Running head: ARTICLE REVIEW: EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL VERSUS LEARNING

Article Review: Effects of Traditional Versus Learning-Styles Instructional Methods on Middle

School Students

Thomas F. Harefa

International Teachers College

ARTICLE REVIEW: EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL VERSUS LEARNING 2

Article Review: Effects of Traditional Versus Learning-Styles Instructional Methods on Middle

School Students

Summary and Review

The article explores and discusses the issue of traditional vs. learning-styles instructional

method. Rhonda Farkas begins the article by acknowledging the issue of ineffective instructional

methods. Using the topic of Holocaust as the context, the author argues that the U.S. neglects a

humanistic approach. She also declares that it is the countrys duty to cultivate students to be

responsible citizens. To combat the irresponsible learning Farkas asserts that educators may turn

their eyes into the learning-styles instructional method based on the Dunn and Dunn Learning-

Style Model.

Farkas judged the effectiveness of the learning-styles instructional method through a

statistical hypothesis test. The study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of the traditional and

learning-styles instructional methods on a grade 7 study of the Holocaust. The dependent

variables measured for the study are: student achievements, attitudes, emphatic tendencies and

transfer skills. The independent variables are the two the instructional methods. On the test field,

there are two classrooms. One classroom serves as the control group and the traditional

instructional method is applied there. The other classroom is the experiment group with the

learning-styles instructional method. The students who participated are all in the relatively 12

years old. All the classrooms had the relatively same size in student population too.
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The findings of this research displayed that the learning-styles instructional method had a

better and positive response compared to the traditional instructional method. In the measured

criteria of dependent variables, all the four variables had positive responses. Students taught with

learning-styles instructional method had significantly (p<.001) higher achievement test scores

compared to the control group. Additionally, the students attitude respond positively to the

multi-sensory learning-styles instructional method (p<.001). The scores on the empathy scales

formed to measure the emphatic tendencies further shows the significant effect (p<.001) of the

learning-styles instructional method. Lastly, the transfer skills of students in learning-styles

instructional is higher than the students in the control group (p<.001).

Farkas concludes the article suggesting studies on sensitive topics like the Holocaust

requires a more humanistic approach that the learning-styles instructional method meets. She

invites educators to consider leaving traditional instructional methods on these topics because the

results of the experiment show that it is inferior to the learning-style method. She then shifts to

invite the global community to explore sensitive topics like the Holocaust because it contributes

maintaining the current peaceful state of the world.

Evaluation

Pedagogically, Farkas provided a great insight to the need for teachers to strategize in

their teaching. Her reason for applying a learning-styles instructional method was based on her

civic responsibility as an educator to cultivate future caring and responsible citizens. This

motivation aligns with the Holocaust as the U.S. was primarily involved in the World War. She

also called for sobriety as many educators neglects this responsibility. In her opinion, the

traditional instructional method lacks the means to impart moral values that can be taught in the
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subject. The research reflected this as the students achievement was only one of the four

measured dependent variables.

As a Christian, the research affirmed the many truths of Christian teaching. One truth was

that as teachers we are called to faithfully steward all students to God. This means that teachers

commit to serve all students in all their learning styles, backgrounds and abilities. The traditional

instructional method is not inferior, rather not sufficient to solely steward all students. The

learning-style instructional method serves as an alternative and supplement to teaching as

students have different needs.

Topics like the Holocaust presents a unique opportunity to explore one of chapters of the

biblical grand narrativethe Fall. This becomes problematic however, when teachers assume

that presentations, lectures and tests are sufficient learning methods of a tragic point of human

history. As a researcher Farkas knew about this and attempted to measure students empathy

towards the Holocaust in one of the dependent variables. The results showed significant results

as students displayed more empathy inside the experimental classroom. Reflecting on what I

learned in Teaching Redemptively, a teacher applying the traditional instructional method only

shows that he/she taught students only at the Head level. Christian teachers should always aim

to teach students deeper at the Heart level and eventually drive them to apply it (Hands).

In conclusion, the Rhonda Farkas invites all teachers to see that the traditional

instructional method is not sufficient to teach. As Christian teachers, we should understand that

this problem is deeper than the mere issue of effectiveness or efficiency, rather it is a call to

instruct responsibly as stewards of the next generations.

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References:

Farkas, R. D. (2003). Effects of Traditional Versus Learning-Styles Instructional Methods on

Middle School Students. Journal of Educational Research, 97(1), 42-51.