The idea of a “Learning Style” was a concept that rocketed to fame in the 1970s. It’s based on the basic idea that different people learn in different ways.
If you went through America’s education system, it’s likely that at a certain point you were tested on your learning style. This was a basic test that at the end would spit out three specific learning styles: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic.
If you were a visual learner, you learn through charts & graphs, like to use images to explain concepts & ideas, and prefer graphics over words.
If you were an auditory learner, you learn best when the information is spoken out loud, prefer to attend lectures or participate in discussions, and process information by talking through things.
If you were a kinesthetic learner, you develop skills by taking a hands on approach and would recreate and practice new topics.
The one thing you didn’t learn though, is that none of the above is actually backed up by science. While people may have a personal preference on how they learn, there is zero evidence that links cognitive styles to specific neural systems.
A 2009 study conclusively determined that even though people thought they learned in a certain way, this didn’t match up with how they actually learned. (i.e. people who were visual learners didn’t remember pictures better than other types of learners).
Don’t worry if you didn’t know this, 90% of teachers in a recent survey didn’t.
Now you might be saying, I’ve been a *insert your learning style here* learner my entire life! That is exactly what I thought before I wrote this article.
If you think you learn better through a specific style, that’s most likely due to confirmation bias (i.e. only accepting evidence that confirms your belief and ignoring all evidence that contradicts it). Once you look more closely at different skills you’ve learned, you’ll realize each was learned through a mix of styles. Based on what the skill was, one style usually dominated. Few examples:
- Pottery: If you’re learning how to make clay pots, visuals and instructions will only get you so far. You’re going to have to work with your hands.
- Language: If you want to speak a new language, the only way to know what proper pronunciation sounds like is by listening to somebody speak the language.
- Anatomy: If you’re studying the layout of the different bones in the human body, you’ll need to visualize it so a diagram is going to be your best friend.
Since specific groups of activities usually benefit from one style, your preference is not linked to your learning style, but to what you enjoy learning. I always thought I was a kinesthetic learner, but turns out I prefer learning skills that require a hands on approach such as woodworking, pottery, brewing, etc.
Whenever I try to learn a new skill, I now take an all encompassing approach. I’ll read articles online, listen to podcasts on the subject, and then put what I’ve learned into practice. At the end of the day we don’t all learn differently, we all learn different things. If you want to truly master a specific subject, profession, hobby, or skill, you need to incorporate every single type of learning style.