Mythbusters
I am still having a hard time accepting this new found research about learning styles being debunked. I have used this method myself when trying to diagnose my students and with differentiating work with struggling learners. I have had great success in the past using this method or so I thought. I started college in 2006 and it was drilled into my brain how important it was to consider multiple intelligences and Howard Gardner's theory while writing lesson plans. I try to incorporate all intelligences into my unit plans by including movement, song, creation, group learning, individual assignments, verbal presentation, mathematical investigations, technology, creative writing, and inquiry based learning. I always assumed by having a huge range of different “learning style” activities of a certain subject matter, that I would be able to reach at least a couple of my students. My goal was to have at least one activity that sparked each students interest to where they felt personally invested and tried their absolute best. I knew that was a long shot but I did not feel that there was any hurt in trying, except for maybe making myself crazy trying to incorporate them all during every single unit plan. Sometimes it is hard to find music related to science and mathematical subject matter and in some cases I have even written my own. The 10% 20% was a little easier for me to accept because I had in the back of my mind that we all learn differently, thinking back to Gardner's theory. I need an intervention I think “haha”…. I will have to research this more to get this misconception out of my mind.This will be a great question to bring up during my weekly small group meeting in the GTC Program and discuss the debunking of this theory as well as get feedback from my leading professor.
Note to Jessica,
-No more referencing “Engagement” or “Multiple Intelligences” you look old ; )
I love that you try to include different types of learning opportunities for students in hopes of reaching even just a few students. It is so important that students are excited to learn, and by having activities that spark their interest we can hopefully reach them and have them be excited to learn whatever we are teaching that day!
ReplyDeleteThank you, so much. I try my best I know sometimes my efforts will probably not reach every student but I truly believe the effort I put in will be worth it in the end.
DeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteAs I read the article about learning styles debunked, I think it is important to keep in mind that the very research learning styles debunked is debunking should be taken with a grain of salt also. Although it is tough to dispute the claims that learning styles don't really exist in the way we traditionally thought, the eye test seems to tell us differently. Differentiation is a concept that is taught to us and is something I believe I have had success with in my classroom. The people who did this study do not know our particular students, and I believe that we know them best and have the capabilities of helping them more than anyone else. Although we must continually keep up on the newest educational research and continue to professionally develop, always approach research like this with caution. To you and me, it seems as if our own evidence debunks the article. What are your thoughts?
I like the way you think Aaron. I am still, even now, having a hard time accepting this fully. I have been talking with multiple people in our field to see how they feel about it and most had no clue about this being debunked either. I agree with you that we need to continually keep up on the newest educational research and maybe that is to blame for most of us not being aware.
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