新课标对大学新生学习风格暨语言能力的影响

为探索新课标教改进程中的现代教育方式对学生学习风格、语言能力的影响。分析了新课标与学生语言学习方式、语言认知能力之间的关系,并对英语专业一年级入学新生的学习风格、学习策略和语言能力进行调查研究,对比了新课标实施前后学生学习风格的变化,由此探讨了学习风格的形成与新课标教改之间的关系,从而为更好地衔接英语的高等教育与基础教育提供依据。     

Learning Styles of ESL Students in Community Colleges

This study investigated the learning styles of adult English as a second language (ESL) students in Northwest Arkansas. Learning style differences by age, gender, and country of origin were explored. A total of 69 northwest Arkansas adult ESL students attending 7 adult-education centers were administered the VARK Learning Styles Questionnaire. Most participants came from Mexico and El Salvador, their ages ranged from 23 to 45, and females were an average of 10 years older than males. Note taking was chosen by 1/3 of participants as their favorite learning style, 20% favored aural modes, 15% favored kinesthetic, 4% favored visual, and 15% chose combinations of learning styles. Females chose auditory and multimodal learning styles, while males favored note taking. Students differed by level of English proficiency, beginning-intermediate favoring aural learning styles more than advanced students. ANOVA results indicated that participants were significantly less visual and more read-write than either aural or kinesthetic, but males and females differed significantly in their choice of aural learning. Hispanic males chose note taking and kinesthetic learning styles significantly more than visual or auditory modes of learning. Hispanic females chose note taking, aural, and kinesthetic learning styles significantly more than visual. Asian males favored note taking and aural learning. Correlation was found between age and learning styles with subgroups exhibiting a negative correlation between age and kinesthetic learning, with Mexican males and females exhibiting the strongest negative correlation. Males showed a low positive correlation between age and note taking.     

Enhancing Eighth Grade Students' Learning of Buoyancy: The Interaction of Teachers' Instructional Approach and Students' Learning Preference Styles

This study investigates the potential of enhancing students' learning of difficult science concepts by exploring the interaction between teachers' four different instructional approaches and students' four different learning preference styles. Students' immediate performance and their retention for learning of buoyancy concepts serve to examine the effects, using the concept of “buoyancy,” which has been classified as a difficult concept because it is at a higher hierarchical level and involves the understanding of both matter and process. Results indicate that students' post-test scores were significantly affected by both the types of instruction and students' learning preference styles; while students' retention test scores were significantly affected by the types of instructions. Moreover, this study does not support that matching teaching style with students' learning preference would make students' learning more effective. Nevertheless, because procedural learning preference styles (QB-learning preference) students performed better on the retention test than other learning preference styles students, it indicates the possibility that procedural learners are more efficient than others for learning such higher hierarchical and difficult concepts, regardless of the types of instruction students receive.     

Linguistic and pedagogical considerations for teaching Portuguese to Spanish speakers

This research study examines the pedagogical considerations and linguistic challenges regarding teaching Portuguese to speakers of Spanish. That the Portuguese language is similar to Spanish presents a unique set of advantages and challenges to students and instructors. The study of this population of students has grown considerably since the 1980s, and most notably since the 2000s. Two unique and growing populations of Portuguese learners come into focus during this study—both native and heritage Spanish speakers. Their specific learning goals are analyzed in detail, particularly regarding what types of innovative linguistic methods and assessment strategies are relevant for these learners.     

