Why Learning Styles Matter for Student Achievement in College Economics

This paper explores the link between student achievement and student learning styles in a college microeconomics course, based on the Dunn and Dunn model of learning styles. The Productivity Environmental Survey (PEPS) is utilized to measure learning style preferences for twenty elements. Factor analysis is applied to reduce the multidimensional preferences to a smaller set of common factors that identify analytic, global or indifferent learning styles. The common factors are used as explanatory variables to measure the correlation between student achievement and their learning styles. The empirical methodology developed in this study also provides a test of the internal validity of the Dunn and Dunn model, the construct validity of the PEPS instrument and the predictive validity of the model. The authors explain how the results of the current research could be utilized to more generally enhance student achievement in the instruction of introductory economics and potentially other subject matter. Introduction Instructors of college economics courses are devoting more of their time to teaching (Becker and Watts, 2001). This is a positive development in the field of economics if one accepts David Colander’s assertion: “Teaching is the most important thing that economists do.” (Colander 2006, p. vii) But, contrary to other fields of higher education, economics instructors continue to predominantly utilize the chalk-and-talk method of teaching (Becker and Watts 2001). The chalk-and-talk teaching method utilizes lectures with supporting notes, equations and graphs written on the chalkboard. Dunn (2000) hypothesizes that this chalk and talk method of teaching ignores differences in students’ learning styles and the potential increase in student achievement associated with matching instructors’ teaching methods with students’ learning styles. It is ironic that the practitioners of the discipline devoted to the study of efficiency principles are implicitly accused of being inefficient in their approach to teaching that discipline. According to the Dunn and Dunn learning styles methodology (Dunn, 2000), the optimal method of teaching is the method that most closely matches students’ learning styles. Learning styles are composed of multidimensional preferences for elements within environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological and psychological strands. This paper tests whether student achievement actually is enhanced, as Dunn (2000) argues, depending on the extent to which the method of teaching matches students’ learning styles. Through the use of factor analysis to extract students’ learning styles, the methodology developed in this investigation is an improvement over previous research methods (e.g., Terregrossa, Englander and Englander 2008) utilized to identify 1 Terregrossa, St. John’s University; Englander, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Wang, Fairleigh Dickinson University. 17 JOURNAL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATORS, 9(1), SUMMER 2009 the relationship between students’ learning styles and their achievement. A high degree of multicollinearity inherently exists among the twenty learning style elements comprising each student’s learning style profile. To ameliorate this problem, factor analysis is used to extract meaningful learning style measures which are devoid of inherent statistical anomalies resulting from the high degree of interrelationships that characterize various learning style preference elements. The Dunn and Dunn model (Dunn 2000) hypothesizes that global, analytic or indifferent (i.e., a combination of the global and analytic) learning styles correlate with inherent preferences for certain discriminating elements within the five strands. In this study, the Dunn, Dunn and Price (2006) Productivity Environmental Survey (PEPS) is utilized to measure students’ preferences for the twenty elements within the five strands. Student achievement, measured by examination scores, is regressed against the learning style factors, in addition to other student characteristics. In this way, the statistical association of students’ learning styles with student achievement is estimated. The empirical methodology developed in this study also provides important insight regarding both the efficacy of the Dunn and Dunn paradigm and the construct validity of the PEPS instrument. In this case, construct validity refers to the extent to which the PEPS instrument measures students’ learning styles in a way that corresponds to the Dunn and Dunn paradigm. If the PEPS instrument differentiates between global, analytic and indifferent learners, then factor analysis should identify a distinctive pattern of the discriminating learning style elements for students aligned with each of the alternative learning styles in a way that is consistent with the Dunn and Dunn model. With respect to the efficaciousness of the Dunn and Dunn paradigm, if the empirical methodology predicts differences in student achievement attributable to differences in students’ learning styles that are embodied in the extracted factors, then the Dunn and Dunn paradigm is supported. Such an outcome would create an opportunity for instructors to enhance student achievement by using an instrument such as the PEPS to identify the mix of learning styles of the students in a class and then tailoring teaching methods and strategies accordingly. Literature Review Economists disagree about the importance of utilizing pedagogical principles to enhance student achievement. Colander (2006), states, “Educationalists focus on the structure of, not the content of, education; I see structure as secondary and content as central...Any consideration of teaching that does not put content first...has serious problems”. In contrast, Frank (2007) stresses the relative importance of the manner by which economic content is taught: “The form in which ideas are conveyed is important. Perhaps because our species evolved as storytellers, the human brain is innately receptive to information in narrative form.” Reich (2000) stated, “We’re creating a one-size-fits-all system that needlessly brands many young people as failures, when they might thrive if offered a different education whose progress was measured differently.” Implicit in Reich’s statement is the notion that if students are instructed in a way that more closely matches their learning styles, rather than in a homogeneous manner, students may be more successful academically and thus better equipped to be successful in a changing economy. 