A study on learning style preference in traditional learning environment

Akademische Arbeit , 2024 , 18 Seiten

Pädagogik - Schulwesen, Bildungs- u. Schulpolitik

The study examined learning style preference in a traditional learning environment. The specific aim is to determine the influence of individual learning styles on students’ performance in Technical Drawing Subjects.

The study adopted a quasi-experimental approach to determine learning style preferences in a class of 45 students. Learning style inventory was used as an instrument for data collection which was centered on isometric projection. The outcome of the treatments was analyzed using Multiple Regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The findings revealed that kinesthetic learners scored higher in the isometric projection test conducted followed by visual learners and auditory learners came last. Hypothetically, the result shows a significant difference in the three learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic).

However, teachers’ poor understanding of students' learning styles seems to be a source of concern to many education experts in Nigeria. Hence, the study recommends teachers' proper understanding and consideration of students’ visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles in a traditional learning environment in senior secondary schools in Nigeria.

Introduction

Every learner has their preferred individual style of learning. In a traditional learning environment, students are expected to retain, recall, process, memorize, and apply various degrees of information to improve performance. Based on this, students choose the best and easiest way to process and apply information in different forms by utilizing various methods that they feel most comfortable with and assist them to achieve learning objectives and enhance academic gain. Reports have shown that despite the various styles, methods, and approaches adopted by students to process teachers’ information in Nigerian senior secondary schools, there seems to be a huge achievement gap in students’ performance in external examinations organized for senior secondary school III students in Nigeria.

The recent five-year results of the West Africa Senior Secondary School Examination (WASSE) and National Examination Council (NECO) examinations organized for senior secondary school students in Nigeria revealed that out of all the candidates that sat for the two examinations same year, the percentage of candidates that scored five credits with or without English Language and Mathematics include; in 2023, 84.4% in WAEC and 84.7% in NECO. In 2022, 57.8% in WAEC and 84.4% in NECO. In 2021, 89.6% in WAEC and 94% in NECO. In 2020, 43.5% in WAEC and 91.9% in NECO. In 2019, 82.4% in WAEC and 89.9% in NECO. The results recorded a difference of 17.9% in the two examinations. This is further shown in Figure 1 below:

[Fig. not included in reading sample]

Source: WAEC and NECO Website, 2024.

Reports have shown that in a traditional learning environment, teachers relegate students’ duties to a passive role, and reduce their classroom activity to the memorization of information leading to the poor acquisition of skills (Guatheir, Dembele, Bossonnette, & Richard, 2005; Srinivasan, Butler-Purry, & Pedersen, 2008). Furthermore, Srinivasan, Butler-Purry, and Pedersen, (2008) observed that traditional teaching methods have not had the same success as they had in the past. The debate on the student's learning style preference in a traditional learning environment seems to focus on visual, auditory, verbal, logical, kinesthetic, social, and solitary learning styles.

One of the key factors that seem to be shaping the future of students' learning is the identification of learning styles. Awareness of the learning styles among students is crucial for enhancing learning which assists the teachers in tackling learning challenges students may encounter thereby increasing students learning outcomes (Cooper 2007; & Williamson, & Watson 2007). Literature recommends that students’ awareness of learning styles has greater potential to enhance student’s academic gain (Shumba & Iipinge, 2019). Students who are aware of their best learning styles tend to do better in learning by using the correct active learning styles to suit their learning. Majunder (2013) stated that students who have preferred learning styles tend to influence their learning positively and teachers need to recognize that students do not learn in the same way.

With the identification of individual students' learning style preferences, teachers understand the right instructional techniques to adopt that could boost students’ motivation (Fleming 2012). To support the learning environment, teachers need to be aware of their student's way of learning to adopt appropriate learning styles suitable to effectively deliver the content of the curriculum to the students. Scholars affirmed that individual learning style is used by individuals to assimilate new information (Leite, Svinick, & Shi 2010).

