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Achievement of differentially prepared, nontraditional students in developmental mathematics at a community college: A study of modality (learning styles) preferences
Abstract
This is a study of modality preferences in learning styles of successful and unsuccessful nontraditional community college students while they were enrolled in developmental mathematics. The purpose of examining the learning style preferences was to look for visual, auditory, and/or kinesthetic patterns in learning that differentially prepared students used while studying Algebra I. To better understand students' learning styles, modality strengths and learning strategies had to be identified for each participant in the research project. Questionnaires were administered to obtain self-reported data from students. Personal interviews with this researcher provided additional information. The Swassing-Barbe Modality Index, SBMI, was administered to identify modality strength. From these research tools, student profiles on learning style preferences were assembled. Students in the research project were enrolled in Algebra I class which was taught in traditional lecture style at an urban community college. The students who voluntarily participated were nontraditional and differentially prepared individuals. The study showed that successful visual, auditory, mixed modality students had high correlation between their identified modality strengths and matching study strategies in class and in private study. These modality groups utilized additional modality based strategies other than their strength to enhance their learning. However, successful kinesthetic students were not correlated and did not use study strategies that matched their identified modality strength in class or in private study. These students depended upon their developed visual and auditory preferences in learning algebra. The data revealed that students were unaware of applications of kinesthetic strategies in studying mathematics. There were two unsuccessful students, one identified by SBMI as auditory and the other as kinesthetic. The data on these students revealed that there was no correlation between their identified modality strengths and use of matched study strategies. An important aspect of this study that may influence community college faculty is awareness of success of students who used learning strategies that matched their modality strength. By incorporating a variety of modality based teaching methods, instructors of mathematics will provide a learning environment in which students can construct their own learning of mathematics.
Subject Area
Mathematics education|Adult education|Continuing education|Community college education
Recommended Citation
Marsh, Joan Czaja, "Achievement of differentially prepared, nontraditional students in developmental mathematics at a community college: A study of modality (learning styles) preferences" (1992). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9219464.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9219464