18 JOURNAL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATORS, 9(1), SUMMER 2009 An increase in academic achievement associated with matching teaching styles with learning styles is not new to the field of economics. Charkins, O’Toole, and Wetzel (1985) estimated the impact that the divergence of instructors’ teaching styles and students’ learning styles had on student achievement and attitude in introductory economics courses. The results of their study indicated that students learned more, and had a more positive attitude toward learning, the smaller the divergence between teaching and learning styles. Brokaw and Merz (2000) examined the effects that both learning styles and student behavior have on student achievement in principles of microeconomics courses. Their results indicated that the students whose learning styles matched their instructors’ “chalk and talk” style had significantly higher grades than those students whose learning styles did not match. In general, they found that when a student’s learning style matches the instructor’s teaching style, student achievement improved by half a letter grade. Coffield, Moseley, Hall, and Ecclestone’s (2004) comprehensive review of learning styles models emphasizes that an instructor wishing to utilize a learning style approach must decide which of the many different learning style theories or approaches is to be adopted. Praise and criticism of each of the learning style models abounds. Coffield et al. (2004) examine thirteen of the most influential learning styles models, including the Dunn and Dunn model, with a particular focus on the validity, reliability and practical application of the alternative models. With regard to the Dunn and Dunn model, Coffield et al. (2004), conclude, “Despite a large and evolving research programme, forceful claims made for impact are questionable because of limitations in many of the supporting studies and the lack of independent research on the model.” This assessment echoes earlier criticisms offered by Kavale, Hishoren, and Forness (1998). However, Coffield et al. (2004) report that the Dunn and Dunn model meets one critical criterion: predictive validity--the extent to which a set of scores predicts an expected outcome. Milton Friedman (1953), stated, “The only relevant test of the validity of a hypothesis (model) is comparison of its prediction with experience.” Thus, the fact that Coffield et al. (2004) find that the Dunn and Dunn model exhibits predictive validity seems to lend credence to the Dunn and Dunn paradigm. Hawk and Shah (2007) examined five prominent learning style models and instruments, including the Dunn and Dunn model and PEPS instrument. Hawk and Shaw (2007, p.10) report, “There is solid support for instrument validity and reliability for the LSI [Kolb (1979) model learning style instrument]...and PEPS instruments...If cost is not a constraining factor then the LSI and PEPS ...would give the most valid and reliable coverage of student learning styles...”. Hawk and Shaw (2007, p.11) suggest, “knowledge of the overall learning style profile of classes allows us to make adjustments to our learning approaches as the profile changes from course to course and across semesters. We believe that student performance improves as a result of our use of the learning style instruments, although we have no empirical data of our own to support that belief.” Utilization of information regarding the learning style profile of a cohort of students to tailor pedagogy to enhance student achievement is consistent with the Dunn and Dunn learning styles methodology (Dunn 2000). Given the impracticality of 19 JOURNAL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATORS, 9(1), SUMMER 2009 designing a teaching strategy that matches each student’s learning style, Dunn (2000) suggests an alternative method that allows instructors to capitalize on students’ learning style preferences. The method involves the use of the PEPS instrument to “identify individual and group patterns among students’ learning style preferences and develop teaching style strategies to respond to those patterns” (Dunn 2000, p. x). The Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model An individual’s learning style is determined by a combination of environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological and psychological elements. The environmental elements include noise (background silence versus music or conversation), light (soft or bright lighting), temperature (cool or warm), and design (informal versus formal seating) (Dunn, 2000). The emotional elements include motivation (self-directed versus external), persistence, responsible (conformity to societal norms) and structure (preference for internal or external direction). Sociological elements reflect with whom each student prefers to learn and the preferred manner in which the material is learned. Analytic learners prefer to learn alone, while global learners prefer to learn in pairs, with peers, or as part of a team. The manner in which the material is learned refers to whether students learn with an authoritative adult or with a collegial individual. This element also refers to whether a student likes to learn using a variety of methods or by using established routines. Physiological elements include perceptual modalities. Some students learn better with print material (visual), with lectures (auditory), by