How a Learning Style Inventory (LSI) Can Help a Student Learn

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A learning style inventory (LSI) is a questionnaire that evaluates and identifies an individual's strengths and preferences when it comes to learning. Most of the underlying theories propose that individuals learn differently and that designing instruction based on these learning styles can enhance the educational process.​

This notion that people learn in different ways first became popular during the 1970s. Since then, learning style theories have had a tremendous impact on the field of education. Teachers often use learning style inventories at the outset of a class to learn about students and help them understand how they learn.

Uses of an LSI

Although there's little evidence that matching a student's learning preferences to instructional methods produces better educational outcomes, LSIs remain a popular classroom tool.

However, research does indicate that people have definite preferences for how they learn new information. At best, learning style inventories might be a way for students to develop study habits that keep them interested and engaged in the learning process.

Students may find it useful to discover their preferences and hone their study routines accordingly. Visual learners, for example, might benefit from creating symbols, graphs, and other visual information while studying the material in question.

Popular Learning Style Inventories

These are popular types of learning style inventories:

Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI)

Kolb's LSI is among the best-known and most widely used questionnaires. Based on Kolb's learning styles, this assessment allows students to discover their learning styles and provides educators with information that helps them accommodate various learning styles.

Fleming's VARK Learning Style Questionnaire

In Fleming's VARK learning style model, students fall into one of four types: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. In 1992, Fleming published a questionnaire based on his model that was designed to help people learn more about their individual styles. The model and questionnaire quickly became popular among students and educators; both remain widely used today.

Jackson's Learning Styles Profiler (LSP)

The Learning Styles Profiler (LSP) is based on Chris J. Jackson's hybrid model of learning and personality. Jackson's model suggests that learning styles are influenced by a variety of factors, including experience, personal choice, and biology. The profiler is designed to assess how people learn at work, so it is often used in organizational and business settings.  

Learning Style Quizzes

Many free online quizzes are available online. Although these informal questionnaires are a fun way to gain insight into how you like to learn, remember that most have never been studied or validated in any way. As you discover some of your own learning styles, don't put too much stock into your results.

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1. Moayyeri H. The impact of undergraduate students' learning preferences (VARK model) on their language achievement. Journal of Language Teaching and Research. 2015;6(1):132-139. doi:10.17507/jltr.0601.16
2. Bhagat A, Vyas R, Singh T. Students awareness of learning styles and their perceptions to a mixed method approach for learning. Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2015;5(4):58-65. doi:10.4103/2229-516X.162281
3. Çakıroğlu Ü. Analyzing the effect of learning styles and study habits of distance learners on learning performances: A case of an introductory programming course. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. 2014;15(4). doi:10.19173/irrodl.v15i4.1840
4. Kolb DA, Kolb AY. Kolb Learning Style Inventory - Version 4.0. Experience Based Learning Systems; 2013.
5. Fleming ND, Mills C. Not another inventory, rather a catalyst for reflection. To Improve the Academy. 1992;11:137-155.
6. Ghadirli HM, Rastgarpour M. Model for an intelligent and adaptive tutor used on web by Jackson's Learning Styles Profiler and Expert Systems. Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists. 2012;1.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd
Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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