Nine in ten Australian teachers still back debunked learning myth
Survey of 377 Australian teachers found 88 per cent believe in debunked learning styles myth.
The learning styles myth refuses to die. The myth says students absorb information better if taught visually, through sound, or by doing.
Neuroscientists debunked this in 2008. A new survey shows about nine in ten Australian teachers still believe it.
Education researcher Trisha Jha said she was shocked by the gap between science and practice. The survey also found teachers hold mixed views on other learning science: 92 per cent correctly know problem-solving needs to be practised in context, but only 74 per cent understand the brain's limited working memory.
Universities are now teaching cognitive science in teacher degrees, and schools are rolling out evidence-based training. But the shift is slow, and new teachers entering schools without this knowledge may lose what they learned.
- 377
- Teachers surveyed
- 88 per cent
- Belief in learning styles myth
- 2008
- Year myth debunked
- 74 per cent
- Teachers understanding limited working
Why it mattersIf teachers build lessons around false learning-style ideas, they waste time on ineffective methods and miss evidence-backed strategies that work.
AustraliaMost Australian teacher-training programs now teach the science of learning, but many experienced teachers lack this knowledge, potentially affecting how effectively students learn.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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