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Volume 14, Edition 2, 2012
Focus: An Inclusive Approach to Cognitive and Learning Styles within educational settings
Editors:
Dr. Carol Evans, Associate Professor, Head of Teacher Education, Graduate School of Education; President of European Learning Styles Information Network; Visiting Fellow of Institute of Education, London.
Dr. Lynne Rogers, Director of Post Compulsory PGCE, Institute of Education Chair of the Psychology of Education Section of the British Psychological Society. Director of the London Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (LONCETT)
Dr. Vincent Donche, Assistant Professor, Institute of Education and Information Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Mr. Gert Vanthournout, doctoral research fellow, Institute of Education and Information Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
Background to special edition
The aim will be to consider how research on cognitive and learning styles is being translated into higher education and school-based settings and offer suggestions for improvement of practice based on latest research findings (Zhang & Sternberg (eds) 2009; Rayner & Cools (eds) 2010 and Zhang, Sternberg & Rayner (in preparation).
Within this special issue we will be particularly focusing on how the interpretation and application of styles work can be both inclusive and exclusive. There has been much debate in recent years concerning the ‘limited’ and often inappropriate application of styles work to practice (Coffield, Moseley, Hall, & Ecclestone, 2004a, 2004b);Evans & Sadler- Smith, 2006; Evans & Graff, 2008; Cools, Evans & Redmond, 2009), the predictive validity of some learning style models, as well as the misuse of styles work in school settings (Sharp et al, 2008).
We will argue that an awareness of how students process information (i.e., their cognitive and learning styles) can potentially inform pedagogy to enhance student and tutor understandings (Evans, Cools & Charlesworth, 2010). In addition, when adequately measured, these characteristics can have an explanatory value regarding to issues of exclusion such as lower academic achievement and drop-out (Vermunt, 2005; Donche & Van Petegem, 2010). However, the potential of cognitive and learning styles research to contribute to this agenda has to date not been fully realised (DEMOS, 2005; Evans and Waring 2009; Zhang & Sternberg, 2009). A key consideration within this special edition will be to consider how to enhance understandings of effective practice within the styles field.
Examples of specific papers (theoretical / empirical):
- A review of how schools / HEIs are using styles research in practice; what are teacher/lecturer understandings?
- The predictive nature of styles. How learning style research can be helpful for identifying students at risk for exclusion or successful progress in education.
- Research identifying learning style characteristics that are predictive for negative study outcomes.
- Papers describing/identifying risk profiles among students/pupils.
- Papers describing conditions or results of interventions that could be helpful to diminish the risk for exclusion in education.
- Papers outlining how a personal learning styles pedagogy can be used to help teachers to consider their approaches to learning and teaching.
- Papers considering the limitations of the ‘matching hypothesis’ and those that consider learner self – regulatory strategies to enable cognitive flexibility.
- Papers considering how key style ideas can be translated effectively into practice.
Author guidelines
- To be related to the areas identified above
- Articles would be a maximum of 7,000 words including refs and figs/tables.
- Abstract no more than 200 words in length.
- Six relevant keywords to be selected.
- Articles should be original and written in a clear, straightforward style, stating objectives clearly and defining terms. Arguments should be substantiated with well-reasoned supporting evidence.
- Tables and Figures must be typed out on separate sheets with approximate positions indicated in the text.
Word templates are available – see main site: http:// www.tandf.co.uk/journals/journal.asp?issn=1360-3116&linktype=44
Process and timelines
- Initial papers should be submitted directly to c.a.evans@exeter.ac.uk by the 31st July 2011 for consideration.
- Papers will be sent to the editorial team and each paper will be anonymised and independently reviewed by members of the editorial review team.
- All those who have submitted papers will be notified in September 2011 of the editorial decision.
- Authors of the selected papers will receive comprehensive feedback to further enhance their papers and to ensure that the papers conform to the journal requirements (quality and rigour) and meet presentation requirements.
- Final papers should be submitted by December 15th 2011.
- The editorial team of Research Papers in Education reserve the right to request further modifications should they be considered necessary.
- Papers will be submitted to the journal January 2012 following further minor amends ready to meet the publication date for Volume 14, edition 2 2012
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