Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

3-1985

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Educational Psychology

Major Professor

Luther M. Kindall, Lawrence M. DeRidder

Committee Members

Katherine Kopp, William Poppen, Donald Dickinson

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the correlations between learning style, level of formal operations, ACT scores, and grade point averages in specified content areas of undergraduate college students. A secondary objective was to explore the association between age and level of education, learning style and formal operations. These relationships were investigated in a study with 78 sophomore, junior, and senior students at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, during October 1984. Data were collected using the Schmeck, Ramanaiah, Ribich Inventory of Learning Processes, the Burney Logical Reasoning Test, and from students' academic records.

The results showed significant correlations (p < .0001) between the dimensions of learning style (deep processing, elaborative processing, shallow processing, methodical study) in both the humanities/social sciences and mathematics/natural sciences content areas. In addition, significant positive correlations (p < .05) were found between level of formal operations and natural science, mathematics, and social studies ACT scores and grade point averages in both humanities/social sciences and mathematics/natural sciences courses. Similarly, the deep processing learning style dimension was significantly positively correlated (p < .05) with ACT scores in all areas and with grade point averages in all content areas. However, negligible or significant negative correlations were found between the learning style dimensions of shallow processing, methodical study. VI elaborative processing and formal operations, grade point averages and ACT scores in all areas. Age was only found to be significantly positively correlated with methodical study and level of education with shallow processing.

Thus, it was concluded from this study that: (1) a high level of propositional logic and reasoning as well as syllogistic and analogical reasoning, and (2) the ability to analyze and synthesize information are related to a high level of achievement in college. This relationship is more significant in mathematics/natural sciences than in humanities/ social sciences courses. On the other hand, verbatim memorization, organized study habits, and the ability to personalize information are minimally related to achievement.

Further research was recommended to: (1) explore the effect of educational experiences in developing deep processing and formal operations and, (2) further clarify the relationship of age and level of education to learning styles and formal operations, and elaborative processing to the achievement variables.

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