Learning style

Learning styles are part of a concept developed by learning psychology in the 1970s, which assumes that most people prefer a few individual methods of dealing with stimuli and information. Under otherwise identical learning conditions, according to this concept, learners often achieve different levels of success because the learning method they prefer is not offered. Building on this, it has been increasingly pointed out in recent years that teachers should assess the learning styles of their students and adapt their teaching methods accordingly. The learning styles are sharply differentiated from the learning types used in didactics ; this approach is not considered to be scientifically founded.

Models and Concepts

Over 80 learning style models have been proposed, all of which have at least two different learning styles.

Visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning

A group of models emphasizes the sensory impressions that come into play during the transfer of information. These models can use different names for the same or similar learning styles. A distinction is often made between four basic types:

visual learning (learning by looking)
auditory learning (learning by listening)
Reading and writing (learning by processing texts)
kinesthetic learning (learning through practice, through movement)

These are different approaches to knowledge that people can prefer depending on the situation. Whether it is about persistent personality traits and "types" in the real sense is a matter of dispute in learning research.

Model after Kolb

The model was created in 1985 and is most widespread in German-speaking countries (see cognitivism ):

Divergent (for example: the discoverer) prefer concrete experience and reflected observation. Her strengths lie in the ability to imagine. You tend to look at specific situations from many perspectives and are interested in people. They have broad cultural interests and often specialize in artistic activities.

Assimilators ( e.g. the thinker) prefer reflective observation and abstract concept formation. Your strengths lie in the generation of theoretical models. They are prone to inductive inference and prefer to deal with things or theories rather than people. They integrate individual facts into terms and concepts.

Convergers (for example: the decision maker) prefer abstract concept formation and active experimentation. Your strengths lie in the execution of ideas. They are prone to hypothetical deductive inferences and prefer to deal with things or theories (which they like to review) than with people.

Accommodation providers ( e.g. the practitioner) prefer active experimentation and concrete experience. Your strengths lie in the design of activities. They are prone to intuitive problem solving through trial and error and prefer to deal with people rather than things or theories. They rely more on individual facts than on theories.

Model after Honey and Mumford

This 1992 model also has four learning styles:

Activists
Reflectors
Theorists
Pragmatists

Model according to fields

This model (1988) differentiates more broadly:

active and reflective learners
inductive and inferential learners
sensory and intuitive learner
visual and auditory learners
sequential and global learners.

literature

P. Honey; A. Mumford: The Manual of Learning Styles . Maidenhead: Berkshire (1992).
David A. Kolb: Learning Style Inventory . Boston: McBer and Company (1985).
Fields R .; Silverman L .: Learning and teaching styles in engineering education . Journal of Engineering Education, 7 (78), 674-681 (1988).
W. Stangl: Learning styles - what is it? Praxis Schule 5-10, year 31, issue 5/2005, pp. 12-17.

Web links