Action research and reflection on student approaches to learning in large first year university classes

This paper presents an action research approach to exploring methods of improving the learning styles and outcomes of first year university students within large class environments. The genesis of this project stemmed from an observation that entire tutorial groups were often lethargic in their approach to learning. Following a survey of learning styles, students were exposed to more student-centric teaching styles within tutorial groups, with a view to encouraging deeper student learning and self-regulated learning behaviours. Although the project was successful in motivating students' participation in class activities, no noticeable change to a sustained deeper learning style became evident. The findings suggest that simply motivating students to participate in class does not necessarily alter overall learning styles, at least in the short term. This suggests that the process of “unlearning” previous learning styles may pose a significant problem for instructors and it appears likely that the process of changing from surface to deep learning may require more than a single course intervention. However, there is some evidence that student-centred and self-regulated learning results in a more positive learning experience for both students and teachers. The article concludes with a model of proposed relationships uncovered by the research which deserve further exploration in the quest to provide greater levels of student satisfaction with their higher education experiences.     

Using learning styles theory in engineering education

Studies have shown that, while learning different concepts, people sometimes take different approaches (learning styles). Accordingly, their performance reflected differently in their academic studies. With the effect of globalisation to the educational environments, the influence of individual learning styles on educational performance is getting more significant. In this study, a learning style assessment tool was used to examine the relationship between students’ learning styles and their performance in engineering education programmes. At the beginning of the programme, 285 students’ learning styles were measured using a learning style assessment tool. Four years after the engineering education, their performance in the programme was compared with their individual learning styles. This study shows that most of the students are assimilators. Divergers and convergers follow the assimilators. The number of accommodators is very limited. The relationship between engineering students’ learning styles and their performance is found: assimilators and convergers performed better than the divergers and accommodators. The performance difference between assimilators and divergers is statistically significant. The results of this study show that the learning style theory is a potential tool for guiding the design and improvement of courses and helping students to improve their individual performance.     

A Preliminary Investigation into the Adaptive Learning Styles of Business Students

An exploration of the preferred learning styles for over 1,100 business students has yielded an intriguing result. While many previous studies have examined the learning styles in different majors at different universities, these studies have been focused on describing the typical student for that major. This study demonstrates that the preferred learning styles of students may depend more on the course than the major, indicating that students may have adaptive learning styles. Rather than having an innate, consistent preferred learning style, business students adapt their preferred learning style to the subject of the course. Further research is necessary to confirm these exploratory findings.     

The effects of learning style on grades of first-year college students

This study compared the grade point averages of 796 first-year students in five institutions of higher education in a southern state with learning typologies set forth in theLearning Styles Inventory by Canfield. Results of the analysis of variance reflected an effect of learning style, sex, and race. Grades of students with social, conceptual, and social/applied styles differed significantly from those of students having the neutral preference. Whites tended to have better grades than blacks had. Females learned best with social and independent/applied styles; however, males learned best with social/applied and social/conceptual styles. Although there were no race differences in the proportions of students in the various learning styles, there were sex differences. Except for mathematics, the effect of major on the association of sex and learning style was moderate to none. Findings from the study suggest a need for administrative and instructional changes.     

Cognitive styles,dynamic geometry and measurement performance

This paper reports the outcomes of an empirical study undertaken to investigate the effect of students’ cognitive styles on achievement in measurement tasks in a dynamic geometry learning environment, and to explore the ability of dynamic geometry learning in accommodating different cognitive styles and enhancing students’ learning. A total of 49 6th grade students were tested using the VICS and the extended CSA-WA tests (Peterson, Verbal imagery cognitive styles and extended cognitive style analysis-wholistic analytic test—Administration guide. New Zealand: Peterson, 2005) for cognitive styles. The same students were also administered a pre-test and a post-test involving 20 measurement tasks. All students were taught a unit in measurement (area of triangles and parallelograms) with the use of dynamic geometry, after a pre-test. As expected, the dynamic geometry software seems to accommodate different cognitive styles and enhances students’ learning. However, contrary to expectations, verbalisers and wholist/verbalisers gained more in their measurement achievement in the environment of dynamic geometry than students who had a tendency towards other cognitive styles. The results are discussed in terms of the nature of the measurement tasks administered to the students.     

