Accommodating the Learning Styles of Students in

Web-Based Instruction

Credence Baker

Tarleton State University

Nature of the Research

This study sought to determine the learning styles of 192 students enrolled in 22 online classes at Tarleton State University using the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scale (GRSLSS) and the Index of Learning Styles questionnaire (ILS).

Research Participants

A population size of 1100 students and 75 instructors were invited to participate in the study. However, the sample size was smaller as only 29% of online instructors agreed to have their students participate.

The study was approved by the Tarleton State University Institutional Review Board (IRB) for use of human subjects.

Tarleton’s Course Platform: WebCT

WebCT, the official course software of Tarleton State University, is a web based set of course tools designed to deliver online learning.

WebCT integrates communication tools, including a

bulletin board, chat room, private e-mail, and calendar on the WebCT site. In addition, graphics, video, and audio files can be incorporated. These tools are available only to the students and instructor of the course, thus protecting the intellectual property of the instructor, the privacy of the student, and the course content from external parties.

The Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scale

The GRSLSS is ideal for assessing student learning preferences in a college-level distance learning setting because it addresses the impact of different social dynamics on the learning preferences of the students

It is a relevant scale to use in a distance setting because it focuses on how students interact with the instructor, other students, and with learning in general (Cartnal and Diaz, 1999).

Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scale Continued…Independent The learner prefers independent study, self-paced instruction and would prefer to

work alone on course projects than with other students.

Dependent The learner looks to the teacher and to peers as a source of structure and guidance and prefers an authority figure to tell them what to do.

Competitive The learner learns in order to perform better than their peers and to receive recognition for their academic accomplishments.

Collaborative The learner learns by sharing and through cooperation with the teacher and peers. He or she prefers lectures with small group discussions and group projects.

Avoidant The learner is not enthused about attending class or learning class content. He or she is typically uninterested and often overwhelmed by class activities.

Participant The learner enjoys class and makes a good class citizen. He or she is interested in class activities and discussions and is eager to do class work.

GRSLSS Continued…

GRSLSS Learning Style Scales

Low Moderate High

Independent [1.0-2.7] [2.8-3.8] [3.9-5.0]

Avoidant [1.0-1.8] [1.9-3.1] [3.2-5.0]

Collaborative [1.0-2.7] [2.8-3.4] [3.5-5.0]

Dependent [1.0-2.9] [3.0-4.0] [4.1-5.0]

Competitive [1.0-1.7] [1.8-2.8] [2.9-5.0]

Participant [1.0-3.0] [3.1-4.1] [4.2-5.0]

The Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire

The ILS is a 44-question instrument designed to assess preferences on the following four dimensions:

sensing or intuitive; visual or verbal; active or reflective; sequential or global

The Index of Learning Styles Scale Continued… sensing (concrete thinker, practical, oriented toward

facts and procedures) or intuitive (abstract thinker, innovative, oriented toward theories and underlying meanings);

visual (prefer visual representations of presented material, such as pictures, diagrams and flow charts) or verbal (prefer written and spoken explanations);

active (learn by trying things out, enjoy working in groups) or reflective (learn by thinking things through, prefer working alone or with a single familiar partner);

sequential (linear thinking process, learn in small incremental steps) or global (holistic thinking process, learn in large leaps).

ILS Continued…

ILS Learning Style Scales

ACT REF11a 9a 7a 5a 3a 1a 1b 3b 5b 7b 9b 11b

<-- -->

SEN INT11a 9a 7a 5a 3a 1a 1b 3b 5b 7b 9b 11b

<-- -->

VIS VRB11a 9a 7a 5a 3a 1a 1b 3b 5b 7b 9b 11b

<-- -->

SEQ GLO11a 9a 7a 5a 3a 1a 1b 3b 5b 7b 9b 11b

<-- -->

Results-GRSLSS

The analysis of data for the present study revealed that online students at Tarleton State University are not predominately independent learners (mean = 3.441, moderate), as they were hypothesized to be. In fact, the dependent learning style (mean = 3.772, moderate) was more predominate than the independent. The most commonly preferred learning style according to the GRSLSS was the collaborative learning style (mean = 3.958, high). Conversely, just as other studies (i.e. Cartnal & Diaz, 1999) have shown, the avoidant score (mean = 2.432, moderate) and the competitive score (mean = 2.516, moderate) were considerably less than the other four learning styles (Figure 13).