Fleming (2012) classified learning styles into visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic. He further observed that visual learners learn best by seeing, auditory learners learn best by hearing, read/write learners learn best using printed materials, and kinesthetic learners learn best by having a physical look or experience. Learning style is useful in determining the student’s ways of learning for a specific topic to assist them to learn. sequel to this, a proper understanding is required regarding students' learning style preferences in schools. It is unclear how senior secondary school students would identify their learning style preference in a traditional learning environment. However, it seems sensible to assume that students' learning styles could influence students learning in a traditional learning environment.

Based on this, many teachers believe that students have developed their own learning style preference which seems not to align with the teacher's regular teaching method that focuses only on lectures, note-taking, and textbook reading. Macdonald, Germine, Anderson, Christodoulou, and McGrath, (2017) observed that students learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (that is, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic). Learning style-based education targeting visual and auditory learning styles are common practice in kindergarten to post-secondary education (Lynch, 2015; Newton, 2015). Shumba and Iipinge (2019) reported that students' learning styles change over time with academic levels. This variation raised the question “To what extent do learning style preferences influence students learning achievement? In a bid to provide insight into the highlighted question, this study was conducted to examine students' learning style preferences in a traditional learning environment.

Research Questions

The specific questions include

1. To what extent do learning style preferences influence students learning achievement in a traditional learning environment?

2. Will the performance of visual learners in an isometric drawing test correlate with auditory learners in a traditional learning environment?

3. Will the performance of visual learners in an isometric projection test correlate with kinesthetic learners in a traditional learning environment?

4. Will the performance of auditory learners in an isometric projection test correlate with kinesthetic learners in a traditional learning environment?

Methodology and Procedure

This section describes the research design used in the study, participant selection, experimental procedures, and statistical analysis.

Study Design

The goal of the study was to determine the influence of students' learning style preferences (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) in a traditional learning environment. To this extent, the study employed a quasi-experimental approach. Quasi-experimental is better suitable for this study because it establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between variables by practically examining the correlation between students' learning style preferences in a traditional learning environment. Thomas (2023) stated that quasi-experimental design is helpful in a condition where true experiments are not applicable for practical purposes.

Participant Selection

To maintain the authenticity and originality of this study, an introductory letter of consent for research was sent to the school authority selected for the experiment. The letter of consent contains the school and subject teacher's willingness to cooperate with the researcher in the conduct of the study. From the school, I recruited 45 intact class students in senior secondary school III (that is; 33 Male and 12 Female) in the 2023/2024 academic year. One school was selected for the study to maintain the influence of extraneous variables that are capable of manipulating the outcome of the result. The duration of the treatment was four weeks.

Learning style inventory was used as an instrument for data collection which was specifically designed for senior secondary school III students between the age of 15 to 18 years. It was administered face-to-face for 60 minutes. The assessment was based on three learning style domains (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic). The learning inventory contained three “Isometric Projection Drawing” in the Technical Drawing Subject. The specific hypotheses the study seeks to answer are as follows:

1. Learning style preference would significantly influence students learning performance in a traditional learning environment.

2. The performance of visual learners would significantly correlate with auditory learners in the isometric drawing test.

3. The performance of visual learners would significantly correlate with kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test.

4. The performance of auditory learners would significantly correlate with kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test.

The learning inventory was exposed to a validity test by experts. After the try test on the validity of the inventory, feedback on the readability and validity of the inventory was sent back to the researchers. The experts were also asked to evaluate how closely the inventory was to the topic selected for the investigation. Based on the judge’s understanding of the topic, their suggestions, corrections, and recommendations on the learning inventory were fully collected as feedback. To test the preliminary degree of reliability of the instrument, I correlated the responses of the experts on the inventory.

Experimental Procedures

The goal of the study was to determine the influence of learning style preference (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) in a traditional learning environment. To begin the investigation, permission was sought from the authorities of the senior secondary school selected. Technical Drawing teachers who assisted in the research brainstormed with the researchers the modalities of the investigation.

