Practical Approaches to Using Learning Styles in Higher Education

Katy Lux

Alan was going to set the world on fire! He knew what he wanted to do, was relatively certain he could do it, and understood his processing style well. The world was his playing field and he was ready to play.

Shannon's enthusiasm for learning could almost engulf you and sweep you away totally. She was relentless in her mission to become an outstanding teacher, sought out each and every extra opportunity for professional growth and involved herself in every aspect of educational development.

After working with Alan over a period of two years, I lost track of him in the shuffle of life in general for the undergraduate student. Some years later I saw him in a classroom opposite mine and excitedly ran to speak with him. As it turned out, he was working with his father in media productions, was only on campus for that effort, and had dropped out of school.

Shannon met me in a reading class and never let go. She embraced the concepts of learning styles totally and began to blossom in her understanding of herself and the field of education. She eventually graduated with a master's degree.

What is it that haunts me about examples like this? Is it the difference in maturity that caused one to drop out and the other to graduate? Is it the region, the town, the family, the grocery store, or the water? What is it?

The quest for that answer led me into another life-long venture to revisit

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