农村高三学生英语感知学习风格之调研

对农村高三学生的英语感知学习风格进行的调查结果分析显示:农村高三学生喜欢多种英语感知学习风格,最喜欢动手学习风格,最不喜欢单独学习风格;女生比男生更喜欢听觉学习和体验学习风格;英语水平对感知学习风格没有显著性影响;动手学习风格和写作技能有一定的相关性。英语教师应根据学生的感知学习风格灵活应用多种教学方法,指导学生调整和丰富多种感知学习风格以促进教与学的协调发展。     

小学生自主学习能力与父母教养方式调查研究

为了解小学生自主学习能力和父母教养方式的基本状况以及二者之间的关系,并为家庭教育提供依据,该研究采用问卷调查了湖北省省委和政府所在社区某重点小学三年级和五年级学生。结果表明:三年级学生的自主学习能力显著高于五年级;父母对女孩积极的教养方式多于男孩,父亲对高年级的孩子采用更多积极的教养方式,而母亲对不同年级儿童教养方式无显著差别;父母教养方式对自主学习能力有一定的预测作用。因此得出结论,自主学习能力和父母教养方式存在相关。所以家长应该积极调整教养方式,以促进孩子自主学习能力的发展。     

Learning styles of the open university students of Sri Lanka

Conclusions This study presented an analysis of learning styles of a sample of Sri Lankan Open University students using the LSI. Results indicate that the program of study is more likely to influence learning style than gender. It could also be assumed that the older students who were employed specifically in the PGDE program were influenced by the type of employment they were engaged in, as well as by the type of program they were enrolled in. Although the use of the LSI with this population was not incongruent, one of the questions that remains to be answered in order to better understand learning styles is related to the appropriateness of the LSI for this cultural context. It is hoped that the completion of the larger study described earlier will yield more useful information in this regard. The authors wish to thank Dr. Buddhi Weerasinghe, Director of the Educational Technology Division, OUSL, for supporting this study, and Mr. S. Somaratne of the Department of Botany, OUSL, for statistical analysis.     

Learning styles and approaches to learning in excellent and average first-year university students

We assessed the learning approaches and learning styles of a sample of 148 excellent students selected from 11 degrees from nine centers of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), and we compared the results with those of a sample of 133 average students from the same centers. We found that excellent students took deeper approach than average students and that they preferred reflective and theoretical learning styles. Average students adopted a more surface approach, and they preferred active and pragmatic learning styles. Greater academic achievement was related to the deep approach and to the reflective and theoretical learning styles. Poorer academic achievement was related to the surface approach and an active style. University professors may reinforce the deep approach by placing high aims for students which go well beyond reproducing knowledge but use other complementary methods other than expository teaching: problem solving, case studies, designing projects, raising questions, discussion and negotiation in the classroom, etc. To accomplish this, teachers must encourage students to be committed, and these methods help do that. It also helps to introduce more demanding evaluation procedures which do not merely involve repeating what has been learnt, but include training guidance that offers students feedback.     

大学生英语学习方式的调查与分析

研究结果表明，大学生中的确存在普遍喜欢或不喜欢的英语学习方式：学生最喜欢的尊习方式是体验学习；而最不喜欢小组学习。从学生的英语成绩、年级、性别和专业不同变量比较，其学习方式倾向确实存在个性差异。例如成绩较好的学生比成绩较差的学生更不喜欢小组学习。各变量中英语学习成绩与学习方式有一定的相关性。     

在现代英语教学中“学习风格”的应用研究

在分析"学习风格"的研究现状,指出现代英语教学领域的认知误区的基础上,以某学院相关专业的96名学生为对象,采用定量研究方法对学习风格进行分析、归类,并提出适合学生的学习策略,从而论证了学习风格对提高学生英语能力和在现代英语教学中的重要性,以期为实际教学研究提供必要的参考。     

Exploring and enhancing spatial thinking skills: Learning differences of university students within a web-based GIS mapping environment

