Identification of perceptual learning style differences and the impact thereof upon individual university students

Author

Leonard L. Schaiper

Date of Award

12-1983

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Curriculum and Instruction

Major Professor

Russell L. French

Committee Members

John Lovell, Bob Howard, Ken McCullough

Abstract

This study focused on the measurement of individual perceptual learning styles. The seven measured styles were; print, aural, inter active, visual, haptic, kinesthetic, and olfactory. Three individual types of measurement processes were used sequentially in this study. First, a self report inventory, the Perceptual Modality Preference Survey (PMPS), was completed by each subject. Second, the subjects performed learning tasks in the Multi-Modal Paired Associates Learning Test (MMPALT-II). The subjects individually participated in an interview, the Perceptual Style Interview (PSl), to complete the study.

The population included fifty-three university student volunteers majoring in some field of human services. The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 30 and included 45 females and 8 males. Most were education majors.

The PMPS was used to identify the pattern of each subject's personal preferences among the styles. The MMPALT-II was used to measure the pattern of actual strengths. Patterns for the entire subject population, subgroups, and individuals were computed. Correlations between the rank orders of the PMPS and MMPALT-II were obtained. The PSI was used to obtain individual perceptions of personal meaning and potential application of perceptual learning style information. The study yielded the following findings:

1. The seven perceptual styles conceptualized by French did exist as perceptual learning styles in this university student population. Individual styles varied.

2. Overall, the most dominant perceptual learning style strength measured was the visual modality; print and interactive were also strong. The interactive and kinesthetic modalities were the most dominant preferences.

3. Age, gender, and formal education appear to be significant variables related to perceptual learning style.

4. Correlations between rank orders of preferences and rank orders of empirical test data were low to slight.

5. The subjects generally perceived their participation in this study to be most valuable. They projected in their future professional roles various applications of perceptual learning style information. Particularly variable was the information about perceptual learning style strengths.

Recommended Citation

Schaiper, Leonard L., "Identification of perceptual learning style differences and the impact thereof upon individual university students. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1983.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/13130