Learning Styles: Fact or Fiction, A Literature Review of Learning
Styles
Guy F. Workman
This paper was completed and submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master Teacher Program, a 2-year faculty professional development program conducted by the Center for Teaching Excellence, United States Military
Academy, West Point, NY, 2012.

Author Information
During my fourth deployment, my Brigade Commander notified me that I had been selected to teach at West Point. This new assignment struck me as odd for two reasons: first, I had not applied for the position, and second, during college, I was not what you’d call a “stand-out” student. To say that I was surprised to find myself preparing to teach college students was an understatement. I was secretly daunted by the idea but upon arrival to West Point, I learned of the Master Teacher
Program. The thought “Oh thank God” entered my head, as it seemed the answer to the question
“How am I going to learn to teach these kids?” had just fallen into my lap.
While participating in the Master Teacher Program, I was introduced to methodologies of questioning, levels of questioning, class dynamics, class discipline, academic integrity, and a myriad of other pedagogy topics. Early in the program, I was introduced to the theory of
Learning Styles. Surely everyone has heard such things as “He’s a visual learner,” or “I think people learn better by doing,” and so on. Initially, I gave the concept little consideration (as the importance or even existence of a particular learning style seemed negligible if not entirely irrelevant). However, as the text more thoroughly explored different Learning Styles and stressed the importance of changing one’s teaching methods in order to better accommodate different learners, I was compelled to reconsider. This concept of accommodation immediately conflicted with my beliefs