Learning preferences

What are learning preferences all about?

It's important to note that not everyone advocates the use of learning preferences due to a lack of credible research or conclusive evidence. I have produced the information on this page to help you make up your own mind. I felt it necessary as the subject is still included in many of the current teaching qualifications. There are some useful weblinks in the further information section at the end of this page if you wish to research the subject further.

Learning preferences (also referred to as learning styles) are all about how people learn. People learn in different ways and have a style or a preference to help them acquire new skills and knowledge, and to remember things. Some people prefer the term preference to styles so as not to categorise a learner. Adults might have developed this from childhood learning patterns or their experiences of growing up and of working. What suits one learner might not suit another. For example, if a group of people are learning yoga, some might like to watch and listen to the teacher first. Others might want to practise the movements at the same time as watching the teacher perform them.

Think back to when you got a new mobile device, did you get straight in and start using it, did you read the instructions first, or did you ask someone to show you what to do (or did you watch a video on YouTube)? That’s an indicator of your individual learning style or preference for learning.

If you are a new teacher or trainer, what you might tend to do is facilitate your sessions in the style in which you learn best – although it will suit you, it might not suit your learners. For example, if you prefer to listen to a lecture you might feel more comfortable lecturing to your learners. If you can find out what your learners’ preferences are, then you can adapt your approaches to suit them.

There are so many different ways of ascertaining preferences, some systems might contradict others or even be misunderstood. Some people are in favour of them, whereas others aren't. The current thinking is that there is no valid research to justify their use. However, you need to make your own decision on whether using the results of learning styles' tests for differentiation will work for your learners. You will also need to check whether the organisation you work for advocates their use or not.

Most people don't fit into one style or preference, I recommend using a variety of teaching and learning approaches to help learning to take place. Your learners might instinctively know what works best for them rather than having it determined for them. For example, they might prefer practical activities rather than reading or writing. This might have been developed from previous courses they have attended. Rather than this being their learning preference, you could think of it as their teaching preference. You could ask your learners which teaching preference they prefer and then adapt your sessions accordingly.

Support for teachers and learners

• Resources to support teachers and learners can be found by clicking here.
  

• Information regarding teaching qualifications can be found by clicking here.

• Videos can be seen by clicking here.

The online VARK quiz is by Fleming (1987) and is available free here. You might like to try it yourself before deciding if you will ask your learners to do it.

The higher the score the higher the predominance of that preference. However, not all learners fall into just one preference. They might be multi-modal i.e. a mixture of two or more, enabling their learning to take place more quickly. 

For example, if you have a learner who is visual and kinesthetic, asking them to read a handout might hinder their learning. However, asking them to carry out a practical activity as well as read the handout might help to promote their learning.

Theorist - learners need time to consider things and prefer to read lots of information first. They like things that have been tried and tested and prefer reassurance that something will work.

Reflector - learners think deeply about what they are learning and the activities they could do to apply this learning. They like to be told about things so that they can think it through. They will also try something, think about it, and then try it again.

So it’s not just about individual preferences, it’s also about the impact other factors have on learning. For example, the environment, the different subject matter, the context of learning and the learner’s own motivation.

I think it’s all about recognising that different people learn in different ways. These differences need to be taken into account, along with any other aspects that might impact upon learning. These could be identified at the initial assessment stage and by getting to know each learner as an individual.

Further information

• Coffield F (2004) Learning Preferences and Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning London Learning and Skills Research Centre
  

• Coffield F (2008) Just Suppose Teaching and Learning Became the First Priority London Learning and Skills Network

• Honey & Mumford's learning styles

• IvyPanda blog 12 Learning myths exposed and The problem with learning styles

• Learning styles online Learning styles overview

• The Effortful Educator Learning myths vs learning facts

• VARK guide to learning preferences

Please contact me if any of these links no longer work.

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