Academics agreed with all the posited weaknesses and harms of Learning Styles theory, agreeing most strongly that the basic theory of Learning Styles is conceptually flawed. Far more reported using a number of techniques that are demonstrably evidence-based. Critically the percentage of respondents who reported actually using Learning Styles (33%) was much lower than those who reported believing in their use. We found that general belief in the use of Learning Styles was high (58%), but lower than in similar previous studies, continuing an overall downward trend in recent years. We also attempted to understand how academics view the potential harms associated with the use of Learning Styles. This mismatch between evidence and practice has provoked controversy, and some have labeled Learning Styles a ‘myth.’ In this study, we used a survey of academics in UK Higher Education ( n = 114) to try and go beyond the controversy by quantifying belief and, crucially, actual use of Learning Styles.
Despite this, belief in the use of Learning Styles appears to be widespread amongst schoolteachers and persists in the research literature. This idea has been repeatedly tested and there is currently no evidence to support it.
The basic idea behind the use of ‘Learning Styles’ is that learners can be categorized into one or more ‘styles’ (e.g., Visual, Auditory, Converger) and that teaching students according to their style will result in improved learning.
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