Brain in Business

Do the accepted models of learning styles and how the brain functions stack up?

I was discussing this with a colleague who pointed me in the direction of an interesting video clip on Utube and I found another in the process (they are only 8 mins long and make for thought provoking viewing).

I would love to know your reactions and ideas.

Learning styles:


Brain based education (challenges the idea of Visual/ Kinaesthetic/ auditory etc)

Hi Alyse,
Thanks for posting these.
I watched them and was interested how in 'education' the Visual/ Auditory/ and Kinesthetic is classed as learning styles wheras most of us in adult learning would consider Honey and Mumfords theorist/activist/pragmatist/reflector to be 'learning styles'.
I came across the senses as 'learning styles' again yesterday but I think the person had been influenced by school based educational theory.
For me encouraging people to take in information using multiple senses is useful, particularly for conceptual learning. However ,it's not the only way they learn and learning is a cognitive process rather than a 'style' and we find the 6 step accelerated learning model works well. But it's only a model - a very pragmatic one - but a model nonetheless so doesn't necessarily always completely describe the real world.
So for me visual, auditory, kinesthetic is a way to take in information - I can't conceive of another way of taking in information that doesn't involve the senses in some form but as always I'm happy to have my thinking challenged.
Thanks for making this posting Alyse as it helped me to be cleared in my own head.
Happy learning.

Somebody once said "All models are wrong. But some models are useful" The various approaches to learning styles fall into the latter camp in my experience.

On a different note. I do like his minimal use of words and excellent use of images in his slides. Wish more educators and business people would learn this lesson. Pity about his vocal delivery though!

Hi Alyse

Thank you very much this post. The Professor in question, Daniel T Willingham, is the same one as highlighted in Jan's post on 'How to wake up slumbering minds', so as my thoughts apply to both your posts, I've posted my comments on Jan's.

Ann