So far in this week's discussion involving Steven Tripp's article on the effect of media on the learner no one has mentioned matching the media to the learner's learning style. Would this not also influence the effect that the chosen media has on what and how much the learner absorbs in a given "lesson."
Currently in health promotion programs (my area of interest) the debate is whether one type of media is more effective in improving self-management skills in chronic diseases such as in diabetic education. In these studies rarely is the learning style mentioned other then to say that in some cases education programs should be designed for the particular needs of the individual, such as one-on-one instruction. Of course in today's high cost of medical care (regardless of which country you live in) this may not be the most cost effective way. So the current debate is finding a balance between cost, effective programs, and media choice.
Perhaps I have misunderstood some of the comments that have been broadcasted so far, but I find it hard to believe that the choice of media would not effect how much the learner absorbs and retains for later use. Surely research on TV violence and its effects on young children indicate a negative outcome. (Is this not one reason why Power Rangers was removed from many TV stations in several countries?)