LEARNER’S LEARNING STYLES AND SCIENCE PERFORMANCE

A Research Proposal

Presented to the Faculty of

Alimodian National Comprehensive High School

Alimodian, Iloilo

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in

Grade 10 Research

MAE ALTHEA AMAHIDO

NIEL CHARLES CUSTODIO

HEAVEN JAMECA ANACAY

PRINCE RYAN RABO

HANZ ALIDO

March 2020
 Chapter 1

Introduction

Background of the Study

Learning can be defined as permanent changes in behaviour induced by life.

According to Experimental Learning Theory, learning is the process whereby knowledge

is created through the transformation of experience (Coffield, 2004). Facilitating the

learning process is the primary aim of teaching, while understanding the learning

behaviour of learners is considered to be a part of this process. The concept of learning

styles has become a popular topic in literature, with many theories about learning styles

put forward to better understand the dynamic process of learning. Learning styles refers

to an individual’s preferred way of processing new information for efficient learning.

Coffield (2004) described the concept of learning style as a unique way developed by

students when he\she was learning new difficult knowledge. Learning style is about how

students learn rather than what they learn. The learning process is different for each

individual even in the same educational environment. Learning does not occur in all

students at the same level and quality. Research has shown that individuals exhibit

different approaches in the learning process and single strategy or approach was unable

to provide optimal learning condition for all an individuals. This may be related to

students with different backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, interests, ambitions, levels

of motivation, and approaches to studying. To improve undergraduate education,

educators should become more aware of these diverse approaches. Learning style may

be useful to help students and educators understand how to improve the way they learn

and teach respectively (Coffield, 2004).

 Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the Learning styles and Science performance of

Grade 7 learners of Alimodian national Comprehensive High School for School year

2019-2020

Specifically, this study will seek answers to the following questions:

1. What is the learning style of Grade 7 learners?

2. What is the level of Science performance of grade 7 learners?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the learning style and the Science

performance of Grade 7 learners?

Significance of the Study

The results of the study will be beneficial to the following:

Learners. The results of this study may provide awareness of their learning

styles, which can help enhance their Science performance.

Teachers. Provide appropriate strategies, approaches suited to improve their

performances.

Parents. This study may inform the parents about their children’s learning style,

which may encourage them to support and guide their children in improving their

performance in Science.

Department of Education. The results of this study may serve as bases for the

DepEd to provide necessary facilities and materials to further enhance the learners

Science performance.

Administrator. They may provide the teaching and learning resources in the

Science classrooms, which may help improve learners’ Science performance.

 Curriculum Planner. They may consider revisit the curriculum to assess about

the appropriateness of learning materials that may further strengthen the quality of

education in the country.

Future Researcher. The results of this study may serve as the basis for future

researchers to study deeper on the reasons of various learning styles and learners’

performance.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of this study, the following terms are conceptually and

operationally defined:

Learning Style- are points along a scale that help us to discover the different

forms of mental representations, however, they are not good characterizations of what

people are (Thompson-Schill, Kramer, Rosenberg, 2009).

In this study “Learning Style” refers to the learners’ style of understanding and

comprehending Science ideas and concepts.

Science performance- measures the scientific literacy of a 15 year-old in the

use of scientific knowledge to identify questions, acquire new knowledge, explain

scientific phenomena, and draw evidence-based conclusions about science-related

issues (PISA 2019).

In this study “Science performance” refers to the learners’ grade in Science

subject.
 Delimitation of the Study

This study aims to determine the learning styles and Science performance of Grade 7

learners of Alimodian National Comprehensive High School for school year 2019-2020.

Using correlational design, the researchers will determine the significant relationship

between the learners’ learning styles and Science performance.

There will be 1 section consists of 40 learners from Grade 7. The researcher will

use mean grades and standard deviation, collect their final rate in Science subject which

is also in the Respondents’ Profile with item on Learners’ final rate in Science and Likert

Type Scale for the learners’ learning style.

 Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature

This chapter presents the literature pertinent to the present investigation. These

include the following topics: (1) Learning Style (2) Learners’ Science Performance (3)

Learning Styles and Science Performance

Learning can be defined as a permanent changes in behaviour induced by life,

moreover, learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the

transformation of experience (Ilcin et al, 2018). Learning style refers to an individual

preferred way of processing new information of efficient learning .Dunn (2018)

described the concept of learning style as a unique way developed by students when

he/she was learning a new and difficult knowledge. Learning style is about how students

learn rather than what they learn. Keefe (1979) emphasized learning style is a student’s

consistent way of responding to and using stimuli in the text of learning. Furthermore,

learning style is considered as composite of characteristic affective and psychological

factors that serve as relatively stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts

with, and a response to the learning environment. Learning style also refers to the

educational conditions under which a student is most likely to learn. Thus, they are not

really concerned with what learners learn, but rather how they prefer to learn.

