Learning styles have been around since 1970 and have been used to personalise instruction designs and to reinforce learning outcomes based on the responses of the students’ learning styles or preferences. This article examines the advantages and disadvantages for learners and educators when matching their learning with a learning style.

Most reliable scientific research indicates that personalising learning to learning style has no impact on learning results. Still, there are small positive outcomes of using the learning preference assessments to plan lessons and training programs.

What is your learning style?

We understand, process and retain information differently. Over the years, people built learning habits and more or less efficient learning strategies. Sometimes learning progress comes with frustration, is time-consuming, and requires constant effort. Some people are very good with numbers, others surpass limits when listening, reading or experimenting with new things. A good learning strategy could help convert your strengths into a plan to maximise learning efficiency and diminish learning efforts.

Some of the most well-known learning styles assessments are VARK and the Kolb Experiential Learning model. These learning models categorise learners by individual preferences. For example, if your score is higher on visual questions, you are a visual learner who likes diagrams and pictures, while an auditory learner would prefer discussions and stories. So, after you answer all the questions from the learning quiz, you’ll get our scores and a classification in the case of the:

However, you can identify your learning style by considering your previous learning experiences and current learning habits, or by simply analysing how you understand new information faster and your best learning performance.

The disadvantages of using learning styles

At first glance, using learning styles as a learning method to personalise the learning paths seems easy and more enjoyable. However, studies reveal that using learning styles in your training or learning process is not the best way to proceed if you want to get results and improve performance.

In the educational research community, there is a general consensus that matching instructional or learning content with learning styles doesn’t lead to better results. Most of the studies conclude that while using any of the learning styles, we activate several brain regions simultaneously.

So, using your favourite learning style doesn’t mean that particular regions of the brain are more intensely involved in learning while the rest of them are not used at all. From this point of view, learning styles are more about our perception and personal preferences. Overall, neuroscience studies reveal that effective learning strategies are the ones that engage brain regions simultaneously. Here are part of the disadvantages of matching learning styles:

1. It may slow down the learning progress

Studies on learning styles are backing up the idea that designing the learning process according to the dominant learning style diminishes general efficiency and progress. Test scores don’t show clear evidence of better results. Customising learning designs to a learning style requires costly resources and is time-consuming. Also, it can discourage learners from practising other skills.

2. Oversimplification of differences to label learners

Classifying or labelling learners according to their learning styles, for example, visual learners, who enjoy using visual aids, discourages them from accessing different tools specific to other learning styles. The risk of these types of assessments and classification is oversimplification. The complexity of learners’ differences is ignored in order to place them into a single category with a dimensional label.

Primary education specialists argue that the learning styles approach undermines learners’ growth mindset and negatively affects kids’ learning progress. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) explicitly warns that children are unlikely to have a single learning style and matching activities to a preference could actually undermine their learning.

From this research point of view, restricting students to one style may affect their progress because learning approaches are still developing. Also, labels as “visual learner” or “auditory learner” discourage them and offer an excuse for difficulty and the effort involved.

3. How you learn mixed with skills, you’re good at

The questions from the learning quizzes are designed to identify proficiency in skills like reading, listening, or writing. A meta-analysis shows that the learning styles models overlap or are confused with the model of skills. These skills indicated in the results become a personal preference since learners are comfortable with them and good at them. So, in this regard, the learning styles assessments rely on skills practice and proficiency.

The advantages of using learning styles

Overall, there is more data against using the learning styles in learning and teaching. Still, there is a small evidence that learning styles can have a positive impact. A 2021 study shows that learners whose instruction was customised to their learning style preferences had higher levels of participation, focus, and positive attitude.

Research concludes that story-based explanations can make lessons more interesting and entertaining, and they reduce students’ boredom and disruptive behaviour. It examined e-learning courses and found that in an online learning environment learning styles approach might improve student engagement and motivation.

1. Self-awareness – Understand, control and create your own learning style

Understanding and using your preferred learning style can increase engagement. The control over what content and tools to use during studying can give autonomy and sustain self-directed learning. Learners can reflect on their own learning analytics to pursue suitable learning paths. For example, introverts might focus on online courses and self-paced study, while extroverts might prefer workshops and conferences.

Consciously perfecting skills requires personal autonomy. Self-awareness is an important factor in autonomy in the learning process, as is being prepared to accept new learning endeavours to sustain learning needs in a professional environment. Learning styles assessments can help you understand how you learn and be more confident in your abilities.

2. Attention focus by using multi-format learning

Even if the data show that matching styles with learning results is weak, varied teaching tools like slides, readings, and activities can make sessions richer. Presenting content visually and verbally reliably improves adult learning. Alternating quiet reflection and active tasks is helpful, especially for managing children’s attention: after a dynamic activity, teachers can introduce discussions.

The use of various methods can also benefit and encourage learners who decide to take on new responsibilities. Mixing various formats like text, images, and audio to learn is particularly useful for team-building and career development. It helps align strengths with roles, for example, a training session can include icebreakers, group discussions, and a role-plays.

3. Engagement and motivation

The benefits of learning styles come from mixing them, which leads to increased learning engagement. Though they are quite popular, they are more about staying motivated and being a curious learner. People seem motivated when learning is adapted to their preferred learning tools. Also, they usually appreciate the effort to make available various learning formats that help with studying and boost motivation.  

By using a favourite or dominant learning style, education specialists can limit learners’ exposure to a diverse learning experience. Scientists agree that using personalised learning according to a dominant learning style doesn’t improve learning performance. It just makes the learning process look easier, but it is not efficient.

Alternating learning styles and Evidence-based strategies

Learning styles might be included in a learning plan more as a personal preference than a really useful learning tool. General agreement is that alternating learning styles and methodologies will serve learners more than learning only with their preferred learning style.

Still, many educators and instructors are using learning styles to customise learning design plans. One reason for learning styles’ popularity is that it’s easier for educators and trainers to match styles with learning plans and manage them. Another reason might be that when people identify with a particular learning style, it creates a sense of belonging to a group that shares similar interests and characteristics.

Education specialists advise a more flexible learning strategy instead of using learning styles as a label and sticking to the same teaching style. They recommend the evidence-based strategies like: clear and periodic feedback, spaced learning practice, and actively engaging participants.

Both educators and learners can benefit from alternating different learning techniques, utilising all suitable tools and evidence-based strategies, which encourages participation and increases learning efficiency.