Review of Learning Styles Inventory

DESCRIPTION. The Learning Styles Inventory, Version III (LSI-III) “is designed to measure student preferences for nine instructional strategies commonly found in elementary and middle school classrooms” (technical and administration manual, p. 1). The LSI-III takes 15 minutes to complete, is self-scoring, and has forms for elementary (Grades 2-5) and middle-levels (Grades 6-8). Equipped with a 5-point rating scale (0 = really dislike, 1 = dislike, 2 = not sure, 3 = like, 4 = really like), students communicate their preferences for Direct Instruction, Instruction through Technology, Simulations, Projects, Independent Study, Peer Teaching, Drill and Recitation (elementary form only), Discussion (middle-level form only), and Teaching Games (middle-level form only). Sample items are “Listen to your teacher explain new information” (Direct Instruction), “Use a computer program to solve a problem” (Instruction through Technology), “Interview adults about careers you are interested in pursuing” (Simulation), “Study on your own to learn new information” (Independent Study), “Prepare a written report with a committee” (Projects), “Have a friend help you learn difficult material” (Peer Teaching), “Be quizzed by your teacher to see if you understand a story you read” (Drill and Recitation), “Have a discussion on a topic suggested by the teacher” (Discussion), and “Practice vocabulary words by playing a word game” (Teaching Games). Through a scoring process described below, students ultimately receive for each instructional strategy a “converted score” that putatively corresponds to one of five preference levels: very low (converted scores of 1-2), low (3-4), average (5-6), high (7-8), and very high (9-10). Teachers are encouraged to use these converted scores “to help create a more responsive learning environment” (technical and administration manual, p. v) by matching instructional practices to students’ preferences “whenever appropriate” (technical and administration manual, p. 4).