Learning styles are points along a scale that help us discover the different forms

of mental representations, however, they are not good characterizations of what people

are or are not like (Stewart & Felicetti, 1992). Tait and Entwistle (1996) have developed

a 38-item self report inventory measuring learning style. There are some evidences that
student’s study approaches may change in response to learning environment For

example, younger children favour learning goals-prioritising learning itself rather than

results-whereas older pupils are more concerned with performance goals-results as

opposed to learning, for the sake of learning (Bouffard et al., 1998). Lyddy (1998)

believed that learning style reflects the shift in the systems employed in later education

towards and emphasis on performance rather than learning. Furthermore, she

suggested that an education system which does not reward meaningful or deep learning

is likely to undermine the performance of active learners. Learning style is likely a

response to the learning environment and that the students does not passively resign

him or herself to adopting a particular approach (Rather & Wolters, 1998). Eachus and

Cassidy (1997) found that learning style was related to self-efficacy learning style other

than an apathetic approach and a lack of self-confidence.

Learning styles consist of wide variety of approaches and researchers characterise it as

“small-scale, non-cumulative, uncritical and inward looking’. Learning style model as it

identifies the preferences in interacting with other learners, peers, and teachers. It

reflects learners’ preference to work independently, to cooperate or to compete to

become a participant or avoidant in a virtual learning environment (Riechman, 2018).

The learner’s style as one of the factors that may influence the success of the

educational process have been studied by number of researchers (Chen et al. 2015).

Kaminiski, et al. (2015) applied Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory and found a significant

level of relation between grades and learning style. On the contrary, Fleming et al., 2011

found out that learning styles do not influence learners’ examination results.

Learners’ Science Performance

Academic achievement is a ‘net result’ of Learners cognitive and non-cognitive

attributes (Lee & Shute, 2010). Academic achievement is measured in the form of a
student remarkable score across their subject courses and the display of learning

outcomes which can be assessed. The learning style awareness and academic

performance of learners concluded that learners’ awareness of their strengths such as

learning style and how to utilize their strengths may improve their academic performance

(Barman, Aziz and Yusoff, 2014). Ebele and Olofu (2017) another variable being

investigated is the study habits and skills of learners enrolled in applied science courses.

They also found out that is a significant relationship between study habits and learners’

academic performance. Looyeh, Fazelpour, Masoule, Chehrzad and Leili (2017)

investigated the relationship between the Study habits and the Academic performance of

Medical Sciences Students found out the significant relationship between the study

habits of learners’ and their academic performance.

Similarly, studied study habits and academic achievement of learners also found

out that a positive relationship of 0.66 between study habits and academic achievement

(Siahi and Maiyo 2015). The results implied that the study habits need a significant

attention if we are to improve performance. Furthermore, Chilca (2017) studied on the

study habits and academic performance among university students in Peru concluded

that study habits do influence academic performance. Academic achievement is

measured in the form of learners’ remarkable scores across their subject courses and

the display of learning outcomes which can be assessed through performance,

classroom tests, assignments, outputs, and major examinations. Previous studies

present that there are intellective and non-intellective factors affecting to learners’

academic achievement (Chilca, 2017).

 Chapter 3

Methodology

This study aims to determine the relationship of learners’ Learning style and

Academic performance of Grade 7 learners which will serve as school based for their

Academic performance in school.

Respondent of the Study

The researcher will be utilizing the Grade 7 learners of Junior High School for

school year 2019-2020, the researcher will be identifying the learning style of the

learners, measuring level of Science performance of the learners, and to find out the

Significant relationship of Learners’ learning style and Science performance of learners.

Using the Respondents’ Profile with item on Learners’ final rate in Science, and Likert

Type Scale on Learning style of the learners.

Data-Gathering Instrument

The researcher will develop (2) research made instrument namely:

Respondents’ Profile with item on learners’ final rate in Science and Likert Type Scale

Questionnaire. These instruments will be used to gather data relevant to this study.

Data Collection Procedure

Prior to the collection of the data, the research will ask permission from the

principal of the school to allow the researcher to conduct the study to the Grade 7

learners of Alimodian National Comprehensive High School, Alimodian, Iloilo. From

there, the researcher select the section using Cluster Sampling technique that

respondent to be taken.

The researcher will likewise seek permission to conduct this study from the

Adviser of the chosen section and letter of consent to the respondent of the study. All

gathered data shall be treated utmost confidentiality and will be used purely for the

learners academic purposes.

Data Analysis Procedure

Data gathering from the study be subjected to correlational statistics. The tool to

be used as correlational were mean and standard deviation.

Mean grades will be obtained from the data that will be used to determine the

grade 7 learners’ learning style and Science performance as measured by Likert Type

Scale Questionnaire and Respondents’ Profile with item on learners’ final rating in

Science.
 References

Dunn, R. (1975). Impact of Learning-Styles Instructional strategies' Achievement and

Attidtudes:Perception of Educators in Diverse Institution. The clearing House:A Journal
of Education Strategies ,Issues and Idea , Vol 82-Issue 3.

Coffield, F. (2004). International Journal of Lifelong Education. Is there a role for learning
styles in personalised education and training?: , Vo 24,No.3.

Keefe, J. (1979). Learnimg style: An overview. NASSP's Students learning styles:

Diagnosing and proscribing programs , pp.1-17.

Lee, J. S. (2014). The relationship between student engagement and academic

performance:iIs it a myth or reality? The Journal of Educational Research , 107(3),177-
185.

Nursen Ilcin, M. T. (2018). The relationship between learning style and academic
performance in TURKISH physiotherapy students. BMC Med Ed .

Thompsons-Schill, D. K. (2009). Visual Learners Convert Words To Pictures In The

Brain And Vice Versa, Says Psychology Study. University of Pennsylvania .