Learning Styles: Applications in the Physics and Engineering Classrooms

Several approaches to teaching undergraduate physics and engineering students using both the Dunn and Dunn and the Kolb Learning Style Models are discussed. The Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model is employed with non-majors enrolled in introductory physics at American University and the Kolb Learning Style Model is employed with freshman engineering students at Purdue University. The basic elements of these two learning style models are compared and contrasted. Teaching approaches that have been successful with these two distinctly different populations of students will be shared. These approaches can easily be adapted for use by educators in other branches of computing as well as science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education. Index Terms — Learning styles, learner diversity, teaching techniques, classroom assessment.