Learner Differences in Distance Learning Thesis

auditory learners), motivation and personality such as extroversion vs. introversion, although the articles' authors suggests that tailoring material to expressed learner preferences are not always the best ways to achieve positive outcomes. Learners are not always clear as to their true learning orientation and learner styles are not 'fixed' but may vary according to the type of media used and the subject material. Using a variety of media may be a more effective approach for educators, and thinking in terms of 'approaches' that can change, rather than fixed student learning styles.

One frequent frustration expressed by online instructors is the absence of immediate feedback from their students. Understanding individual students can help the teacher modify instruction, even without the immediate response provided by eye contact in the classroom. It is essential that moments exist within the online process when students can communicate that they do not understand, while in the classroom a confused glance might be enough to alert the teacher. In short, the learning process is a dialogue, even online the teacher cannot focus on immediate learner preferences alone but must keep a real-world and virtual ear upon the students to shift his or her learning strategy. Understanding overall learning process required of the subject material and the need to modify the learning approaches to meet the unique demands of the instruction in its particular venue and format is essential. Simply knowing a learning 'style' of a student is not enough, and a label can be misleading. As more students must learn independently, greater knowledge of how the learner functions and the use of different settings are required, and the article calls for more extensive into how to create a more effective learning environment that uses a diversity of approaches to convey content.