Busting Myths about Learning Styles

For his 2013-14 Mentor-Mentee Project, speech communications instructor Kevin Shroth investigated the science and pseudoscience behind what educators commonly refer to as learning styles.  A few weeks ago, we sat down with Kevin to share what he learned, summarizing key ideas from this paper, which you can access here.

If you would like to learn more about the science behind teaching and learning, we recommend Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel, published earlier this year by Belknap Press.  Chapter 6 specifically tackles the controversy of learning styles, which Kevin discussed in the video and his project.  Of those who have read this book at Kirkwood, most of us have claimed that this was the best book we ever read about teaching and learning.

KCELT is now offering a reading circle on this book, moderated by Kevin Shroth, Judith Wightman, Christine Shea-Hunt, and Jeremy Slagoski.  It is a hybrid series with online discussions on Angel plus two face-to-face discussions at a time and place selected by the participants.  For information about registration, please visit http://www.kirkwood.edu/site/index.php?p=33735.  The registration code is CURINAS-TEACH20-JJCKC1

If you do not have time to join the reading circle this semester and you do not have time to read the book, click here to access the notes taken by Jeremy Slagoski on teaching tips.