Learning Styles and Personality

A learning style is an individual's preferred way of learning. When an instructor's style matches a student's learning style, that student typically experiences greater satisfaction and a more positive attitude toward the course. However, there is considerable disagreement as to what degree learning styles actually affect a student's ability to do well.

Another area of controversy is in regard to what the different learning styles are or what they should be called. There is no currently existing overall, holistic theory of learning styles; rather there are bits and pieces. In fact, what some call learning styles, others have labeled as cognitive controls, cognitive styles, or personality. For the sake of simplicity, we will use the term "learning styles."

If we assume that individual learning styles do exist and can be measured, there is disagreement about what the instructor should do about it!