Learning Styles & eLearning

A lot has been written over the years on learning styles. With the use of virtual learning environments in the schools and corporate worlds - what impact does virtual learning have on learning styles?

Some online learning does not have the option of being able to see the instructor (ie: webcam use). Do learning styles change if face-to-face social cues are absent?

Will use of a webcam in a VLE sufficiently replace face-to-face interactivity? Is there any impact on learning styles with the use of a VLE? Does a virtual classroom have the same participation from its learners as you would have in a face-to-face classroom?

What impact does a VLE have on teaching styles? How do teachers deal with the virtual learning environment? How does the virtual teacher encourage motivation and class participation?

The Challenge - there are also many people that question the validity of learning styles or how they might have an impact on instructional design. A great article to stimulate discussion is Learning Styles Instructional-Design Challenge . The challenge in this article is...."can an e-learning program that utilizes learning-style information outperform an e-learning program that doesn't utilize such information by 10% or more on a realistic test of learning, even it is allowed to cost up to twice as much to build?"

Below are some links to various websites that discuss the online classroom, learning styles and intranets.

• Online Classroom
  http://www.magnapubs.com/pub/magnapubs_oc/
• Fostering the Student-Centered Classroom Online
  http://thejournal.com/articles/15805
• Planning for Neomillennial Learning Styles
  http://www.educause.edu/apps/eq/eqm05/eqm0511.asp?bhcp=1
• Should we be using learning styles? What research has to say to practice.
  https://www.lsneducation.org.uk/user/order.aspx?code=041540&src=xoweb&cookie_test=true (free .pdf download)
• Discover your Learning Styles-Graphically
  http://www.learning-styles-online.com/
• Learning Styles & ELearning
  http://www.swap.ac.uk/elearning/using1.asp
• How to Maximize Your Online Learning
  http://www.worldwidelearn.com/elearning-essentials/learning-styles.htm
• Support4learning.org.uk - Learning Styles
  http://www.support4learning.org.uk/education/learning_styles.cfm
• eLearning - the ageless learner
  http://www.agelesslearner.com/intros/elearning.html
• Preparing Students for ELearning
  http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/Preparingstudents.htm

Intranets

• Intranets and On-line Public Relations
  http://www.online-pr.com/intranet.htm
• Technology for ELearning: Intranet or VLE?
  http://ferl.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?page=249
• Towards the Intranet: Schools Following the Trend
  http://www.pwc.k12.nf.ca/bricketts/e6620/intranets.html
• The ABC's of Intranet Learning
  http://www.intranetjournal.com/articles/200408/ij_08_12_04a.html
• Student Centred Intranets
  http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=47902859