Life After PowerPoint!

Yesterday I wrote that I had questions about something that I’ve always heard presented as fact: that there are three (or four) basic learning styles: 1) visual, 2) auditory, and 3) kinesthetic.

My concern came from the fact that I’ve never seen any evidence presented to back up the claim. So I’ve done a lot more research, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I haven’t seen any such evidence because there isn’t any.

I came across a lot of research that actually disputed the claim. Here’s a great summary on YouTube. (Yes, I did check the guy’s credentials and they’re legit. He is what he claims to be: a cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, and professor at the University of Virginia.)

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So what do you think?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard trainers and coaches state as a matter of fact that people have a preferred learning style. And they usually list three styles:

1. visual
2. auditory
3. kinesthetic

Sometimes they add a fourth learning style: tactile.

The “model” is sometimes called either VAK (visual / auditory / kinesthetic) or VAKT (you can figure it out). And often as not, people list percentages next to each style. As in, 40% of people are visual learners, etc.

Here’s the problem I have. I can’t track down any reliable sources for these “facts.”

Are there three styles or four? It makes a difference. What percentages of the population use each style? I’ve seen and heard wildly different numbers for each style. And where’s the evidence? Have any studies been done by reputable sources? Have they been published in any peer-reviewed journals?

Maybe I’ve missed it. Maybe you know where to find what I’m looking for. If so, please let me know.

As far as I’m able to determine, it seems based in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Now, I don’t want to go kicking anyone’s sacred cow, but I must confess that I have some of the same questions / reservations about NLP that I have about VAK.

I raise these questions because 1) this model is so widely taught and believed, and 2) it is used to justify speech techniques that I find questionable.

What are your thoughts? Am I off the wall? (It happens.) Am I missing something?