PERCEPTUAL LEARNING STYLES PERCEPTUAL LEARNING STYLES OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

AT TRAT TECHNICAL COLLEGEAT TRAT TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Presented by Nattawut Matluang, Graduate Student, eric.nattawut@gmail.comPattaraporn Thampradit, Associate Professor, tpattaraporn@yahoo.com

Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Industrial Education, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL)

International Conference on InterdisciplinaryResearch and Development in ASEAN Universities

8-10 August, 2013Imperial Mae Ping Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand

INTRODUCTION

PERCEPTUAL LEARNING STYLES PERCEPTUAL LEARNING STYLES OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

AT TRAT TECHNICAL COLLEGEAT TRAT TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

One of the significant languages in the world is definitely English language (Hou, 2009).

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

English is official language in more than 50 countries (CIA, 2012)

Educational Improvement in the 2nd Decade of Education Reform (2011-2018) on English ability (OEC, 2011)

Student should be aware of their learning styles which teachers need to guarantee this (Pask, 1977)

Teachers need to assess the learning styles of their students

INTRODUCTION (Cont.)INTRODUCTION (Cont.)

Knowing students' learning styles is significant in learning.

Only Nimmanpisood (1992) and Buranarek (2002) studied the learning styles in English language on certificate vocational students.

No research emphasized on diploma vocational students'perceptual learning styles in Thailand

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

What are the perceptual learning styles of vocational

education students in six programs at Trat Technical

College?

Are there any differences between the perceptual learning

styles of vocational education students from different

programs?

Objectives of the StudyObjectives of the Study

To compare the perceptual learning styles of vocational education students from different programs at Trat Technical College.

To investigate the perceptual learning styles of the vocational education students in six programs at Trat Technical College.

MATERIALS AND METHODSMATERIALS AND METHODS

The population was 477 diploma students who were learning English as a foreign language at Trat Technical College, Thailand.

The samples were 170 second-year diploma students enrolled in Developing Skills for English Communication 2 in the first semester of academic year 2012.

Population and samplesPopulation and samples

The samples were six programs; Building Construction Technology, Mechanical Technology, Electrical Power Technology, Electronics Technology, Accounting, and Marketing.

To determine students' learning styles using Perceptual Learning Styles Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ)

Questionnaires

PLSPQIndividual

demographic

information

To measure six learning styles; visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, group learning and individual learning styles

MATERIALS AND METHODSMATERIALS AND METHODS

InstrumentInstrument

Perceptual Learning Styles

1) Visual Style: Tendency to learn more effectively through visual perception.

2) Auditory Style: Tendency to learn more effectively through auditory perception.

3) Kinesthetic Style: Tendency to learn more effectively through whole-body movement.

4) Tactile Style: Tendency to learn more effectively through touch and hand-on activity.

5) Group Style: Tendency to learn more effectively through working with others.

6) Individual Style: Tendency to learn more effectively through working alone.

Reid's classification on 3 levels for learning styles preferences

Level of Interpretation Score

Major learning style preference 38 to 50

Minor learning style preference 25 to 37

Negligible learning style preference

0 to 24

Learning styles preferences' average value

Rank Frequency Average

1 The highest 4.50 to 5.00

2 High 3.50 to 4.49

3 Medium 2.50 to 3.49

4 Low 1.50 to 2.49

5 The lowest 1.00 to 1.49

Data Analysis and Statistical Procedures

Analysis of Research toolsAnalysis of Research tools

Validity and reliability of the research tools

Descriptive statistics

- A pilot questionnaire with 65 diploma students in three programs

- Cronbach Alpha was 0.898.

Analysis of research questionsAnalysis of research questions

- Research question one : statistical procedures, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation

- Research question two : One-Way ANOVA at a significance level of p<0.05

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Students' Demographic Background

Table 1. Summary for Demographic Background of Samples by Genders and Programs

Analysis of Research Question One

Research Question One: What are the perceptual learning styles of vocational education students in six programs at Trat Technical College?

Table 2. Mean and Level of Perceptual Learning Styles

The result showed the two levels of perceptual learning styles: Major and Minor levels.

Figure 1 Overall of Mean in Students’ Perceptual Learning Styles

This study confirmed Boonsuk (2008) and Nimmanpisut (1992), they found that Group style was in Major level.While Banban (2010) and Simsek (2005), they indicated that Kinesthetic style was the Major level.

Analysis of Research Question TwoResearch Question Two: Are there any differences between the perceptual learning styles of vocational education students from different programs?

Table 3. The Comparison of Students' Perceptual Learning Styles in 6 Programs

Statistical significant differences : Electrical Power Technology (p=.001), Electronics Technology (p=.002), and Accounting (p=.001)No statistical significant differences : Building Construction Technology (p=.019), Mechanical Technology (p=.113), and Marketing (p=.011)

Table 4. Mean ( ), Standard Derivation (SD) and Rank of Each Learning Styles in each program

All programs of students mostly ranked Individual style as their least learning style preference

This study confirmed Simsek's (2005) and Boonsuk's (2008) findings, they indicated that Individual style was the lowest rank in students’ perceptual learning styles.

The result showed the near paralleled finding with secondary level

Students in six programs preferred Group, Kinesthetic and Auditory learning styles as their major learning styles

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Visual, Tactile and Individual learning styles were employed as their minor learning styles

Statistical significant differences were found according to Learning Styles in three programs: Electrical Power Technology, Electronics Technology, and Accounting.

There was no statistical significant difference of students' learning styles in Building Construction Technology, Mechanical Technology, and Marketing.

This study shows the meaningfulness of perceptual learning styles.

The students’ perceptual learning styles can be the implications for curriculum design e.g. student-centered learning approach in the vocational diploma curriculum (Office of Education Council, 2011).

The classroom of language teaching and learning can be more effective.

Teachers can select the teaching style and materials in their English language classroom i.e. group discussion, role play (Reid, 1995) or game and picture (Singhasiri, 2004).

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