There is a dearth of research concerning the learning effects of web-based mapping tools on students with different learning characteristics. This study investigates the extent that different learning styles exert an influence on spatial thinking of students within a web-based GIS mapping environment. Thirty six sophomores utilized the tools over one semester in a course guided by a blended learning approach. A learning style inventory, a self-rating questionnaire and a survey were administered to these students to examine their learning styles, the development of their spatial thinking skills as well as factors influencing the enhancement of their spatial thinking skills. Results show that all learners have improved their spatial thinking skills after interacting with the GIS mapping tools. However, the visual and auditory learners have improved significantly more than the kinaesthetic learners (p = 0.024). The survey result from students shows that such differences may be attributable to the design of the web interface that matches the learning styles of the visual and auditory learners better than with that of the kinaesthetic learners. Our findings contribute to the current debate on students’ learning styles as well as to help instructional designers and educators optimize learning in spatial thinking through personalized learning design.     

Exploring the use of the ICT in supporting dyslexic students’ preferred learning styles : A preliminary evaluation

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities. It is described as a disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity. It affects relatively about 7–10 % of the population across most languages and cultures. In this study, we explore the potential benefits offered by the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support dyslexic students by considering their preferred learning styles. In the current paper we administered the VAK and Honey & Mumford questionnaires to 28 Arabic students with ages between 8 and 10 years old. 8 students from dyslexic group and 20 students from control group were selected to assess and compare their preferred learning style. The implemented system focuses on dyslexia in Arabic language, especially in Arabic countries such as Morocco. Based on the results of the analysis of learning styles differences, we introduced an adaptive mobile learning to support and promote learning for dyslexic students. The aim of the study is to consider the relationship between dyslexia and learning style and to suggest a different learning way. Preliminary results show that the ICT has a valuable role in providing opportunities for learners with dyslexia to participate more fully in education.     

Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry Instruction on the Motivation of Different Learning Styles Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate 8th graders with different learning styles their motivation outcomes after implementing 10 weeks (40 hours) inquiry-based teaching. Two hundreds and fifty four 8th graders were involved in experimental group, this group of students experienced inquiry instruction. Two hundreds and thirty two 8th graders were involved in control group, they were taught by traditional science teaching. Students' motivation toward science learning questionnaire (SMTSL) (Tuan, Chin & Shieh, 2005) were implemented in both groups in the beginning and at the end of the study. Students in the experimental group filled out learning preference questionnaire (Lumsdaine & Lumsdaine, 1995) in the beginning of the study. Forty students which represent different learning styles were chosen from five experimental classes to conduct post-test interview. Paired t-test, MANOVA, analytic inductive methods were used for analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. Findings indicated that after inquiry instruction students' motivation increased significantly (p<.001) than students who enrolled in traditional teaching. Four different learning styles of students increased significantly (p<.005) in SMTSL scales: self-efficacy, active learning strategies, science learning value, performance goal and achievement goal. No significant difference was found among four learning styles of students' motivation after inquiry teaching. Interview data supported that most of students with different learning styles were willing to participate in the inquiry learning activities, while they hold different reasons for their engagement. Findings confirm inquiry-based science teaching can motivate students with different learning styles in science learning. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Students' recording accuracy in the reciprocal and the self-check teaching styles in physical education

The aim of the study was to record students’ recording accuracy when they practised with the reciprocal and the self-check styles in physical education and examine whether recording accuracy contributed to students’ performance. Participants were 48 fifth- and sixth-grade students who were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups (reciprocal style, self-check style, sequential use of the reciprocal and the self-check styles). The results showed that students were moderately accurate in peer- and self-recording with a tendency to overestimate their performance. No difference among the 3 experimental groups in recording accuracy was found. Students who received more accurate feedback outperformed in the chest pass test those who received less accurate feedback. The results are discussed with reference to the use of the reciprocal and the self-check styles and the development of self-regulated learning in physical education.