Learning Style Inventory

The LSI assesses a person's learning style, helping them identify the strategies they most and least prefer to adopt when learning new material. It is a self-development tool that aims to help individuals maximise their learning potential by enabling them to tailor their approach to learning to match their strengths and weaknesses. Developed on the premise that all learning styles have both strengths and weaknesses, it provides a non-threatening framework in which to explore self- development issues.

What the LSI measures

Developed from an extensive review of the literature, the LSI measures the six learning styles for which there is most supporting research. Each of these six learning styles fall into three pairs of opposing approaches to learning. The first two learning styles assess a preference for learning from an abstract, theoretical perspective, rather than learning from practical examples and by focussing on concrete real world issues. The second two learning styles assess a preference for focussing on the big picture and gaining an overall grasp of the subject-matter before learning the fine detail, versus preferring to focus on the core elements of the subject-matter and build an understanding of how these elements are related to each other “from the bottom up”. The final two learning styles assess a preference for learning via quiet contemplation and self-reflection versus learning actively by discussion, experimentation and hands-on activity.

Advantages

- Is quick to administer, easy to complete and score
- Promotes self-development, by encouraging the individual to think about their preferred ways of learning
- Provides a reliable, valid assessment of learning style
- Increases learning potential, by showing individuals how to "play to their strength"
- LSI reports outline ways of strengthening areas of weaknesses and underdeveloped learning styles

Reports for LSI

The LSI report describes the individual's most and least preferred learning style; focussing on the strengths and weakness inherent in the individual's learning style. The report describes how the individual can maximise their learning potential by approaching learning situations in a way that utilises their strengths and minimises their weakness. In addition, it provides examples of activities that can be used to develop the individual's learning style; strengthening weaknesses and expanding the range of preferred learning strategies.