Matching chemistry instructional methods with perceptual learning style preferences of eleventh-grade women: Effects on attitude and achievement

This study investigated the relationship between the learning style perceptual preferences of eleventh grade young women and their attitude and achievement in chemistry. Eighty six women in chemistry were divided into auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, visual or no preference learners based on the Learning Style Inventory (LSI) (Dunn, Dunn and Price, 1989). A unit on chemical bonding was divided into four sections and instructional materials designed by the researcher were used to teach one section auditorially, one, kinesthetically, one, tactually and one, visually. At the end of each section students were given an attitude semantic differential scale and an achievement test. A comprehensive test was given at the end of the unit.;A 5 x 4 repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was carried out on the four achievement scores, the four attitude scale scores and on the comprehensive unit test scores.;The research data indicated that the interaction between an individual student's learning style perceptual preference and instructional method was not significant for attitude or for achievement in chemistry. Trends in the data indicated that auditory, kinesthetic and visual learners demonstrated positive attitudes toward their matching instructional method and auditory and visual learners also had their highest achievement in the matching instructional method. In neither case were these results significantly different from their other scores.;Supplementary analyses revealed that when the tactile and kinesthetic learners were combined into one group they had their highest scores on both the achievement and unit tests in the matching instructional method. When the entire group was divided into two grade point average groups, statistically significant differences in attitude were noted. The lower average group showed positive attitudes toward the kinesthetic and tactile methods and negative attitudes toward the auditory and visual methods. The opposite was true of the higher level group. Finally, the no preference learners showed statistically significant negative attitudes and low achievement in all four instructional areas.;These data indicate that a knowledge of both an individual's learning style perceptual preference and utilization of appropriate learning style instructional strategies by a science educator would enhance both attitudes and achievement in the classroom.