We’ve all heard people say things like, “I’m just a visual learner,” or “we only use 10% of our brain.”
In education and workplace training, certain ideas about learning get repeated so often that they start to feel like facts. Unfortunately, many of these popular “learning theories” have been debunked by research, or are frequently misunderstood and misapplied.
Believing these myths doesn’t just waste time, it can actively limit learning.
Let’s unpack some of the most common misconceptions and explore what the evidence actually tells us about how adults learn best.
1. Learning Styles
The myth:
People learn best when teaching matches their preferred learning style (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic).
What the research says:
While people have preferences, there’s no strong evidence that matching instruction to learning styles improves outcomes.
What works instead:
Using multiple representations, practice, and methods that suit the content, not the learner label.
Want to read more? Look at:
- UDL Guidelines – Design Multiple Means of Representation
- QLD Brain Institute – Myth: People have Different Learning Styles
2. Left-Brain vs Right-Brain Learners
The myth:
Some people are logical “left-brained” learners, while others are creative “right-brained” learners.
What the research says:
Neuroscience shows that the brain works as an integrated system. Most learning tasks — including reading, problem-solving, creativity, and language — activate both hemispheres at the same time. There is no evidence that people learn better when teaching is designed for one “side” of the brain.
What works instead:
Designing learning experiences that combine analysis, creativity, language, and problem-solving, rather than labelling learners by supposed brain dominance.
Want to read more? Look at:
- The Educator Australia – Debunking the brain myths holding students back
-
OECD – Understanding the Brain: The Birth of a Learning Science
3. People Have a Fixed “Attention Span” (e.g. 8–10 minutes)
The myth:
Learners can only pay attention for a short, fixed period of time (often quoted as 8–10 minutes).
What the research says:
Attention is not fixed. It fluctuates depending on task relevance, cognitive load and motivation. When learning is meaningful, appropriately challenging, and well designed, learners can sustain attention for much longer periods.
What works instead:
Designing learning that chunks content into manageable sections, varies activity types and cognitive demand and reduces extraneous load and unnecessary distractions. This is improtant to know as shortening learning purely based on an assumed attention limit risks oversimplifying learning design and can prioritise format over thinking.
Want to read more? Look at:
- Education NSW – Cognitive Load Theory: Research that teachers really need to understand
- Frontiers in Psychology – Distractions in digital reading: a meta-analysis of attentional interference effects
4. “We Only Use 10% of Our Brain”
The myth:
Humans only use 10% of their brain, leaving vast amounts of unused potential.
What the research says:
Brain imaging shows that we use almost all parts of the brain across the course of a day. Different areas activate for different tasks – but there is no large, inactive portion waiting to be “switched on.” It’s an appealing idea. It suggests untapped potential and promises quick gains but it oversimplifies how the brain actually works.
What works instead:
Designing learning that builds knowledge and skills through practice, feedback, and cumulative learning, rather than relying on the idea of hidden brain capacity.
Want to read more? Look at:
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience – We Only Use 10% of Our Brains
-
Scientific American – Do we really use only 10% of our brains?
5. “Digital Natives” Learn Differently Just Because of Age
The myth:
Young people naturally learn better with technology simply because they grew up with it.
What the research says:
Comfort using technology does not equal knowing how to learn with it. Digital skills vary widely across age groups and must be explicitly taught. In course design, what truly matters is understanding and acknowledging prior knowledge and experience. Quality learning design and explicit teaching of digital skills are also important. Assuming competence can widen learning gaps and mask the support learners actually need.
What works instead:
Explicitly teach digital learning skills, design around prior knowledge, and use well-structured instruction rather than assuming age or familiarity with technology leads to effective learning.
Want to read more? Look at:
- OECD – Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection
- Kirschner & De Bruyckere – The Myth of the Digital Native
6. More Engagement = More Learning
The myth:
If learners look engaged, learning must be happening.
What the research says:
Engagement can be behavioural, emotional, or cognitive but only cognitive engagement (the effort involved in thinking, making connections, and solving problems) consistently supports learning.
What works instead:
Design learning that prioritises thinking-heavy tasks, opportunities for application and transfer, and reflection that makes learning visible.
Want to read more? Look at:
- Chi & Boucher – Applying the ICAP Framework to Improve Classroom Learnin
- ICAP Applied: Cognitive Engagement Predictor Study (Open Access)
Moving Beyond Learning Myths
Letting go of common learning myths allows us to design experiences that truly support adult learners. Research shows adults learn best when instruction focuses on meaningful tasks, cognitive effort, practice, reflection, and explicit skill teaching rather than relying on learning styles, fixed attention spans, or assumed digital competence. Grounding the learning in evidence ensures learners design can engage deeply and achieve real, lasting outcomes.