The article critiques a 1987 (Kavale and Forness) meta-analysis which concluded that research does not support modality-based instruction. The study is faulted for its selection criteria as well as its failure to consider demographic differences, achievement level differences, multiplicity of preferences, definitions of terms, effect-size…

This response to Dunn (EC 221 793) reaffirms the conclusions of a meta analysis on modality-based instruction, through elaboration of the study's selection criteria and methodological factors. Although modality-based instruction is seen to be intuitively appealing, educators are encouraged, instead, to apply instructional methods of proven…

Learners' preferred perceptual modalities--the means through which they obtain information--need to be considered in instruction design. Two strategies to individualize instruction are a multisensory approach and point-of-intervention approach. (SK)

Presents factors to consider in selecting learning style assessment instruments and classifies 20 instruments according to these criteria. (SK)

Argues that teachers who manage their classrooms around learning style instruction are engaging in a practice of debatable value. Notes a lack of supportive research and the questionable reliability and validity of learning style inventories. Suggests that confusion over learning style instruction is magnified by the limitations inherent in the…

Of a sample of 63 nursing students, 28 had a perceptual modality preference. Nutrition instruction using this modality was given to 10; the other 18 were taught using another style. When instruction matched learning style, scores were significantly higher on a nutrition achievement test. (SK)

Graduate students (n=134) used the analytic hierarchy process, which weights expressed preferences, to rate four learning activities: lectures, discussion/reflection, individual projects, and group projects. Their preferences for discussion/reflection and individual projects were independent of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning styles.…

Drawing on theoretical perspectives related to play and identity, play as a literary and social text, and multimodality, I present an analysis of a play narrative centred on the theme of playing house. The narrative exemplifies the interconnections between literacy and identity in the social and cultural world of a young girl growing up in a…

In response to recent technological advances and the trend toward flexible learning in education, the authors examined the factors affecting student satisfaction with flexible online learning. The authors identified 2 key student attributes of student satisfaction: (a) positive perceptions of technology in terms of ease of access and use of online…

This article reviews research on the modality effect, the educational practice of presenting to-be-learned graphical information visually, and related textual information through an auditory mode. Meta-analytic methods were applied to 43 independent effects (39 between-subjects designs, 4 within-subjects designs). Major hypotheses regarding the…

Partnership and sector-wide approaches have become common denominators for success in educational development. It is, however, far easier to agree on the rhetoric than to implement the underlying principles. The comparative analysis of Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mozambique highlights how far governments and agencies still have to go in order to…

This essay begins by considering museum studies in relationship to curriculum studies and new museology. The author notes that traditional museum and school learning modes have focused more on measurement than meaning, while curriculum studies and new museology urge a broader exploration of the social purposes of education. Drawing on the work of…

Study tours can help internationalize curricula and prepare students for global workplaces. We examine benefits of tours providing deep-level learning experiences rather than industrial tourism using five main theoretical frameworks to highlight the diverse learning benefits associated with intensive study tours in particular. Relevant theoretical…

While many teachers and teacher educators agree that it is important to integrate new literacies and technologies into their teaching, educators are often perplexed about how to begin thinking about this task. Research reveals that educators use technologies for personal and communicative purposes, but teachers, for the most part, have not yet…

This study examines views of students related to Blended Learning Environment (BLE). The sample group of the study consisted of 36 students enrolled in social science teacher education programme at Ahi Evran University, Education Faculty during the 2006/07 Fall Semester. This approach has been carried out both online and face to face (F2F)…