The students were asked to identify their best-preferred learning style with the help of the Technical Drawing teacher. With the help of the teacher who also serves as a research assistant, I grouped the intact class into three groups (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners). Groups were made up of mixed ages, ability levels, spatial ability, and gender. All the students received the teacher's instruction on the concept of isometric projection. The teacher who served as the research assistant explained the concepts, procedures, and clues on how to handle the drawing instruments. Drawing instruments that helped students understand isometric drawing were also made available by the subject teacher.

The students in the three domains received the same treatment. The students were randomly assigned to one of the three groups (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic). Each group received the same treatment. The group was presented with the same content, but in different instructional modes, and then follow-up isometric projection tests were administered two weeks later. The treatment session was carried out in one intact class. The teacher assists the students with the view of providing advice on the learning problems as well as suggesting possible ways students would overcome the learning difficulties. Students participated in an average of two sessions per week until they reached the session requirements of 8 sessions total.

Learning style inventory was used because it was specifically designed for students aged 15 to 18 years in the senior secondary level. It was administered face-to-face for 60 minutes for completion and assesses individual learning styles based on three domains (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic). Each learning style is rated from 1 to 5 (that is, 1 weak and 5 strong). The inventory provides individual numerical scores for example, participants who had strong preference scores of (4 to 5) learn by seeing, hearing, and doing than those who had preference scores of (3, 2, 1). After the treatment, the test was administered to determine the influence of learning styles on student’s performance in the isometric projection test. The feedback from the three groups was compared to determine the effectiveness of the treatments on students learning in secondary schools.

Method of Data Analysis

To analyze the data, the Multiple Regression model and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient were employed to test the hypotheses respectively. Multiple regression was used to measure the strength of association between the learning styles while Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to measure the degree of correlation between visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles to determine whether the independent variables correlate with each other. PPMC was considered appropriate for the study because it is assumed each set of scores is normally distributed in either a ratio or interval scale. Pearson coefficient symbolizes a connection between two variables that are joined and related in a similar interval or ratio arrangement (Kenton, Brock & Li, 2022). Furthermore, Hinkle, Wiersma, and Jurs, (2003) stated that the best form of statistical analysis appropriate when there is a single criterion variable and multiple predictor variables would be a multiple regression analysis model. An alpha level of .05 was chosen as the criteria to determine the acceptance and rejection levels.

Results

This section highlights the results of the inventory generated. It is important to note that the research hypotheses predicting that learning style preference will significantly influence students learning achievement in a traditional learning environment are organized in clusters and tested as follows.

Hypothesis 1:Learning style preference would significantly influence students

performance in isometric projection test.

To test the hypothesis, we employ multiple regression analysis. Only students who participated in the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic classes were used which were made up of 15 students in the visual class, 12 in the auditory class, and 18 in the kinesthetic class. Total 45 senior secondary school III students. The result shows that students exposed to the kinesthetic style recorded a higher mean score, followed by visual style, and auditory style came last in the isometric projection test conducted after the treatment. The analysis is further shown in Table 1 below:

Results connected with hypothesis 1 are presented in Table 1 below:

[Fig. not included in reading sample]

Table 1: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learners

Note. ** Significant at .05 level andwhen controlling for Type I errors using the Bonferroni test.

The regression model for Table 1 was generated to test students' learning styles in three domains visual, auditory, and kinesthetic in an isometric projection test in technical drawing class. The hypothesis asked whether or not learning style preference would significantly influence students’ performance in isometric projection in technical drawing class. The regression model (r) revealed a significant influence of learning styles on student’s performance in the isometric projection test (m = 3.85; SD = .65; R2= .073; Adj R2= -.051; df= 14; FChange = .5.300; p= .570). Since the p-value is p>.05, the alternate hypothesis is retained and the null hypothesis is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that learning style preference significantly influences students' learning performance in isometric projection tests in Technical Drawing subject.

Hypothesis 2: The performance of visual learners would significantly correlate with auditory

learners in the isometric projection test.

