©Arlene R. Taylor PhD

There has often been an underlying assumption that students will all pretty much learn in a similar manner. This approach ignores the important issue of individual differences in personal cognitive style. There is no learning style or model that is right for everyone since each brain develops uniquely. And there certainly is no one-size-fits all. In one sense at least the human brain does not have a single favorite or learning style. It is capable of changing on a daily basis and even from hour to hour depending on what is going on in the learner’s life and in the current environment.

Each student will likely have a preferred learning style, however, defined as an individual's consistent approach to organizing and processing information during thinking. Learning style does not appear to be related to intelligence and reflects qualitative rather than quantitative differences between individuals in their thinking processes. Forty-two experimental studies based on the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model conducted between 1980 and 1990 showed that students whose preferred learning styles are accommodated would be expected to achieve 75% of a standard deviation higher than students who have not had their learning styles accommodated.

Here are examples based on innate brain lead.

Lobe Lead 
Prioritizing Division

Tends to learn by:

  • Acquiring facts
  • Applying logical analysis to facts
  • Thinking through ideas, debating
  • Forming theories using the facts
  • Building cases based on data
  • Reasoning things through

 

Lobe Lead 
Envisioning Division

Tends to learn by:

  • Using intuition (often knows the answer but cannot explain how it came up with the answer)
  • Synthesizing content
  • Creating new concepts
  • Exploring possibilities
  • Self-initiative
  • Moving while thinking

Lobe Lead 
Maintaining Division

Tends to learn by:

  • Acquiring skills through practice
  • Organizing content
  • Studying sequentially
  • Applying information practically
  • Repetitive structure
  • Taking plenty of time to learn

 

Lobe Lead 
Harmonizing Division

Tends to learn by:

  • Using music and movement
  • Working and playing with others
  • Conversing with others
  • Sharing ideas
  • Comparing personal experiences
  • Return demonstrations

 

Lobe Lead 
Prioritizing Division

Tends to respond to:

  • Formal lectures
  • Data-based content
  • Texts and bibliographies
  • Analysis of cases won or lost
  • Debate of facts
  • Bulleted outlines of information

 

Lobe Lead 
Envisioning Division

Tends to respond to:

  • Experimentation
  • Spontaneity
  • Innovation and individuality
  • Humor and playfulness
  • Discussions related to future cases

Lobe Lead 
Maintaining Division

Tends to respond to:

  • Structure
  • Sequential presentations
  • How-to books
  • Discussions of past cases
  • Thorough planning

 

Lobe Lead 
Envisioning

Tends to respond to:

  • Music and movement
  • Group discussion
  • Interacting with others
  • Studying people-orientated cases
  • Experiential opportunities