Lack of Correlations of Sense-Modality-Oriented Indices of Learning Styles with Each other and with Classroom Tasks

Four indices used to measure 36 students' preferred sense modality did not correlate well with each other or with classroom tasks such as recalling visual and auditory information from a videotape, imaging ability, problem solving, etc. Three were paper-and-pencil indices for group presentation (Fleming and Mills' test, Kirby, Moore, and Schofield's index, and Westman's index), and one required individual testing (Swassing-Barbe Modality Index). Students indicated that their analyses of task requirements rather than their preferences for sense modality determined the use of their sense modalities.