EFFECT OF THE SATISFACTION OF LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCE ON ACHIEVEMENT, ATTRITION, AND ATTITUDE OF PALM BEACH JUNIOR COLLEGE STUDENTS (FLORIDA)

In recent years, most literature has contrasted self-directed and conventional methods of learning. Although some research has indicated parity between the two groups in achievement, other results have shown self-directed learners have scored better and had less attrition than conventional learners. Several researchers support the viewpoint that matching academic self-concept with learning styles is related to achievement. This study determined the effects of matching learning styles of community college students with their instructors' teaching styles. At Palm Beach Junior College (fall, 1980), 604 students in three general curriculum areas were administered the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory. Their instructors were given the Instructional Styles Inventory. Results of the inventories' administration were used to divide the students/teachers into four groups: independent self-paced, independent teacher-paced, lecture, and lecture-laboratory. Match or mismatch of students' LSI profiles with their instructors' ISI profiles indicated whether learning approach was satisfied or not. Educational and statistical comparisons were made between the satisfied and the non-satisfied learners to determine differences in achievement and attrition among these subgroups. Students' expectations of achievement were correlated with their college grade point averages. Within academic areas correlational differences were significant only for two satisfied groups: independent teacher-paced science learners and lecture-laboratory English-reading learners. For all disciplines combined results favored the non-satisfied subgroups in independent teacher-paced and lecture, one exception favoring the satisfied lecture-laboratory learners. Satisfaction of learning experience had a more favorable educational rather than statistical effect: better grade percentages for satisfied students than those for non-satisfied students--two to one, fewer low grades and much less attrition. Results support the worth of using the LSI to match students with teachers for greater effectiveness.