Results Continued…

3.441

2.432

3.673 3.772

2.516

3.958

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Score

IndependentScore

AvoidantScore

CollaborativeScore

DependentScore

CompetetiveScore

ParticipantScore

GRSLSS Learning Style

Mean of GRSLSS Learning Styles Represented Overall

Results-ILS

Online students favored the acting, sensing, visual and sequential side of the ILS continuum rather than the reflecting, intuitive, verbal, and global learning styles side.

Results Continued…

The ILS scores in online classes at Tarleton State University show a mean of -.26 on the ACT-REF score, -3.08 on the SEN-INT score, -2.95 on the VIS-VRB score, and a -.41 on the SEQ-GLO score. The outcomes of this analysis are shown below:

-0.26

-3.08 -2.95

-0.41

-3.5

-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

Score

ACT-REF Score SEN-INT Score VIS-VRB Score SEQ-GLO Score

ILS Learning Style

Mean of ILS Learning Styles Represented Overall

Discussion

Distance learners are a heterogeneous group, and instructors should design learning activities to capitalize on this diversity. Thompson (1998) noted that since the dynamic nature of the distance population precludes a typical student profile, instructors should continually assess student learner characteristics. The variety of GRSLSS and ILS learning style scores in the present study demonstrates the diversity of learning preferences and illustrates the dynamic nature of online student learning characteristics.

Armed with the data collected for this study, online instructors at Tarleton State University can create learning activities and strategies that will appeal to their students' wide variety of learning styles.

10 Learning Style Accommodation Strategies

for Online Instructors

Credence Baker

Tarleton State University

Strategy #1 – Online Community

Interactivity: The Building Blocks of the Online Community Personal Interaction

Online Socialization - Introductions with Responses

Post Homepages Q & A Chat Session with Instructor Group Students into smaller groups from Large

Classes Infuse personality with tone, graphics and humor

Strategy #2 – Web Quest

A WebQuest is a form of project-based and problem-based learning in which the resources (and often the tasks and resources) are located on the Web and accessed via links.

Exampleshttp://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/taskonomy.html

Strategy #3 – Net Meetings

Real time chat sessions Chat sessions with “experts”

Have students prepare questions prior to meeting

Example: A Human Resource Management Class could have a director of human resources log-in to WebCT at a certain time with the entire class to conduct a virtual meeting with questions and answers.

Strategy #4 – Use Real World Scenarios

Access to simulations of processes that cannot feasibly be recreated gives students a chance to ‘situate’ learning that would otherwise remain theoretical.

At the same time there are opportunities to allow students to engage in activities which in the real world would be too expensive, dangerous, time-consuming or unethical.

As errors are ‘forgiven’, students can learn from their

mistakes.

Strategy #5 – Video Clips

Insert links to video clips that are relevant to the content (example: WebCT Clip)

Record personalized video clips and embed them into WebCT (example: instructor introduction)

Strategy #6 – Round Table Discussion

Use virtual “round table” with audio clips of each persons point of view

Example

Strategy #7 – Instructor/Expert Narration

Use CITDE’s Recording Studio to have “voice over” PowerPoint presentations or notes slides

Example

Strategy #8 – Break Text into Graphics

Break up text and improve appearance and readability with space, graphics, and contrast.

Example

Strategy # 9 – Virtual Flashcards & Crossword Puzzles

Virtual Flashcards allow students to use repetition to learn facts and concepts.

Virtual Crossword Puzzles are a great way for students to learn vocabulary.

Example

Strategy # 10 – Multimedia in Place of Paper Assignments

Have students submit assignments in multimedia form (powerpoint, webpages, animations etc.) instead of paper form.

Example: Virtual Resume