CETL - 103 Using Metacognition to Reframe our Thinking About Learning Styles

Despite a lack of scientific evidence to support the idea that individuals have distinct learning styles, the learning style myth persists, embraced by many instructors in an effort to respond to visible learning differences among students. However, other well-researched constructs like metacognition may prove to be much more useful as we seek to capitalize on our students’ individual cognitive differences and tailor our instruction accordingly. Together we will briefly examine research on learning styles and metacognition and share ideas for promoting metacognitive teaching and learning as an alternative to learning styles. The target audience for this souvenir is faculty, staff, or graduate student instructors.