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| Image Source: kidspot.com.au |
The tenets of learning styles continue to be widely accepted by the educational system. Learning style proponents assert that individuals differ in regard to their modes of learning, such that people are separated into distinct types of intelligences identified by psychologist Howard Gardner.
However, a 2008 study discloses that the concept of learning styles is a myth. The researchers found no particular type of interaction between learning style and mode of instruction which is a precondition for corroborating the uses of learning styles in the general educational practice.
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| Image Source: psychology.about.com |
Psychology professors Cedar Riener and Daniel Willingham also found that the concept is obscure, debunking in their article the common notion that students can be categorized into auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learners as previously proposed by Gardner. The authors contend that students’ preferences about how to learn make no difference when tested under controlled conditions. They affirm that “learning is equivalent whether students learn in the preferred mode or not.”
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| Image Source: ilsa-learning-styles.com |
These contradictions provoke educators to rethink their instructional practices and urge them to investigate the potential of educational programs focused on the “universal learning style of the human mind” which, perhaps, forms the basis for the residential treatment programs of therapeutic boarding schools, such as Turn-About Ranch. Under the schema, students process information from a variety of methods instead of learning from a limited type of module. The specialized structure supports experiential learning which could be a good supplement to conventional instructional methods.
Turn-About Ranch concentrates on providing students with authentic experiences that promote academic and personal growth. Its programs feature regular therapy sessions set against the backdrop of a ranch environment. Go to this website to learn more about its innovative educational programs.
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