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Rita Dunn

She is author/ co-author of 23 textbooks and more than 300 published articles, and is the recipient of 25 professional research awards. Among honors and awards bestowed on Dr Dunn have been:

• New York University's Research Scholarship Award (1967);
  
  
• Education Press of America Research Management Scholarship (1979);
  
  
• New York Association of Teachers of English, "College Teacher of the Year" (1980);
  
  
• Ohio State University's Research Professorship (1982);
  
  
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's National Award,"Outstanding Consultant of the Year" (1982);
  
  
• St John's University Award, "Outstanding Faculty Achievement Gold Medal" (1985);
  
  
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's "Distinguished Lecturer of the Year" (1986);
  
  
• American Association of School Administrators (1988);
  
  
• National Association of Elementary School Principals "Outstanding Educator of the Year" (1988);
  
  
• St John's University's Merit Award Each Year, 1989-2000;
  
  
• Mensa Education and Research Foundation Award for Excellence in Research (1992);

In 1995, Dr Dunn received St. John's University's highly competitive first Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching. Dr. Dunn and her students have been involved in 33 years of prize-winning research. More than 116 institutions of higher education participated in the research on the Dunn and Dunn Model. Dr Rita Dunn and Dr Kenneth Dunn developed the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model (1972, 1975, 1778, 1992, 1993, 1999).

Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model

The Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model is the most widely used and researched learning-styles model in the history of education in North America.

According to learning-style theory, learners' cognitive, affective, and physiological patterns determine their academic outcomes. These patterns are relatively stable indicators of how individuals perceive, interact with, and respond to their instructional environment. Understanding the multi-dimensional aspects of learning has been proven by research conducted over more than three decades to be one of the few known ways of helping learners improve their capacity to concentrate, process information, remember new and difficult academic information.

Extensive data concerning the learning styles of different achievement, age, cultural, and gender groups have been collated over the last 35 years. This research suggests that harnessing learning styles to improve achievement on new and difficult materials is robust across specific variables and its improvement is long lasting. According to the Center for Research into Education (CRE), the "20 year period of extensive federal funding (1970-1990) produced few programs that resulted in statistically significantly highly standardized achievement test scores for special education students."

Noteworthy, the Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model was the outcome of research initiated by the New York State Department of Education, and collaborative work with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (US).

References:

Braio, A., Dunn, R., Beasley, T. M., Quinn, P., & Buchanan, K. (1997). Incremental implementation of learning style strategies among urban low achievers. Journal of Educational Research, 91, 15-25.

Dunn, R., Bruno, J., Sklar, R. I., & Beaudry, J. S. (1990). Effects of matching and mismatching minority developmental college students' hemispheric preferences on mathematics scores. Journal of Educational Research, 83, 283-288.

Dunn, R., & DeBello, T. C. (Eds.). (1999). Improved test scores, attitudes, and behaviors in America's schools: Supervisors' success stories. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.

Dunn, R., Della Valle, J., Dunn, K., Geisert, G., Sinatra, R., & Zenhausern, R. (1986). The effects of matching and mismatching students' mobility preferences on recognition and memory tasks. Journal of Educational Research, 79, 267-272.

Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1992). Teaching elementary students through their individual learning styles: Practical approaches for grades 3-6. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1993). Teaching secondary students through their individual learning styles: Practical approaches for grades 7-12. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1998). Practical approaches to individualizing staff development for adults. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Dunn, R., Dunn, K., & Perrin, J. (1994). Teaching young children through their individual learning styles: Practical approaches for grades K-2. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Dunn, R., Dunn, K., & Price, G. E. (1977). Diagnosing learning styles: A prescription for avoiding malpractice suits. Phi Delta Kappan, 58, 418-420.


Dunn, R., Dunn, K., & Treffinger, D. (1992). Bringing out the giftedness in your child: Nurturing every child's unique strengths, talents, and potential. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Dunn, R., & Griggs, S. (1988). Learning styles: Quiet revolution in American secondary schools. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Dunn, R., Griggs, S. A., Olson, J., Gorman, B., & Beasley, M. (1995). A meta-analytic validation of the Dunn and Dunn model of learning-style preferences. Journal of Educational Research, 88, 353-361.

Dunn, R., Thies, A. P., & Honigsfeld, A. (2001). Synthesis of the Dunn and Dunn Learning-Style Model research: Analysis from a neuropsychological perspective. Jamaica, NY: St. John's University, Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching Styles.