Learning Styles, Culture & Hemispheric Dominance

Learning Styles, Culture & Hemispheric Dominance

http://www.mathpower.com/brain.htm

Although this website is very simplistic it did address an important factor in that understanding learning styles is very important in understanding brain functioning. The left brain is considered analytic in approach while the right is described as global. Ellen Freedman states that “A successive processor (left brain) prefers to learn in a step-by-step sequential format, beginning with details leading to a conceptual understanding of a skill. A simultaneous processor (right brain) prefers to learn beginning with the general concept and then going on to specifics”. People think and learn in a variety of ways. In any group there will always be evidence of different learning characteristics.

I enjoyed the chart (posted above) that was made by Ellen Freedman to help the reader deduce what type of learning style they possess and which brain hemisphere is more dominant. 

What I found surprising in our 2nd week reading is that the left hemisphere is largely responsible for controlling the right side of the body and vice versa. About 80% of human beings have left and right hemispheres that are specialized in specific task. Occasionally, one hemisphere may take over the task of the other especially when there is damage to the brain. I feel that knowing the functions of the different hemispheres of the brain and their functions will help in instructional design.


Left and Right brain Hemispheres: retrieved from: http://www.mathpower.com/brain.htm

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson