THE LEARNING STYLES OF VOCATIONAL STUDENTS OF NORTHEAST LUZON ADVENTIST SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

Transcription

1 61 THE LEARNING STYLES OF VOCATIONAL STUDENTS OF NORTHEAST LUZON ADVENTIST SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY OLIVE JOY F. ANDAYA, Ed. D., Faculty Teacher Development Philippine Normal University North Luzon Campus, Alicia, Isabela Philippines NICETTE N. GANAL, Ed. D., Faculty Teacher Development Philippine Normal University North Luzon Campus, Alicia, Isabela Philippines ABSTRACT The study generally aimed to determine the learning styles of students of Northeast Luzon Adventist School of Technology (NELA-ST), Mabini, Alicia, Isabela during the school year The participants were composed of thirty six (36) students enrolled during the first semester of school year , who composed the total population. It is a descriptive-survey research which utilized the Memletics Learning Styles Inventory to gather data. As regards the statistical treatment, the mean, percentage, frequency distribution, and rank order were used to determine the profile and learning styles of the participants. Based on the analysis, the most preferred learning styles of students enrolled in the Automotive Service Technology are solitary, social, logical, verbal, visual, and aural. The least preferred learning style is physical. To the students enrolled in the Consumers Electronics Technology, their learning styles ranged from solitary, verbal, social, logical, visual, and aural. The least preferred learning style is physical. In the Computer Secretarial program, the students preferred most to learn in solitary, followed by social, logical, and verbal. The learning styles such as physical, aural, and visual came out as the least preferred. Keywords: Learning styles, performance, vocational students

2 62 Introduction: Students vary in several ways according to their learning preferences. They have their own individual variation in modes of perceiving, remembering and thinking or distinctive ways of taking in, storing, transforming, utilizing information and solving problems. Learning styles are simply different approaches or ways of learning. They are mental processes and instructional settings a student uses more effectively while learning. The mental processes involve organizing, perceiving, coding, remembering, and reasoning (www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/learning-styles.html). Learning style is a student s consistent way of responding to and using stimuli in the context of learning. Keefe (1979) defines learning styles as the composite of characteristic cognitive, affective, and physiological factors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment. Likewise, Stewart and Felicetti (1992) define learning styles as those educational conditions under which a student is most likely to learn. Thus, learning styles are not really concerned with what learners learn, but rather how they prefer to learn. Learners prefer different learning styles suited to their needs, abilities, and interests. Students preferentially take in and process information in different ways such as: by seeing and hearing, reflecting and acting, reasoning logically and intuitively, analyzing and visualizing, steadily and in fits and starts. Teaching methods also vary. Some instructors lecture, others demonstrate or lead students to self-discovery. Some focus on principles and others on applications; some emphasize memory and others understanding. It is therefore a good idea for teachers to have a sense of their own learning styles before they attempt to address variances in their students (http: / Tan et al. (2003) claimed that the preferred styles guide the way one learns. Learning styles also change the way the person internally represents experiences, the way he recalls information, and even the words he chooses. Students preferred styles of learning influence their achievement, and teachers learning styles influence their instructional choices. Students learn best when there is congruence between their preferred learning styles and the teacher s preferred teaching style. Students styles should, therefore, influence teachers instructional choices. There are many reasons why knowledge about students learning style is important to both the instructors and the students. The first is instructors need to understand their students learning styles in order to adapt their teaching methods accordingly. Second, students who know their own learning style become better learners. Third, instructors will better understand the differences among the learners; and fourth if an instructor s teaching style differs from that of many of his or her students, the instructor may need to make adjustments in how material is presented. When mismatches exist between learning styles of most students in a class and the teaching style of the professor, the students may become bored and inattentive in class, do poorly on tests, get discouraged about the courses, the curriculum, and themselves, and in some cases change to other curricula or drop out of school. Professors, confronted by low test grades, unresponsive or hostile classes, poor attendance and dropouts, know something is not working. They may become overly critical of their students or begin to wonder if they are in the right profession. Most seriously, society loses potentially excellent professionals. To overcome these problems, professors should strive for a balance of instructional methods as opposed to trying to teach each student exclusively according to his or her preferences. If the balance is achieved, all students will be taught partly in a manner they prefer which leads to an increased comfort level and willingness to learn, and partly in a less-preferred manner which provides practice and feedback in ways of thinking and solving problems which they may not initially be comfortable with but which they will have to use to be fully effective professionals (http: / There are students who opted to take up technical courses because they are commensurate to their capabilities, interests, and financial capability. This study was pursued to determine the learning styles of students enrolled in the technical courses or program of Northeast Luzon Adventist School of Technology, Mabini, Alicia, Isabela during the school year because no similar study was undertaken yet to students enrolled in the technical program of NELA-ST. Moreover, the results of the study would be utilized by the curriculum specialists and implementers as benchmark in curriculum development and instructional planning to fulfill the goals and objectives of the program. Statement of the Problem: The main objective of this study was to determine the learning styles of the students of Northeast Luzon Adventist School of Technology (NELA-ST) in Mabini, Alicia, Isabela during the school year

3 63 The study attempted to answer the following specific questions: 1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following variables? 1.1 Personal Profile Age, Gender, and Educational attainment of parents 1.2 Academic Profile Curriculum, and Academic performance in technology and major courses? 2. What is the learning style of the respondents when grouped according to curriculum as measured by the Memletics Learning Styles Inventory: 2.1 Visual 2.2 Aural 2.3 Verbal 2.4 Physical 2.5 Logical 2.6 Social 2.7 Solitary 3. What is the preferred learning style of the respondents as measured by the Memletics Learning Styles Inventory? Conceptual Framework: Learning is an integrated, ongoing process occurring within the individual, enabling him to meet specific aims, fulfill his needs and interests, and cope with the living process (Lardizabal, 1989). Butler (1989 in Tan, et al., 2003) claimed that learning styles are biological and socialized differences or preferences on how students learn. He further contended that learning styles influence classroom learning in particular and lifelong learning in general. Learning styles do not reflect how smart students are or how well the students are developed cognitively. There are different types of learning style. The first is visual (spatial). The learner prefers using pictures, images, and spatial understanding. The second is aural (auditory-musical). The learner prefers using sound and music. Verbal (linguistic) learning style refers to the preference use of words, both in speech and writing. Physical (kinesthetic) is the preference use of the body, hands, and sense of touch. In logical (mathematical), the learner prefers to use logic, reasoning, and systems. The other type of learning style is social (interpersonal) where the learner learns in groups or with other people. The last type of learning style is solitary (intrapersonal) in which the learner prefers to work alone or use self-study (http: / There are still more types of learning styles. The first in the list is psychological/affective styles in which the students inner strengths, sense of individuality, and personality traits such as social and emotional traits influence how they learn. How the student feels about him/herself and how self-esteem is developed are linked to learning. The second type of learning styles is physiological styles which refer to the consistent ways to facilitate learning through the use of the senses or environmental stimuli. Hemispheric specializations such as the right or left brain, auditory, visual, kinesthetic, olfactory preferences, or preferences for environmental conditions such as light, noise, are examples of physiological styles. The third type of learning styles is the cognitive styles which mean the consistent ways of responding and using stimuli in the environment; how things are perceived and made sense of; the most comfortable, expedient, and pleasurable way to process information. (Butler 1989 in Tan, et al., 2003). The Memletics Learning Styles Inventory which the present study used in gathering data discovers the learning styles one prefers. It is composed of seventy (70) items where the person estimates his/her learning style. The instrument categorizes the learning styles into seven categories as: (1) Visual. The individual prefers using pictures, images, and spatial understanding; (2) Aural. The person prefers using sound and music; (3) Verbal. The use of words, both in speech and writing are preferred; (4) Physical. The student prefers using his body, hands, and sense of touch; (5) Logical. The use of logic, reasoning, and systems are used by the student; (6) Social. The person prefers to learn in groups or with other people; and (7) Solitary. The individual prefers to work alone and use self-study. According to Tan et al. (2003), the preferred styles guide the way one learns. Learning styles also change the way the person internally represents experiences, the way he recalls information, and even the words he chooses.

4 64 Students preferred styles of learning influence their achievement, and teachers learning styles influence their instructional choices. Students learn best when there is congruence between their preferred learning styles and the teacher s preferred teaching style. Students styles should, therefore, influence teachers instructional choices. Knowledge about students learning style is important to both the instructors and the students because: (1) Instructors need to understand their students learning styles in order to adapt their teaching methods accordingly; (2) Students who know their own learning style become better learners; (3) Instructors will better understand the differences among the learners; and (4) If an instructor s teaching style differs from that of many of his or her students, the instructor may need to make adjustments in how material is presented. Furthermore, learning styles are useful in improving students learning. They can help faculty become more sensitive to the differences students bring to the classroom. They can also serve as a guide in designing learning experiences that match or mismatch students styles, depending on the teacher s purpose. Matching is particularly appropriate in working with poorly prepared students and with new college students, as the most attrition occurs in those situations. Some studies show that identifying a student s style and then providing instruction consistent with that style contribute to more effective learning. If the teacher becomes sensitive to the diversity and uniqueness of students, while at the same time she is familiar with learning style and learning preference, the teacher can increase her effectiveness by adapting the HOW of teaching to the WHO of her class. Methodology: To determine the learning styles of the participants, the descriptive-survey method of research was employed. This method describes existing conditions without analyzing relationships among variables (Fraenkel and Wallen, 2006). The participants composed of thirty six students enrolled during the first semester of school year at NELA-ST, Mabini, Alicia, Isabela. The respondents were sophomore students enrolled in the two year certificate program in Automotive Service Technology, Consumer Electronics Technology, and Computer Secretarial. No sampling technique was employed because all the students were taken as participants. There were three instruments used to gather data: (1) Survey Form to obtain the profile of the respondents; (2) Memletics Learning Styles Inventory consisting of seventy (70) items to determine the learning styles of the respondents; and (3) Official Transcript of Records to determine the academic performance of the respondents in their general education courses such as English, Mathematics and major/technology courses. The ratings in these subjects served as their academic performance. The measures of central tendency such as mean, percentage, and frequency distributions were utilized to obtain the data on the profile and learning styles of the participants. The rank order was also used to determine the preferred learning styles of the respondents. Results and Discussion: Problem No. 1 What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following variables? 1.1 Age 1.2 Gender 1.3 Educational attainment of parents Table 1: Distribution of Respondents According to Age and Gender Gender Frequency Percentage Age Male Female Total The distribution of respondents according to gender and age indicate that there are more males who enrolled in technical and vocational courses than females. With respect to age, male respondents are younger than the female respondents

5 65 Table 2: Distribution of Respondents According to Educational Attainment of Parents Level Father Mother F % F % Elementary Graduate High School Graduate College Graduate Total Table 2 presents the distribution of respondents as to educational attainment of parents. Data show that as to respondents father, 10 or 27.78% are elementary graduates, 17 or 47.22% are high school graduates, and 9 or 25% finished college level. As to respondents mothers, 10 or 27.78% are elementary graduates, 16 or 44.44% are high school graduates, and 10 or 27.78% are college graduates. This tries to show that the majority of the respondents parents are high school graduates although there were parents who are college graduates. Table 3: Distribution of Respondents According to Curriculum Curriculum Frequency Percentage Automotive Service Technology Consumers Electronics Technology Computer Secretarial Total Table 3 presents the distribution of respondents as to curriculum. It is indicated that 17 or 47.22% are enrolled in Automotive Service Technology, 3 or 8.34% in Consumers Electronics Technology, and 16 or 44.44% are in Computer Secretarial course. The higher frequency in the Automotive Service Technology curriculum may be attributed to the fact that graduates can easily practice and look for a job than in the other curriculum areas. Legend: AST Automotive Service Technology CET Consumer Electronics Technology CS Computer Secretarial Table 4: Mean on Academic Performance of Respondents Subjects Curriculum AST CET CS Major/Technological General Education Table 4 presents the mean (X) academic performance of respondents in the different curriculum. Data indicate that the mean academic performance of the respondents in their major/technology courses is higher than the general education courses. This mean (X) result is observed in the three curricula. The results imply that the respondents perform better in the major/technology courses as revealed in the mean (X). Likewise, these results indicate that the respondents are really more adept and interested to technology courses than in academic courses. Problem No. 2 What is the learning style of the respondents when grouped according to curriculum as measured by the Memletics Learning Styles Inventory?

