Catering for Different Learning Styles in e-Learning

For online learning to be effective, it should be adapted to the personal learning style. Kolb’s learning style inventory (LSI) is a methodology to assess such individual learning styles. The quantitative findings of this study demonstrate that differences between the four learning types exist, namely, in preferred type of discussion board posting, communication tool, and problem-solving approach. Accommodators and Divergers contribute to an online discussion by challenging point of views, whereas Assimilators and Convergers like to put content into a model/framework. Accommodators like to communicate with their peers via email and Assimilators via general discussion board. Divergers prefer email exchange with the tutor if faced with a problem. These findings have implications for delivery of online learning material. No single e-learning approach will be suitable for all learning styles.