A Follow-up to Hockey Learning Styles

Not long after the proverbial ink dried on my article about “Learning Styles“, I received an email from a member, that containing a link to a “scientific paper” debunking the importance of learning styles, among other things:  

“The Prevalence of Pseudoscientific Ideas and Neuromyths Among Sports Coaches“

I think members are going to have to read that for themselves, and then tell me if that paper doesn’t sound at least a bit self-serving.  Anyway…

To be honest, the first I’d ever heard of learning styles or learning preferences was from the previously noted doctor, who worked with the St Louis Blues on their mental skills.  I can’t for the life of me recall his name, and it’s killing me now that records relating to our interactions decades ago are stashed far away in storage.  I do know he held a PhD, though — and also worked for an NHL team, which was enough for me to trust his expertise.

What all the naysayers suggest is that there are no scientific studies proving the validity of learning preferences.  

Then, as if it adds credence to their cause, they also point to all the for-profit programs  around the world that make available all sorts of books, audio recordings and videos catering to the various learning preferences. 

Oh, and in typical scientific jargon, it’s said often that there’s only “anecdotal evidence” to support the benefits of matching learners with their appropriate preferences.

Aaaaaah, yes, anecdotal evidence.  And from my observation, there are a kzillion of those…

Say what you want, but within any given group, I’ll bet you about half of the members are sleeping with their eyes open.  The guy up above in the striped shirt is reflecting on his date last night, the guy in the dark blue shirt can’t wait for lunch, and the guy in green…

And, don’t think the same isn’t happening when we face our hockey team for a little chalk talk.  I don’t care what method you use to deliver your message to the players, a goodly number of them are also going to be sleeping with their eyes open.    

Is there a way to scientifically test a group for their individual learning preferences?  Hmmmmm…  Better yet, however, can anyone point to a study that proves individual learning preferences are not valid?  ???  Let me say that one again:   Can anyone show me a study that proves individual learning preferences aren’t valid?

Of course, this whole argument just might be a matter of semantics.  I mean, I came across one online discussion where this suggestion was posed:   “… people have different abilities, not styles.  Some people read better than others; some people hear worse than others…”

So, is it possible that the naysayers are right on the one hand:  that there aren’t different learning styles; while they might be totally wrong in the fact that we all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to being exposed to new information?

Oh, those anecdotes…  For anyone who has been a parent of young ones, I’d like you to think back to times when a youngster would walk through the TV room, be grabbed by something unusual on the set, and get almost lost for a time as if in a trance.  And, I’ve seen quite the same happen as kids get lost in a computer game.    

Then, please help me with another seeming anecdote, this having to do with Internet business…  Ya, I deal daily with the understanding that a majority of people online can be turned off by long pages of text, and that the best way to grab their attention — and keep it — is with stirring video, an interesting meme, etc.  In fact, while the number seems to change regularly, it’s often said that online marketers have only so many short seconds to either capture the attention of a visitor or lose him or her.

With all that, I’m sticking to the idea of constantly rotating teaching tools.  Frankly, it makes more sense to me, that a bunch of kids will eventually tune-out the coach who uses the same greaseboard (or whatever), night after night after…  

And, if I might pat myself on the back for a second here, let me say that I’ve had countless parents over almost 50-years tell me I was an awesome teacher.  What they probably never realized was that it had more to do with the fact that I was never a lazy teacher. 

PS:   Although he raised a contradicting opinion on this topic, our fellow member ended his email with, “The bottom line for me is to use any means possible to convey ideas and content so players learn to think and understand.”  I’m with him all the way on that, and I hope I expressed the same within this piece.  

No matter, I always welcome differences of opinion.  I think in the end, members are able to troubleshoot their own problems better from hearing different views.