hello,
This is a fascinating debate, given that I have just delivered a lecture on phenomenology to second year design students where I argued that if perception is embodied, it must draw upon all sensory facilities. I agree that learning styles are problematic but appreciate that they attempt to describe what are no doubt complex processes of social cognition. However, I will strongly suggest that everyone draws upon all their sensory facilities when learning - it is impossible not to do so from a phenomenological perspective. We are all multi-sensory learners, all the time. The issue is in the detail of when, where, how and why we might draw upon them, arguably always in combinations because senses rarely dislocate from one another. This ultimately raises a concern about why it is that we may preference some sensory experiences over others, which underpinned my argument whereby sight has tended to dominate the creation of knowledge and understanding within material culture.
Many thanks,
Emma
On 6 March 2015 at 15:02, BLAND TOMKINSON <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Whilst I am happy to concede that the concept of "learning styles" is anathema to many, I cannot accept that we are all visual and auditory and read/write and kinaesthetic learners. One of my main reasons for introducing the concept of VARK is that some individuals are unable to access these modes of learning or can do so only with considerable difficulty.
C Bland Tomkinson BSc BA MEd PFHEA FAUA
Visiting Lecturer, University of Manchester
Special Consultant, South East University, Nanjing
Associate Editor, HERD----Original message----
From : [log in to unmask]
Date : 06/03/2015 - 14:30 (GMTST)
To : [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
Subject : RE: Diagnostic tests to assess individual learning styles?
Dear all
Maybe it has already been mentioned that the debate has moved on from Learning Styles as an effective diagnostic tool and many have criticised Honey and Mumford’s Leaning Styles.
John Hattie and Gregory Yates in “Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn” (2014), debunk the learning styles myth:
"We are all visual learners, and we all are auditory learners, not just some of us. Laboratory studies reveal that we all learn when the inputs we experience are multi-modal or conveyed through different media."
Also see:
https://richarddawkins.net/2014/12/the-myth-of-learning-styles/
Sorry!
Best Wishes
Kate
Kate Hellman (FHEA)
Head of Academic Development and Director of ASPIRE
Old Library
Streatham Campus
Tel: 01392 72 (x4511)
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BLAND TOMKINSON
Sent: 06 March 2015 09:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Diagnostic tests to assess individual learning styles?
Hi, Mike
Whilst it is not indicative that different styles are appropriate for different disciplines, a study we did a little while ago (Hill, F., Tomkinson, B., Hiley, A., & Dobson, H. (2014). Learning style preferences: an examination of differences amongst students with different disciplinary backgrounds. Innovations in Education and Teaching International.) suggested that there were differences in approach by students of different disciplinary backgrounds. I know that some work had been done eons ago using the MBTI both to look at learning preferences and also disciplinary differences, but I don't seem to have kept any references to the work. The problem then is not one of advising students what style to adopt to pursue a particular discipline but in what effects learning styles might have in mixed classes - the study mentioned above was on a project management programme where students might, in the main, have an engineering or a business studies background. The other question concerns the learning preferences of teachers, as opposed to students: using Honey and Mumford some years ago we found considerable differences between students and teachers in the same discipline. These might be expalined by success as a teacher being predicated on adopting certain styles whereas students come from a range of backgrounds. From my point of view, the utility of using the concept of learning styles is that it can be a vehicle for getting teachers to understand that their students' approaches to learning may differ from their own and that this might contribute to a lack of success on the part of the students. It is too easy simply to imagine that students who don't succeed are either thick or lazy.
Sincerely
Bland
C Bland Tomkinson BSc BA MEd PFHEA FAUA
Visiting Lecturer, University of Manchester
Special Consultant, South East University, Nanjing
Associate Editor, HERD----Original message----
From : [log in to unmask]
Date : 06/03/2015 - 07:02 (GMTST)
To : [log in to unmask]
Subject : Re: Diagnostic tests to assess individual learning styles?Can I just add two good books reviewing much of the research on intellectual styles:
“The Malleability of Intellectual Styles” (Zhang, 2013; Cambridge University Press).
Forthcoming: “The Value of Intellectual Styles” (Cambridge University Press).
I guess the title of the first book raises the issue of malleability, depending on context etc.
My own, and others, research into student approaches to learning and teachers approaches to teaching is consistent with the idea of malleability.
The real question for me is, are different learning styles more appropriate for studying different disciplines, and if so, how do we support students to adopt an appropriate style for the discipline they wish to study.
Some people have describe our teaching approaches – information transmission/teacher focused and conceptual change/student focused as different teaching styles. If they are styles, I hope they are malleable.
Mike
Michael Prosser
Honorary Professor, The University of Sydney
Honorary Professor, The University of Hong Kong (+852) 39174770
Visiting Professor, The University of Tasmania
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ruth Pilkington
Sent: 05 March 2015 01:29
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Diagnostic tests to assess individual learning styles?
Just wanted to chip in at the end of a most fascinating exchange of ideas and expertise. This is what SEDA is all about. I have definitely been a lurker but I think when this is pulled together we will have a very useful reference list and list of links. Perfect.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise - so sorry I have not contributed...
