Learning Styles -- Academic Performance
There has been a great deal of scholarly research done on how students learn, and how certain learning styles impact the academic outcomes. This paper delves into four scholarly research papers that describe learning styles and the subsequent academic achievements that result from those learning styles.
Deep Learning is Preferable to Surface Learning
Several learning styles were used in a research project involving 273 Social Science students at a British university. The learning styles being rated and observed (part of Vermunt's Inventory of Learning Styles) included "deep learning," "self-regulated learning," "intrinsic motivation," and "constructivist conception of learning." In the research, these four styles of learning were seen as preferable to "surface learning," "teacher-centered learning," "extrinsic motivation," and "objectivist conception of learning" (Boyle, et al., 2003). The most acceptable learning style in terms of the student achieving positive academic gains was "deep learning," which requires the student to " ... understand meaning by working out relationships between concepts, relating new material to previously known information" (Boyle, 268). On the other hand, surface learners tend to use memorization to retain knowledge in the hopes of getting a good grade and later, a good job (Boyle, 268).
Three Approaches...
Gokhale, a. (1995). Collaborative Learning Enhancing Critical Thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7, 22 -- 31. In the article titled, Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking, the authors are seeking to understand the true effect that technology will have on what is known as collaborative learning. This is where students will work together to increase the overall amounts of comprehension of the subject matter. In this article, researchers wanted to know if
Feedback should also inform the planning of subsequent lessons and activities and come from a variety of perspectives including the student, classmates, and the teacher (Kirkwood, 2000). Problems with this method of instruction occur when expectations are unclear or feedback is ambiguous, sporadic, or overly negative. Classroom behavioral norms must be established and respected. Care must also be taken to protect and support students from undue ridicule and criticism in
Naturally, visual learners do not enjoy reading books as auditory learners would, as written information is mostly processed in the mind's ears rather than by visualizing the text. Finally, a Kinesthetic or Tactile learner will predominantly learn information through touch and movement. In other words, kinesthetic learners would enjoy hands on laboratory session more than a routine class lecture. They also like to simulate events to understand them better.
Learning that is imparted through an educational institution or training company within the workplace setting in known as Work-based learning (WBL). WBL is administered by an external teacher in professional capacity and supervised by an employee of the company where WBL is imparted. An exhaustive literature review indicates that it was only after Moser report's shocking revelations, regarding lack of literacy, language, and numeracy skills in one out every five
Wondering what to do the articles tells that the study of David Pearson entitled "What Research Has to Say to the Teaching of Reading published by the International Association 1992 was the "most compelling research available." Pearnson's research claimed that "thoughtful proficient readers make connections, draw upon prior knowledge, create visual imagery, make inferences, ask questions, determine important ideas, and synthesize what they read." Lansdowne set out to test
There is also the question of what approach should be used in a given setting. For instance, Lewis-Moreno points out that, "A great deal of energy is expended selecting and defending the model used: Should it be late- or early-exit bilingual, dual language, or English immersion?" (2007, p. 773). Although complex problems require complex solutions, a common theme that runs through the relevant literature concerns the need to use
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