LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

REPORT ON

“STUDY OF DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES USED BY STUDENTS”

SUBMITTED AS A PART OF COURSE CURRICULUM FOR

MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

IN

(MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMNET, MANIPAL)

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

MR.MANJUNATH PRASAD

SUBMITTED BY:
GROUP NO 06(SEC ‘A’) VAATSALYA VASANTH (081202032)

PREETHI NARESH KUMAR (081202113)

Group 9, Ist year Section ‘A’, MBA page 1

LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We are greatly elated to present our report on “ “study of different learning styles used
by students””.

We take this opportunity to convey our heartfelt gratitude to our lecturer

MR.MANJUNATH PRASAD
who has supported us all throughout the semester to make our study easier, whose encouragement
and guidance has made the presentation and report a success.

We also convey our earnest thanks to all the other people who have helped us both directly and
indirectly, in our diligent endeavour.

Vaatsalya Vasanth

Preethi N K

Group 9, Ist year Section ‘A’, MBA page 2

LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

INTRODUCTION

Learning styles are simply different approaches or ways of learning. Everybody has a
preferred learning style. Knowing and understanding our learning style helps us to learn more
effectively. Through identifying the learning style, will be able to capitalize on strengths and
improve self-advocacy skills of an individual

Types of learning styles:

1. Visual Learners

2. Auditory Learners

3. Kinesthetic Learners

Brief description of each learning style that an individual belongs to is explained below:

1. Visual Learners learn through seeing...

These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully
understand the content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to
avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). They may think in pictures and learn
best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies,
videos, flipcharts and hand-outs.  During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners
often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.

2. Auditory Learners learn through listening...

They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to
what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech
through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written information may
have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and
using a tape recorder.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

3. Tactile/Kinaesthetic Learners learning through, moving, doing and touching...

.   

Tactile/Kinaesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the
physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may
become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

RESEARCH DESIGN

TITLE OF THE PROJECT

The problem selected for the research is to make in in-depth study in the area of different
learning styles pursued by Manipal university students. The research project is named as
“learning inventory management”

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND OBJECTIVE

The survey was aimed to find out the number of students fall into which style of learning.
The problem was specified through discussion with students who filled in the questionnaire.

HYPOTHESIS TO BE TESTED:

1. To evaluate how many students fall in each learning style.

2. Demographic feature associates the learning style.
3. The under graduate or Pre university students study has any association with the
learning style of a student.
4. Age influencing the learning style.

NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

To provide information for the following groups

 To understand the pattern of learning by students, that how different learning styles
help different students. Students can study better once they know what their learning
style is.
 This research details can be used by the lecturers for effective teaching.
 Indirectly helping to increase the performance of the students.
 Improving the reputation of the college.

Scope of Study:

 The scope of the study is limited to students of Manipal.

TYPE OF RESEARCH

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Quantitative research there are no fixed set of questions but, instead, a topic guide (or
discussion guide) is used to explore various issues in depth.  In qualitative research the
discussion between the interviewer (or moderator) and the respondent is largely determined
by the respondent’s own thoughts and feelings.  The interview tends to be longer than a
quantitative interview and fewer interviews are conducted. 

TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION:

The task of data collection can be carried either using primary data or secondary data. This
research uses only primary data.

For this research purpose the primary data was obtained by means of a common
structured question are that was given to employees.

Data Collection Method:

Questionnaires are used for this purpose. The Questionnaire was carefully planned to
cover various aspects of the learning styles. In designing the questions, care was taken to
avoid bias.

TOOLS USED FOR ANALYSIS

CROSS TABULATION: To determine the relation between two variables. In this survey we
have cross tabulated with the Gender and the learning style of a student.

CHI-SQUARE TEST: To determine if there is any significant association between the

Gender and the learning style of a student.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

SAMPLE DESIGN

TARGET POPULATION: Students of Manipal University.

SAMPLE SIZE: The sample size is calculated with the help of using the below formula:

z2 σ 2
n=
e2

Where, e is sampling error which 16% in our study,

Z is confidence level i.e. 95% in our study,

σ is standard deviation which is (5-1)/6 = 0.67 in our study.

The sample size is found to 60 students of Manipal University

SAMPLING METHOD: Convenient sampling method has been followed to collect data
from target respondents.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

ANALYSIS OF DATA

Diagram 1.1 Pie-chart representing the sample population gender:

GENDER

Frequenc
y Percent
Vali female
25 41.7
d
male 35 58.3
Total 60 100.0

gender

female
male

Diagram 1.1

INTERPRETATION: The above chart depicts the distribution of the total sample that we had
undertaken in our study. In our study, we had taken 35 samples from the male population and
25 samples from the female population. Hence our sample size is 60 students.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Diagram 1.2 Pie-chart representing the respondents’ learning styles

STYLE

Frequency Percent
Vali auditory
13 21.7
d
kinestheti
19 31.7
c
visual 28 46.7
Total 60 100.0

style
auditory
kinesthetic
visual

Diagram 1.2

INTERPRETATION: The above chart depicts the distribution of the total sample that we had
undertaken in our study. In our study, we had taken 60 samples from the total manipal
students strength. The total students who have the following learning styles are

 Auditory 13
 Kinesthetic 19
 Visual 28 Out of the 60 students population.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Diagram 1.3: Gender associating the learning style

H0: There is significant effect of gender influencing on the learning style

“gender * style” Cross tabulation

Count
style Total
kinestheti
auditory c Visual
gender female 5 12 8 25
male 8 7 20 35
Total 13 19 28 60

Chi-Square Tests

Asymp.
Sig. (2-
Value df sided)
Pearson Chi-
5.641(a) 2 .060
Square

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Bar Chart
20
style
15 auditory

Count 10
kinesthetic
visual
5

0
female male

gender

Diagram 1.3

INTERPRETATION: As we observe from the bar chart that gender factor does not have
significance association with auditory and kinaesthetic learning style but it has association
with the visual learning style as per the graph. The hypothesis can accepted as per the chi
square test.

