T.K. Tee et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 204 ( 2015 ) 62 – 72
Keywords: learning styles; vocational college, Felder-Silverman; visual style
1. Statement Of The Problem
Learning style is the way of individual receives, maintain and facilitate the understanding of obtained information
[1] [2]. Each individual has various ways to learn. Some like to learn by seeing, hear, respond, give logical reason,
remember and learn by using graphics [3]. Learning styles is a way to learn [4] and each student has different
learning styles [5]. In addition, learning styles can vary greatly based personal experiences. Learning styles affect
academic achievements [6]. Due to the low achievements on academic subjects among the Business Management
and Hospitality programs students, the researchers are interested to investigate the students’ learning styles.
1.1. Research Objectives
The objectives of the study are:
•
Identify the pattern of learning styles among the Business Management and Hospitality programs second year
students at one of the Vocational College in Northern Zone, Malaysia.
•
Identify the differences between Business Management and Hospitality programs second year students’
learning styles at one of the Vocational College in Northern Zone, Malaysia
1.2. Importance of the Study
The researchers hope that the findings will be beneficial to all teachers and students. It is also hoped that this
study will contribute in:
•
Helping teachers to select and execute appropriate learning activities in order to create conducive learning
environment for the students based on their preferences in study. Guidance from the teachers is needed to
ensure that all students are able to develop their potential to the optimum.
•
Identifying the learning styles preferred and dominant by the students for Business Management and Hospitality
programs.
2. Literature Review
Students who have learning styles that are align with the instructor’s teaching styles tend to retain information
longer [7], able to apply knowledge effectively, and have more positive post-course attitudes toward the subject
compare to their counterparts who experience mismatch between the learning and teaching styles [8] [9]. Many
researchers have tried to study and understand the basic question in this care – what are the students’ learning
styles?
Many studies were conducted on learning styles evaluation [10] including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,
Kolb’s Learning Styles Inventory, Canfield’s Learning Styles Inventory, Gregorc’s Type Indicator and others. In
this study, the researchers selected the Felder and Silverman model as the basis for this study because it has been
successfully implemented [11] [12] in previous studies [13] [14] [15]. The instrument is user friendly and the
results are easy to interpret. The number of dimensions is controlled and can be implemented in the teaching and
learning process [14].
2.1. Felder-Silverman Learning Style Instrument
The first version of the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) involves 28 items, which was carried out on 100 students.
From the analysis, the items which did not show a high coefficient value were removed and replaced with more
T.K. Tee et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 204 ( 2015 ) 62 – 72
appropriate items. Finally, a total of 44 items were included in the new ILS. The ILS assesses the preferences on
four dimensions of Felder-Silverman model (1988) [16]. Earlier version was created in 1991 by Richard Felder and
Barbara Solomon of North Carolina State University. In 1994, several hundred sets of answers to the Version 1 was
collected and subjected to factor analysis, and items that do not load significantly on single factors have been
removed and replaced with new items to create the current version.
Soft copy version of the instrument was placed on the World Wide Web in 1996 and the online version was
added in 1997 when a complete ILS submit questions online profile immediately returned to score in four
dimensions, a brief explanation of its meaning, and links to references that provide more detailed information about
how the score should and should not be construed. ILS is available at no cost to individuals who want to evaluate
their own choice or to an instructor or a student who wants to use it for classroom teaching or research, and it can be
licensed by non-educational organizations.
The Felder-Silverman learning style model is tested using the Felder and Soloman’s ILS [9]. The five
dimensions of learning preferences are Active / Reflective, Sensing / Intuitive, Visual / Verbal, Sequential / Global
and Intuitive / deductive dimension. The ILS scale only measures the first four bipolar continua. ILS instrument was
divided into four dimensions and the four sub-scales of Procession (Active / Reflective learners), Perception
(Sensing / Intuitive learners), Input (Visual / Verbal learners) and Comprehension (Sequential / Global learners).
Each dimension of learning styles are associated with 11 forced-choice items (forced choice or selected
response), with each option ('a' or 'b') corresponding to each dimension separately. The respondents are asked to
select one of the answers provided.
2.1.1. Active Learners
Active learners are students who like to try something through experiments and do not like to learn through
lectures. In addition, students also prefer learning and working in a group than working alone. They also find it
easier to remember information. Upon receiving the information, they will be sharing, discussing and explaining to
friends.
2.1.2. Reflective Learners
Reflective learners refer to students who prefer to learn through thinking. Reflective students like to learn and
work independently. When acquiring information they like to think before explaining to friends. Students of this
type also like lecture learning that enables them to think about the information obtained. Reflective learners prefer to
learn in theory.
2.1.3. Sensing Learners
The sensing learners are students who are more likely to involve learning facts only. These students practice
learning styles with information, has the advantage of considering the facts and doing hands-on activities. The
students of this type can also solve the problem on a regular basis with relevant examples, more meticulous in
carrying out practical work, like to memorize when learning is not associated with life outside the classroom.
2.1.4. Intuitive Learners
Intuitive learners refer to students being conceptual, innovative and orientated towards theory and purpose. Their
innovative nature and of creativity is important in their work. These students tend to look for reasons, possibilities
and relevance. They do not like it when the teacher reiterates learning that has been studied previously. Students are
also fond of, fast working with disorganized situation and do not like to memorize a fact. They understand new
concepts better and are always comfortable with abstract ideas and mathematical formulas.
T.K. Tee et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 204 ( 2015 ) 62 – 72
2.1.5. Visual Learners
Visual students are those who can remember very well what has been seen as photographs, drawings, diagrams,
series, films, and demonstrations. They prefer teachers to use teaching aids and use a lot of graphic presentation in
the teaching process. They remember things by sight easily.
2.1.6. Verbal Learners
Verbal learners are students who love learning through words and ‘explanation argument’. These students prefer
to hear an explanation in writing or orally or discussions conducted in class and like to read out loud and repeat it
several times.
2.1.7. Sequential Learners
Sequential learners are the students who are more likely to understand and convenient to systematically and
sequentially. Students of this type find it easier to remember and understand something if teaching is delivered
systematically, from easy to difficult, and by logical steps. Therefore, these kinds of students prefer to learn in a
structured manner that shows a strong correlation with what has been taught previously.
2.1.8. Sequential Learners
Global learners are students who are keen to gather information they need at random, and thus understand
something spontaneously based on the information they collected. Students can also receive information in any way,
whether organized or not, and they are able to solve complex problems quickly. They also like to relate one thing to
another.