Learning Styles, Preferences, or Strategies? An Explanation for the Resurgence of Styles Across Many Meta-analyses

Abstract

The persistence of learning styles as a concept in educational discourse and research is paradoxical, given the overwhelming evidence discrediting the matching hypothesis, the notion that aligning teaching methods with students’ preferred learning styles enhances achievement. This paper examines the resurgence of learning styles across meta-analyses and proposes an explanation for their enduring appeal. Drawing on 17 meta-analyses, we distinguish between studies testing the matching hypothesis (effect size d = .04) and correlational studies (average correlation r = .24), revealing that the latter often conflates learning styles with learning strategies. Much of the research is flawed, and the argument is that there needs to be a shift away from matching learning styles toward teaching students adaptable and effective learning strategies that align more closely with task complexity and learning goals.