Welcome to our latest blog.  We have a treat for you – with a guest blogger, Terrena Hooper.

Today’s topic is Learning Styles and other myths.

Three myths we can stop spreading…

1. VARK Learning Styles – it’s not a thing.

What’s your learning style? Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, or Kinaesthetic (VARK).

VARK has been a popular way to categorize learning preferences, influencing instructional design and training for years.

But – if you haven’t already heard – it’s bunk!! 

(VARK also sounds a like a swear – say it aloud slowly…).

Despite apparent references in Units of Competency (eg. BSBWOR501 among others) and its appearance in University courses, the concept that we each learn better using our ‘preferred learning style’ is a myth.

Think about it for a moment… there are some topics that can only be learned visually for a start. For example – no matter how descriptive my words, I couldn’t accurately describe the geographic map of Australia. You really need to see it to understand.

Even the originator of the VARK model was a bit of a skeptic. It’s time to stop using this one.

See the paper below for a full account:
Kirschner, P.A. (2017) Stop Propogating the Learning Styles Myth. Computers and Education v: 106 (166-171). 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131516302482

2. Kubler-Ross’s Change (Grief) Curve myth – myth

I’m teaching a third-year Change Management unit at a University this semester. The assigned textbook is by Paul Gibbons, The Science of Organsiational Change.

Gibbons discusses the Kubler-Ross change/grief curve as a myth eg: not everyone goes through all stages, some not in the order shown etc.

Gibbons reckons it’s de-bunked.

But is it really a myth?

Well, David Wilkinson on LinkedIn explains – ‘no’.

Citing evidence from several studies, it seems when learning and unlearning is needed, the stages hold up. You can read Wilkinson’s blog here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-curve-myth-what-research-says-david-wilkinson/.

Incidentally, Gibbons’ book has me vacillating from utter frustration (his points and writing) to thinking ‘good point, mate’. Not gonna lie. It’s been a cerebral roller-coaster.

3. The percentage of communication that’s non-verbal (it’s not 93%)

I have seen this ‘fact’ taught in communication courses for probably 20 years.

Perhaps you’ve heard it stated something like this:
– 7% of communication is what you say (the words) and 93% is how you say it OR
– in communication 7% is verbal, 38% is tone, 55% is body language…

Ring any bells?

Myth busted…  Even Mehrabian himself points out a widespread misinterpretation.

Another ‘fact’ we can remove from our communication training!

You can find out more here: https://linguistlist.org/issues/12/12-1332.html#1

Got any myths?

Happy myth-busting!

Check out Terrena’s original post here: https://terrenahooper.blogspot.com/2019/09/learning-styles-and-other-myths.html

About Terrena Hooper

https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrena-hooper/

Extensive experience in vocational training (VET), workplace training, eLearning, organisational development interventions, and instructional design of 70:20:10 and digital learning solutions, as well as a business and change consulting.

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