College of Teacher Education Journal: Mathematics 2022

Students’ Learning Styles, Study Habits, and Preferred Learning

Modalities in an Online Environment

Ferrer, Rey Abner B., Bayuga, Rustine Jearl R., Malinab Richiel Ann L., Padilla, Michaella S., Dar, Sharmaine D., Soria, Jake G.

ABSTRACT

As the mode of delivery in education in the Philippines nowadays is blended learning,

learning styles or the way that different students learn, study habits defined as a behavior used
when learning academic material, and preferred learning modalities of the students were also
changed.
The researchers conducted this study to determine the learning styles, study habits, and
preferred learning modalities among Bachelor of Secondary Education, and Major General
Science students of Urdaneta City University in an online environment. The purpose of this study
is to provide scientific data as a basis for educators to better understand their students’ needs
and formulate suitable learning methods for their learning styles and habits.
This study employed quantitative descriptive research in which it utilized a survey
questionnaire to gather data from 105 respondents, comprised of all General Science students of
Urdaneta City University.
The findings’ showed that most students belong to 21 - 23 years of age, 67 female
respondents, third year, use two gadgets, use wi-fi, choose to watch as a hobby. A 564 or 29.3%
frequency demonstrates that the respondents prefer a read/write learning style. The indicator "In
discussing the assigned topic to me, I use a PowerPoint presentation garnered the highest
weighted mean of 4.36 which is described as frequently utilized. The indicator 'I attend virtual
class regularly" has the highest weighted mean of 4.53. The learning styles of the General
Science students are significantly related to their year level and type of internet connection,
having significant values of .041 and .000, respectively.
Based on the findings, the conclusions drawn are the following: the majority of the
General Science students are young adults, dominated by female respondents, owned more than
one gadget, relying on Wi-Fi to connect to the internet. The read/write learning style is the most
dominant learning style of the respondents, while kinesthetic is the minor learning style.
PowerPoint presentations are frequently utilized by the respondents, while video recording is only
sometimes utilized. The respondents practice positive study habits regarding online attendance
and their learning styles were related to their year level and the type of internet connection.

*Keywords: Learning Styles, Study Habits, Learning Modality

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has made
the world utilize virtual learning to
determine how to maintain continuity in
education, such as in the aftermath of a
disaster (Mackey et al., 2012; Lockee,
2021).
The severity of this crisis is beyond
what we have seen in the past. The
inquiries regarding what will occur after
COVID have started to be asked. For some
concerned, a quick retreat to the customs of
the actual homeroom is required. But for
others, the forced shift to online education
is a moment of change and a time to
reimagine how education could be delivered
(Sands and Shushok 2020). 2020 has also
seen increased accessibility and adoption of
electronic resources and activities integrated
into online learning experiences.
The synchronous online
conferencing systems, such as Zoom and
Google Meet, have permitted specialists
from any place in the world to join online
classrooms (Fluton, 2020) and allowed
presentations to be recorded for individual
students to watch at once for them.
Furthermore, the significance of active,
experiential learning has prompted
innovations such as virtual labs (Pennisi,
2020).
According to Mubarak et al. (2020),
an online learning environment uses the
value of the capabilities of the internet to
foster and develop the traditional
educational framework and enhance
students' abilities in terms of adaptation to
current modern technology approaches.
Correspondingly, Dhawan (2020)
and Singh & Thurman (2019) defined online
learning as the learning experience in an
asynchronous and synchronous environment
utilizing various gadgets with internet
access. In these conditions, students can be
anywhere to learn and connect with