The hypothesis that states that the performance of visual learners will significantly correlate with auditory learners in the isometric projection test is presented in Table 2 below:

[Fig. not included in reading sample]

Table 2: Visual and Auditory Learners

Note. **Correlation is Significant at the .05 level (2 tailed).

Table 2 above shows the result of the Pearson correlation between the performance of visual learners and auditory learners in the isometric projection test (n=25 senior secondary school students). A Pearson correlation coefficient test was conducted to determine the direction and strength of correlation between visual and auditory learners in an isometric projection test along with its p-value. The correlation coefficient (r) was -1.00 and the p-value was .05. The result showed that the achievement of visual learners is negatively correlated with the performance of auditory learners at .05. Negative correlation means that the performance of visual learners in the isometric projection test increases, the performance of auditory learners might likely decrease. Since the p-value is p<.05, the alternate hypothesis is accepted and the null hypothesis is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that visual learners significantly correlated with auditory learners in the isometric projection test.

Hypothesis 3: The performance of visual learners would significantly correlate with

kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test.

The hypothesis which states that visual learners would significantly correlate kinesthetic learners in isometric projection test is presented in Table 3 below:

[Fig. not included in reading sample]

Table 3: Visual and Kinesthetic Learners

Note. **Correlation is Significant at the .05 level (2 tailed).

Results presented in Table 3 above show the Pearson correlation coefficient between visual learners and kinesthetic learners in the isometric protection test (n=31 senior secondary school III students). The Pearson correlation was conducted to determine the direction and strength of the correlation between the visual and kinesthetic learners along with its p-value. The correlation coefficient (r) was 1.00 and the p-value was .05. The result showed that visual learners positively correlated at .05. Positive correlation indicates that as the performance of visual learners increases, the performance of kinesthetic learners might probably increase in the isometric projection test. Since the p-value is p<.05, the alternate hypothesis is retained and the null hypothesis is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that visual learners significantly correlated with kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test.

Hypothesis 4: The performance of auditory learners would significantly correlate with

kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test.

The above hypothesis states that auditory learners will significantly correlate kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test are presented in Table 4 below:

[Fig. not included in reading sample]

Table 4: Auditory and Kinesthetic Learners

Note. **Correlation is Significant at the .05 level (2 tailed).

Table 4 above shows the result of the Pearson correlation between visual learners and kinesthetic learners (n=28 senior secondary school III students). The hypothesis was tested for a significant correlation between auditory and kinesthetic learners. The Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to determine the direction and strength of the correlation between the auditory and kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test along with its p-value. The correlation coefficient (r) was -1.00 and the p-value was .05. The result showed that auditory learners negatively correlated with kinesthetic learners at .05. Negative correlation means that as the performance of kinesthetic learners increases, the performance of auditory learners might probably decrease. Since the p-value is p<.05, the alternate hypothesis is accepted and the null hypothesis is rejected. It can therefore be concluded that visual learners significantly correlated with kinesthetic learners in the isometric projection test.

Summary of Findings

The findings revealed that kinesthetic learners recorded a higher mean score, followed by visual learners, and auditory learners came last in the isometric projection test in a technical drawing class (p= .684, .295, .732). The hypotheses were significant at .05. Since p<.05, the alternate hypotheses were retained and the null hypotheses were rejected. It was therefore concluded that learning style preference (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) significantly influences student’s performance in isometric projection in Technical Drawing subject.

Discussion

Visual Learning Style

Reports have shown that students' learning styles change over time with academic levels. The more students are aware of their learning styles, the greater their potential to improve academic gain (Shumba & Iipinge, 2019). The findings of this study support this claim. This finding seems to substantiate the view of Macdonald, Germine, Anderson, Christodoulou, and McGrath, (2017) who observed that individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style. The study affirmed that students' visual learning style could increase students’ performance in isometric projection. Based on this, it is interesting that this finding learned that visual learning style preference would significantly enhance students’ performance in isometric projection. This would lead one to the logical guess that visual learning preference in a traditional learning environment would increase students’ performance in Technical Drawing. This means that visual learners would perform better in Technical Drawing class. In my opinion, this is a reasonable finding. While this study recommends teachers' adequate understanding of students visual learning style requires further investigation.

Auditory Learning Style

This study affirmed a slight increase in students’ scores in the isometric projection test using the auditory learning style. Understanding students' auditory learning style in Technical Drawing can be accomplished through a teacher’s better approach to teaching. To increase the performance of auditory learners, adequate and proper attention must be paid to student’s auditory style. This will not occur if the teachers do not play their part in the teaching process. Scholars affirmed that individuals learn better when they receive information via their preferred learning style (Macdonald, Germine, Anderson, Christodoulou, & McGrath, 2017). In light of this, the claim that auditory learners achieve higher in isometric projection tests seems realistic if the teachers understand individual students' preferred learning styles. Teachers' understanding of students' preferred learning offers the teachers the chance to improve students’ scores in isometric projection. The results of this study found that auditory learners score slightly high in the isometric projection test. This result coincides with learning style-based education targeting auditory learners is a common practice from kindergarten through post-secondary education (Lynch, 2015; Newton, 2015).

Kinesthetic Learning Style

Scholars identify kinesthetic learners as learners who learn best by having a physical look or experience (Fleming, 2012). This approach is useful in determining and designing the right set of teaching and assessment strategies for specific students to assist students' learning (Fleming, 2012). The study confirmed kinesthetic learner’s high mean scores in isometric projection test. Based on this, it is interesting that this finding shows that the awareness of the student's learning styles is important in improving teaching quality and enhancing learning which assists the teachers in tackling learning challenges students may encounter thereby increasing students' learning achievement (Cooper 2007; & Williamson, & Watson 2007). This would lead one to the logical assumption that kinesthetic learners achieve high mean scores in the isometric projection test. This means that Students who are aware of their best learning style tend to do better using the correct active learning style to suit their learning. In my opinion, this is a reasonable finding. While this study recommends that learning style preference helps teachers understand the right instructional techniques to adopt that could boost students’ motivation (Fleming 2012), teachers' understanding of students' learning styles in a traditional learning environment requires further investigation.

Recommendation

In a bid to turn our attention to students' preferred learning style in technical drawing. The following recommendations were made based on the findings of this study.

Technical Drawing teachers should identify students' preferred style of learning when selecting instructional materials for their lessons.

Government, school authorities, and stakeholders should consider the training and retraining of teachers on factors that tend to influence students learning to recognize that students do not learn in the same way.

School authorities should consider creating adequate awareness of students' learning styles to improve teaching quality, enhance learning, and assist teachers in tackling learning challenges students may encounter in school.

Senior secondary school teachers should identify visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners to cover students' preferred styles of learning.

Brief students on proper understanding and utilization of individual learning styles to enhance their academic gain.

Conclusion

This study examined learning style preference in a traditional learning environment. The specific aim is to determine the influence of individual learning styles on students’ performance in Technical Drawing subjects in Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental approach to determine students' learning styles in a class of 45 students. Learning style inventory was used as an instrument for data collection which was centered on isometric projection topics in technical drawing. The treatment tests were analyzed using Multiple Regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings revealed that students exposed to kinesthetic learners scored higher on the isometric drawing test, followed by visual learners, and auditory learners came last in the isometric drawing test conducted after the treatment exercise. However, teachers’ poor understanding of individual students' learning styles in senior secondary schools in Nigeria tends to be a source of concern to many education stakeholders. Hence, the study recommends the identification and integration of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles in a traditional learning environment in senior secondary schools in Nigeria.

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• Autoren: Dr. Okpeku Timothy (Autor:in), Hon. Prof. Julius Omonzuanvbo Ihonvbere (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2024
• Seiten: 18
• Katalognummer: V1462251
• ISBN (PDF): 9783389011256
• ISBN (Buch): 9783389011263
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: learning, styles, preferences, traditional, environment