Effect of Teaching and Learning Styles on the Performance of Freshman Engineering Students in Algebra

Vilma  G. Santos,; Janelle  O. Peralta,

Effect of Teaching and Learning Styles on the Performance of Freshman Engineering Students in Algebra

Abstract:

Faculty members should determine the factors that contribute to poor performance of both teachers and students through regular monitoring and evaluation of the teaching and learning process. Teaching styles seem to vary as much as learning styles. Matching teaching style to learning style is not a panacea that solves all classroom conflicts. Other factors such as classroom climate, previous background, motivation, and gender will of course greatly influence the amount and quality of learning that takes place. Still, for math teachers, being self reflective and explicit about the role of learning styles can make teaching more rewarding and enhance student learning at the same time. Hence, it is deemed necessary to assess the students’ learning styles and teachers’ teaching styles. This research was conducted to identify and assess teaching and learning styles and its effect on performance of freshman engineering students of TIP Manila in algebra during the first semester of school year 2007-2008.

The primary sources of data were obtained from the survey questionnaire. Two hundred thirty three samples were taken from the population of 556 freshman engineering students. Data were gathered from students’ responses to online learning style survey, teachers’ responses to online teaching style questionnaire and from school records as regards to the students’ final grades in algebra. The measures of the other variables included in the study were gathered through the survey instruments.