Gender has an association with the learning style of a student. As per the graph we conclude
that visual learners are more in males and kinesthetic learner’s are more in females.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Diagram 1.4: Domain associating the learning style

Here domain means the branch that a student has opted during his class 11 and 12 any one of
the branch like science, commerce, and arts.

H0: There is significant effect of domain influencing on the learning style

domain * style Crosstabulation

Count
Style
kinestheti
auditory c visual Total
domain Arts 4 0 1 5
commerc
2 10 7 19
e
science 7 9 20 36
Total 13 19 28 60

Chi-Square Tests

Asymp.
Sig. (2-
Value df sided)
Pearson Chi- 15.513(a
4 .004
Square )

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Diagram 1.4

INTERPRETATION: As we observe from the bar chart that domain factor does not have
significance influence for auditory and kinaesthetic learning style but it influences the visual
learning style as per the graph. Since the chi square test result value is 0.04, the hypothesis is
rejected as per the chi square test.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Diagram 1.5: Education influencing the learning style

H0: There is significant effect of education influencing on the learning style

education * style Crosstabulation

Count
Style
kinestheti
auditory c Visual Total
educatio undergraduat
5 5 9 19
n e
post graduate 8 14 19 41
Total 13 19 28 60

Chi-Square Tests

Asymp.
Sig. (2-
Value df sided)
Pearson Chi-
.532(a) 2 .767
Square
|

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

Bar Chart
20 style
auditory
15
kinesthetic
Count 10
visual

0
undergraduate post graduate

education

Diagram 1.5

INTERPRETATION: As we observe from the bar chart that education factor does not have
significance influence for auditory and kinaesthetic learning style but it does influence the
visual learning style as per the graph. The hypothesis can accepted as per the chi square test.

We conclude that, students who are in post graduation they have already perused a learning
style where as undergraduate students have not perused.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

CONCLUSION

Research findings:

1. In the sample, the maximum students are visual learners when compared to auditory
and kinaesthetic learning.
2. The demographic feature has an association with the visual learning style, but it does
not influence the kinaesthetic and auditory learning of style.
3. The branch that a student takes in his class 11 and 12 does not influence his learning
style.
4. The education background also influences a students learning style.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

 The time span for the survey was short and as a result only the main aspects have
been considered.

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

QUESTIONNAIRE

Dear Sir/Madam,

This questionnaire has been prepared with a view to find out the
learning styles of students. The information will be strictly used for educational
purpose only by the students of Manipal Institute of Management (Manipal
University)

Place a check on the appropriate line after each statement.

Often Sometimes Seldom

1 Can remember more about a subject through
listening than reading. ____ ____ ____
2 Follow written directions better than oral
directions. ____ ____ ____
3 Like to write things down or take notes for
visual review. ____ ____ ____
4 Bear down extremely hard with pen or pencil
when writing. ____ ____ ____
5 Require explanations of diagrams, graphs, or
visual directions. ____ ____ ____
6 Enjoy working with tools. ____ ____ ____
7 Am skilful and enjoy developing and making
graphs and charts. ____ ____ ____
8 Can tell if sounds match when presented with
pairs of sounds. ____ ____ ____
9 Remember best by writing things down
several times. ____ ____ ____
10 Can understand and follow directions using
maps. ____ ____ ____
11 Do better at academic subjects by listening to
lectures and tapes. ____ ____ ____
12 Play with coins and keys in pockets. ____ ____ ____

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

13 Learn to spell better by repeating the letters

out loud than by writing the word on paper. ____ ____ ____
14 Can better understand a news article by reading about
it in the paper than by listening to the radio. ____ ____ ____
15 Chew gum, smoke, or snack during studies. ____ ____ ____
16 Feel the best way to remember is to picture it in my
head. ____ ____ ____
17 Learn spelling by "finger spelling" the words. ____ ____ ____
18 Would rather listen to a good lecture or speech than
read about the same material in a textbook. ____ ____ ____
19 Am good at working and solving jigsaw puzzles and
mazes. ____ ____ ____
20 Grip objects in my hands during learning period. ____ ____ ____
21 Prefer listening to the news on the radio rather than
reading about it in a newspaper. ____ ____ ____
22 Obtain information on an interesting subject by
reading relevant materials. ____ ____ ____
23 Feel very comfortable touching others, hugging,
handshaking, etc. ____ ____ ____
24 Follow oral directions better than written ones. ____ ____ ____
THANK YOU!

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LEARNING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT March 10th 2009

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Statistical techniques and research methodology-Kothari

 www.stats.india.com

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