6 66 Learning Style Table 5: Learning Styles of Respondents as to Curriculum Automotive Service Technology Consumer Electronics Technology Computer Secretarial X Rank X Rank X Rank Visual Aural Verbal Physical Logical Social Solitary Table 5 reveals the learning styles of the respondents when grouped according to their curriculum. Data show that in the Automotive Service Technology curriculum, the learning styles that are prevalent are solitary, social, logical, verbal, and visual. As to the Consumer Electronics Technology curriculum, students prefer solitary, verbal, social, logical, and visual learning styles. The learning styles such as solitary, social, logical and, verbal are preferred more by the Computer Secretarial students. Problem No. 3 What is the preferred learning style of the respondents as measured by the Memletics Learning Styles Inventory? Table 6: Preferred Learning Styles of the Respondents Learning Styles X Rank Visual Aural Verbal Physical Logical Social Solitary Data show that the most preferred learning style is solitary. This learning style attributes the nature of work of the respondents is doing their work themselves when assembling or fixing gadgets; and prefer to work alone and useself-study. Social is second in rank because the respondents need to confer or associate with their peers and prefer to learn in groups or with other people. The third in rank as to preferred learning style is logical which tries to imply that the respondents prefer using reasoning, logic, and systems in doing their learning activity. The fourth preferred learning style is verbal which indicates that the respondents prefer to study words, both in speech and writing. The other preferred learning style is visual followed by aural in which the respondents prefer to study using pictures, images, and spatial understanding and they also prefer to learn using sound and music respectively. The least preferred learning style is physical. This information may be attributed to the fact that the respondents will be dealing or manipulating equipment and gadgets. Conclusions: 1. Female participants are older than the male participants. 2. Technological courses attract males more than the females. 3. The highest educational attainment of parents parallel to the program or course their child pursues in the postsecondary school program. 4. Automotive Service Technology prevailed in enrollment over the Consumers Electronics Technology and Computer Secretarial. 5. The students perform better in the technological or skill courses than in the academic courses. 6. The respondents preferred to learn best in solitary manner. The least preferred learning style is physical.

7 67 Recommendations: 1. Curriculum planners of technical and skills program should highly consider the existing conditions and state of females so they will be encouraged to enroll in technology courses. 2. There must be wider dissemination of technological education and skills development program in seminars, TV and mass media to improve enrolment in technology courses. 3. For more effective teaching, teachers in technology education program should have a repertoire of instructional strategies related to learning style/s of students. 4. Students should be highly encouraged to excel in general education courses in the same way as they excel in major/technology courses. Teachers should consistently apply reinforcement to achieve the goal they desire from their students. Frequent monitoring and feed backing should be done to evaluate their progress and performance. 5. The present study can be further expanded by looking into the relationships between the students profile and their learning styles. 6. A similar study should be carried out in another school offering technology education program with a view to confirming the findings of the present study. 7. Another study may be conducted to other population and setting. 8. To have a generalizability of the results, random sampling should be used. References: [1] Aquino, G.V. (1989). Principles and methods of teaching. 24K Printing Co Inc. Valenzuela, Metro Manila. [2] Fraenkel, J.R. et al (2006). How to design and evaluate research in education. McGraw-Hill International Edition. New York, USA. [3] Gregorio, H.C. (1976). Principles and methods of teaching. Garotech Publishing, Quezon City. [4] Lardizabal, A. et al (1995). Principles and methods of teaching. Phoenix Publishing House, Quezon City. [5] Ornstein, A. C. et al (1993). Curriculum: foundations, principles, and issues. Library of Congress, USA. [6] Ornstein, A.C. (1992). Strategies for effective teaching. HarperCollins Publishers, New York. [7] Tan,O.et al. (2003). Educational psychology. Seng Lee Press, Singapore. Zulueta, Francisco M. (2007). Principles and methods of teaching. National Book Store, Mandaluyoing City. [8] [9] [10] www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/learning-styles.htm/ [11] [12] Memletics Learning Styles Inventory. 2 Advanology.com 2003 ****