Well, this is often a debated topic among many people around me! There are a group of people who say that there are different learning styles for students while there are some who do not agree with it. So I was tired of all the arguments and decided to come to a conclusion.
Hence I was going through several journals, books, and research papers, interviewed some students and understood that no. Learning styles and all are just a hoax. They do not exist. Every student has their learning styles or sometimes teachers or parents inhibit the learning styles.
Now there are many people who don’t even have any idea about learning styles for students. It is very clear with the name itself. It is all about the different ways to study or to learn. So naturally different people carry different perspective towards studies, and hence they follow different ways. But yes, learning styles have changed since last few years. A few years back the techniques were pretty different. Now after the emergence of new techniques, all these techniques have changed.
Sorting out some examples out of it might help everyone to understand the thing. Like in early days when internet, computers, mobile phones did not exist, study styles were different. Students then preferred to write down notes, assignments in the copy. There were teachers and tutors to help students in their studies.
But now when technology improved to its fullest everything is done with digital aid. Teachers and tutors are taking online classes. Students are submitting their homework and assignments online. Even examination and checking of papers are also done digitally. So the basic of everything is still the same. It is the only technology that has changed.
People often confuse teaching styles with learning styles. Teachers can teach students in various teaching styles, but that does not mean that students will also have a different learning style. There are many students, and every student is not the same.
Students have a varying capacity of learning things. I.Q. capacity is not same for all. Learning capacity of a student depends on other factors also, like the physical and mental condition of students, the atmosphere they belong to, the support they get from parents and teachers and several other factors.
Here I want to discuss all those reasons of different learning styles of different students. So here we go with the reasons, keep following:
- Students or learners differ:
Students or the learners are different from each other; these variations are the reason of the difference in results. The teachers must be careful about the performance of the individual students. If teachers become more concerned about student’s individual student, then the one lagging behind can improve. But most of the cases this does not occur.
- Special features of the learners:
Special features are what I mean is about talent, or brilliance, intelligence, ability varying from people to people. Some may be a great singer or a great cricket player whereas the other one may be a brilliant person. So things vary. This is completely genetic factors that cannot be affected externally. Hence not only learning styles but also the choice varies.
- Sometimes its lack of interest:
I always loved to write and paint. Studies were never my concern! Yes, I know there are many like me who have other interests who have some other passions. Not necessary that has to be studied. Again if I try to classify the likings in the study some love physics, some biology some history. So tastes vary. Hence the performances in the subjects also do. So, researchers conclude that some major part of learning styles depends on interest and attention.
- The difference caused due to the subject choice:
Yes, I know it’s weird! But at the same time its fact. No, I am not putting any restrictions on choosing different subjects. But the subject the learner is interested in matters a lot. Let me help you to make it simpler.
A learner who is fond of history is studying about the civil war. Now, what extra reasons can the person get about the war? So the background information, in this case, is very limited. Whereas, the one in love with math or physics can improve knowledge up to infinity!6 ways to improve the concepts of physics will help those physics lovers to increase knowledge depth.
- Special disabilities:
Some of the learners have some marked disabilities, and this affects their learning a lot. As I said earlier, some may be suffering from physical or mental disabilities. Such students either are specially made to learn or taken special care. Similarly, no one can gain control over these things.
So hence I have tried my level best to explain that different learning styles do not exist. What exists is the variance in the quality of the learners. But the basics of all the learning are all the same throughout the world.
However, we learn the mode of studying differs. Some prefer studying online, some like video classes again a group might prefer audio classes. But there are also students who prefer the classy old way of by hearing things. But what are they studying? The same thing!
I don’t get the point why is still there a controversy on this topic! So whatever the controversies may be, students and other learners will not stop learning in any way. Yes, what they can do is just improve!
