LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AMONG OLDER ADULTS

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As more older adults are participating in learning activities, educators of this group are beginning to seek ways to improve learning among these individuals. One area that has been extensively researched with children and young adults involves learning style preferences. Very little is known, however, about the learning styles of older adults. Therefore, this study attempted to determine the learning style preferences of older adults and the association of gender, age, and educational level to these preferences. D. A. Kolb's (1985) Learning Style Inventory was used to identify the preferred learning styles of 172 older adults from Northeast Georgia. Results found the older adults in this study fairly evenly distributed across the styles of Accommodator, Assimilator, and Diverger, with fewer preferring the Converger style, which involves thinking and doing while learning. Although no significant effects were found between learning style preferences and gender, age, or educational level, there were some age trends noted. More of the 55 to 65 age group preferred the Accommodator learning style (learning by feeling and doing), more of the 66 to 74 age group preferred the Diverger style (learning by feeling and watching), whereas the 75 and older group preferred the Assimilator style (learning by thinking and watching). Therefore, it is suggested that not all older learners are active, hands-on learners as adult education literature suggests, but rather with age there is a tendency to become more reflective and observational in the learning environment.