The Usefulness of Learning Style Inventories

Using learning styles inventories to determine the learning styles of individuals is to a certain extent subjective in nature because, the responses to the questions are largely qualitative in nature. The use of qualitative questions and responses raises the following question in my mind: Can the use of qualitative questions and responses accurately develop a quantitative picture of an individual and their learning habits? I would argue that the picture of an individual developed through the use of such tests remains to a degree subjective in nature because, such tests are by their nature are reliant on the opinions of the test taker. In order to be the most effective the test administrator must bear in mind the inherent subjectivity of the tests and must not rely completely on the results of such tests, in order to maximize the usefulness of the information gathered from the results should be weighed and balanced against the observations of the teacher.