Ruth
Ruth Pilkington
On 4 Mar 2015, at 11:47, Edwards, Corony <[log in to unmask]> wrote:Dear All,
Somewhat late in the day, but here are links to two further (and shorter) articles that I have found useful in stimulating debate about learning styles:
Timothy J. Landrum & Kimberly A. McDuffie (2010): Learning Styles in the Age of Differentiated Instruction, Exceptionality, 18:1, 6-17
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09362830903462441
And
Cedar Riener & Daniel Willingham (2010): The Myth of Learning Styles, Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 42:5, 32-35
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2010.503139
Landrum and McDuffie’s piece is primarily concerned with the usefulness of learning styles to inform differentiated instruction for students with disabilities or particular learning needs, but the account on pages 10 – 13 gives a fascinating glimpse into the origins of some of this work, and the credibility we might therefore afford it. They sum it up thus: ‘We encourage future reviewers to attend carefully and more explicitly to the methodological quality of studies when reviewing learning styles literature, and we encourage readers to evaluate existing studies of the impact of teaching based on learning styles with an equally critical eye toward methodological soundness.’ (page 13).
Best wishes
Corony
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Phil Race
Sent: 04 March 2015 10:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Diagnostic tests to assess individual learning styles?
A very interesting discussion. I'm actually quite sceptical about learning styles too, but had a dabble alongside this way back in 2005 in the first edition of 'Making Learning Happen'. I deleted this chapter from the 2nd edition in 2010, and likewise 2014. However, you might find it adds a little to the discussion, so I've attached it here.
My own belief is that we can identify seven (in 2005 just five) factors which underpin successful learning, but that each individual learner addresses these factors in their own ways - and differently on different days. By the time I'd expanded the number of factors to seven, and with the natural overlap between the factors, it was no longer sensible to even try the approach I used in that 2005 chapter - hence its deletion.
all best wishes
Phil
__________________________________
Professor Phil Race
BSc PhD PGCE FCIPD PFHEA NTF
follow@RacePhil
Website: http://phil-race.co.uk/
___________________________________
On 3 March 2015 at 11:53, Chris.Edwards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Pollyanna’s account of her learning styles bib experience suggests a commitment from the school that I know I would be straight in to challenge if it involved my children.
I believe, however, those involved in The Education, Learning, Styles, Individual differences Network, ELSIN, http://elsinnetwork.com/index.php, would cite evidence to show things have moved on since Coffield et al’s critique but I am not up to date with the latest developments.
Frank Coffield also wrote this pamphlet with students in mind, and it might be a useful resource to use more broadly (as does
Gibbs’ idea no.29) with students: All You Ever Wanted to Know about Learning and Teaching But Were Too Cool to Ask. You’ll find the pdf if you search – url seems too long to paste here!
It looks like Guy Claxton’s domain name is up for sale. His work fed into the development at Bristol of the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory, ELLI, which picks up on the ideas of learning dispositions and learning power. I was involved in an original trial of this within HE and, it might be worth following up if you’re interested. It certainly provides a rich framework to talk about learning and approaches to learning but isn’t something to be covered quickly like the Fielder-Silverman option mentioned by Laurie. Last time I had any contact with the ELLI team, it was still seen as something to be mediated by a mentor but they had reduced the size of the questionnaire to less than 40 questions.
Thanks Ian for your Pashler et al. reference. I will check it out when I get a chance.
Regards
Chris
Lecturer
Institute of Educational Technology
Open University
From: Chris Martindale [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 02 March 2015 21:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Diagnostic tests to assess individual learning styles?
Dear colleagues,
Can I draw upon the resources of your knowledge and experience? I am looking for a workshop activity that will help learners to discover their individual learning preference or style. I am aware of at least some of the models in the literature produced by Kolb, Gregoric, Fielder-Silverman or Fleming's VARK questionnaire. Ideally the test does not have to be too complicated and it has to include a visual outcome of some kind. Your suggestions would very welcome and save me having to 're-invent the wheel'.
Thank you in advance,
Chris
Chris Martindale
Learning Enhancement
University of Derby
Tel. 01332-591212
The University of Derby has a published policy regarding email and reserves the right to monitor email traffic. If you believe this was sent to you in error, please select unsubscribe.
Unsubscribe and Security information contact: [log in to unmask]
For all FOI requests please contact: [log in to unmask]
All other Contacts are at http://www.derby.ac.uk/its/contacts/-- The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
--
Emma Davenport: Personal Academic Tutor/CCS Senior Lecturer (Mondays - Thursdays)
Aldgate Student Hub (Commercial Road)
Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design
London Metropolitan UniversityFor an appointment with your PAT, please email the new Aldgate Student Hub [log in to unmask] or telephone 020 7320 4807
You can also check when your PAT is available from links on our webpage to our Google calendars (click on Week for a simple view):
[log in to unmask]&ctz=Europe/London&gsessionid=OK" target="_blank">https:[log in to unmask]&ctz=Europe/London&gsessionid=OK
Latest News:
http://www.thecass.com/news-eventsCompanies Act 2006 : http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/companyinfo
Companies Act 2006 : http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/companyinfo