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 College of Teacher Education Journal: Mathematics
instructors and other students. Though
online learning environments were typical,
they became more prominent in the
Philippines after implementing flexible
learning under CHED Memorandum Order
no. 4 series of 2020 because flexible
learning primarily uses the delivery method
of distance learning education and facilities
of education technology.
According to Barrot et al. (2021),
students' most significant challenge in
online learning was linked to their
learning environment at home, while
technology literacy and competency
were the slightest difficulties
encountered. Furthermore, they added
that the COVID-19 pandemic had the
most significant impact on the quality of
the learning experience and students'
psychological wellbeing in terms of
strategies employed by students, help-
seeking, technical aptitude
enhancement, time management, and
learning environment control.
On the other hand, Henaku
(2020) stated that both social media
and online learning platforms were used
for teaching and learning in online
learning; and observed that students
experience internet connectivity issues,
monetary problems because of the high
cost of internet bundle, challenges with
gadgets and interruption because of the
need to help in household production.
Literature Review
A learning style is a method that
different students learn. Each learner
has distinct and consistent preferred
ways of perception, organization, and
retention (Tomruk et al., 2018).
Rasheed and Wahid (2021) stated that
learning style is vital in helping students
retain learned concepts for a longer
time and improves their understanding.
As a student characteristic, learning
style indicates how a student learns and
likes to learn. In addition, Ridzal (2022)
believed that learning style is the easiest
way for someone to absorb, organize
and process the information received.
There are four key learning styles:
visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic.
The VAK learning style uses the
three main sensory receivers: Visual,
Auditory, and Kinesthetic, to determine
the dominant learning style, and it is
sometimes known as VAKT (Visual,
Auditory, Kinesthetic, & Tactile). Visual
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learners prefer to use pictures, graphs,
colors, maps, and images to organize
and communicate their thoughts and
learn with others. Incorporate much
imagery into their visualizations.
Learners may find that visualization
comes easily to them. (Learning-
stylesonline.com (n.d).
Fleming (2017) mentioned that
auditory learning is one of the three
learning styles established by the VAK
model. In essence, auditory learners
prefer to listen, discuss, memorize, and
debate in class. They learn best when
the information is given through sound
and speech rather than print. On the
other hand, Roell (2018) defined
kinesthetic learning as one of the three
learning styles in the VAK model of
learning. Kinesthetic learners prefer to
use their bodies in the learning process.
They retain information best when they
are physically engaged. Study habits act
as another variable connected with the
learning styles of students.
Study habits reflect students'
usual act of studying and call forth and
direct the learner's cognitive processes
during learning. Study habit is a
combination of technique and skill and
the various behavior of an individual
concerning studying (Jafari et al., 2019).
There are numerous studies conducted
along with learning styles. Individual
factors such as age, sex, gadgets used
for learning, and hobbies are
determinants of learning styles.
The study of Çakıroğlu (2019)
showed significant relationships
between the students' learning styles,
study habits, and performances in online
learning and has offered an insight into
the mode of delivery. Moreover, each
student has their learning style.
Determining a student's learning style is
crucial in making elearning or traditional
education adaptive to students' needs.
The work of Hajan and Padagas
(2021) underscored that in a blended
learning system, educators must
develop teaching styles that fit students'
learning styles to keep them engaged in
learning and build their target
competencies.
In another study, Yurdal et al.
(2021) determined the e-learning styles
and the relationship to the student's
attitude towards distance education.
 College of Teacher Education Journal: Mathematics
The audio-visual learning style
displayed the highest predictive power
for attitudes towards online education.
Also, Cabual (2021) stated that
students' learning styles and preferred
learning modalities are closely linked
and found that most students are
selected for visual learning styles. In
correlation, Habito et al. (2021) study
reveals that, on average, Filipinos spend
more time per day using the internet
and social media than people from any
other country. Furthermore, Gagalang
(2021) states that the students showed
positive reading attitudes on social
media platforms. However, as they
managed to read posts daily, the lesser
inclination was accorded to productive
reading attitudes such as finding time
toread during vacant hours and having
enthusiasm towards advanced reading
and reading with friends. As most of the
information in social media can be
gathered through reading, adapting the
read/write style is expected. However,
Francisco and Barcelona (2020) believe
learning is more effective if a face-to-
face modality is included.
m (LMS) to respond to each student's
learning needs. Furthermore, Saputra
et al. (2021) revealed that online
education was flexibly implemented,
encouraging learning independently,
and motivating them to learn more
actively.
The study of Angkarini (2021)
stated that female students had better
Framework of the Study
The study is anchored in the
VARK Learning Model of Neil Fleming.
The variables considered in this study
are the independent and dependent
variables.
In this study, the independent
variables are the respondents’ profile in
terms of age, sex, year level, gadget
owned, type of internet connection,
and hobbies. On the other hand, the
dependent variables constitute the
learning styles, the preferred learning
modalities, and the study habits
employed by the respondents in an
online environment.
The VARK Learning Model
Several studies, models, and
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learning habits than male students,
especially in time management, were
active in learning activities, found
learning materials/references, and took
notes in general during the Covid 19
pandemic. Also, Aristeidou & Cross
(2021) found that the negative impacts
on the study habits of 555 respondents
were associated with difficulties in
managingworkload and limited
interaction with other students. In
addition, Abdulrahman et al. (2021)
their study mentioned a significant
correlation between study habits and
students' academic accomplishments.
The study by Bentil et al. (2021)
started that the students practiced their
homework and assignment most,
followed by concentration-related study
habits, reading, note-taking, and
examination-related study habits, while
time management-related study habits
were the minor study habits practiced
among the students. Lee (2010) argued
that good study habits are essential for
students, especially college or university
students, whose needs include time
management, note-taking, internet
skills, eliminatory distractions, and
assigning a high prioritizing study. On
the other hand, Rogowsky et al. (2020)
found out that the fifth-graders with a
visual learning style scored higher than
those with an auditory learning style on
listening and reading comprehension
measures.
basis associated with learners’ unique
learning styles. Neil D. Fleming
developed the VAK learning model;
VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/
Write, and Kinesthetic. It was
designed to help students and others
learn more about their individual learning
preferences. (Cherry, 2019). The VARK
model included a questionnaire that
assisted in identifying a person’s unique
learning preferences. The choice reflects
a person’s preferred learning method and
acquiring new information.
 College of Teacher Education Journal: Mathematics 2022
Walberg’s Theory of Educational
Productivity
Walberg’s theory of educational
productivity had a fundamental
objective: to determine what factors
influenced students’ academic
performance and how they did so.
Walberg’s theory (2021) tackles the
influences on learning that affect a
student’s academic performance.
Walberg et al. have identified key
variables that affect student outcomes:
student ability/prior achievement,
motivation, age/developmental level,
the quantity of instruction, quality of
education, classroom climate, home
environment, peer group, and exposure
to mass media outside of school
(Walberg, Fraser & Welch, 1986).
In this study, the theory helped
determine the study habits of the
respondents, focusing on determining
what factors influence students’ or online
learning performance. Learning can be
positive regarding attitudes, behaviors,
and knowledge if the student has good
skills and a suitable stimulating
environment.

Research Design
This study utilized a descriptive
research design to determine students’
learning styles, the extent of the practice
of the study habits, and the preferred
learning modalities in an online learning
environment. This study employed
quantitative descriptive research.
According to Meimban & Terrago
(2021), quantitative research is a type of
research in which data collected are
measurements, and the tools for
analyzing the data are statistical. Further,
it aims to categorize features, count them,
and construct statistical models to explain
an observed phenomenon.
Moreover, Ary (1979) defined
descriptive research as a way to obtain
information on the current state and figure
out the position as it was at the research
time. This study’s design employed
descriptive research, allowing the collection
of facts to obtain an accurate description of
the current status and an effort to trace
interrelationships between points that provide
a deeper insight into the phenomena. Likewise,
the design of the study provides a systematic,
factual, and accurate description of a situation.

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