touch (tactual) or by doing (kinesthetic). Also included are preferences for intake (snacks), time of day and mobility (moving around while learning as opposed to sitting still.) Psychological elements refer to the ways students absorb and process new information. This includes global versus analytic learning approaches. “Analytics learn more easily when information is presented step by step in a cumulative sequential pattern that builds toward a conceptual understanding. Globals learn more easily when they understand the concept first and then concentrate on the details, or are introduced to the information with, preferably, a humorous story replete with examples and graphics.” (Dunn and Dunn, 1993). According to the Dunn and Dunn model (Dunn 2000) analytic and global learners have different environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological and psychological preferences. The model hypothesizes that preferences for noise, light, design, persistence, and intake distinguish analytic learners from global learners (Dunn, 2000). Analytic learners learn best in a quiet, brightly lighted and formal learning environment. They prefer to start and finish one project at a time, and do not snack while learning. Global learners learn best with background noise, soft light in a relaxed learning environment. They simultaneously work on several projects, take frequent breaks, and enjoy snacks when learning. Global learners prefer new and difficult information to be introduced anecdotally, especially in a way that humorously explains how the lesson relates to them. Hence, five of the twenty learning style elements from the PEPS survey instrument can be utilized as discriminators in order to categorize a student as an analytical learner or a global learner: preference for noise, preference for light, preference for formality of design in the location where the studying/learning takes 20 JOURNAL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATORS, 9(1), SUMMER 2009 place, preference for being persistent (avoiding interruptions while studying), and preference for food or drink intake while studying. The five elements are listed separately in Table 1 along with the correlation that each element is hypothesized to have with the ability of analytical and global learners to perform well under the respective conditions. Table 1: The Discriminating Elements to Distinguish Analytic and Global Learners and the Hypothesized Relationship to Each Category Discriminating Element Analytic Learners Global Learners Noise Negative Positive Light Positive Negative Design Positive Negative Persistence Positive Negative Food Intake Negative Positive Applying Analytical and Global Teaching Methods The following example elucidates alternative pedagogical methods that may be utilized to accommodate analytic and global students in the principles of microeconomics course. Say, for example, that the ultimate goal of the lesson is for the students to understand how a market establishes an equilibrium price. Method 1. Analytic Teaching Method--At the start of the analysis, the instructor provides a detailed list that includes dates of all reading, written and mathematical assignments, quizzes and tests. The instructor explains that consumer preference theory will be developed to derive a demand curve that represents consumers’ marginal willingness and ability to pay for a good. Students are introduced to the abstract theory of indifference curves, budget constraints and constrained optimization techniques. Next, the instructor explains that the theory of the firm is utilized to derive a short-run production function from which the total, average and marginal cost curves are derived. The notion of a perfectly competitive market structure is introduced and the supply curve for the typical firm within the industry is derived. The economic profit, break-even, economic loss, and shut-down cases are analyzed. The industry supply and demand curves are derived from the individual firms’ supply curves and individual consumers’ demand curves. Finally, the equilibrium price is determined by the intersection of the industry supply and demand curves. At each stage of the analysis, the instructor writes the outline of the lesson on the chalkboard and highlights and defines key words. Each principle is reinforced with numerous examples, sidebars, and numerical illustrations. In this way, price theory proceeds from one distinct, easily digestible, sequential segment to another, ultimately leading to a comprehensive understanding of price determination in a market system that is more consistent with the analytic learning style. Method 2. Global Teaching Method--At the start of the analysis the instructor explains to the students that, in light of the Obama administration’s social commitment to the development and utilization of alternative fuels, increased fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, consumers in the United States have chosen Toyota’s Prius as the “hybrid 21 JOURNAL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATORS, 9(1), SUMMER 2009 superstar.” It has been predicted that the 2010 model will have a combined city-highway rating of fifty miles per gallon which not only is better than any car sold in the U.S., but, particularly for the wealthier students, is 400 percent better than the Lamborghinni Murcielago Roadster (Garrett, 2009). Following the informative and perhaps humorous anecdote regarding a current market development in an industry that produces a good for which virtually all students have personal experience, knowledge and interest, the instructor asks the students to divide into teams and asks the teams to predict the market price of the 2010 Prius. To begin the analysis, the instructor utilizes the brainstorming method that guides students to list the important factors, i.e., demand and supply, which may determine the price. Next, the instructor suggests that the students visit local Toyota dealerships, search websites such as Toyota.com, Edmunds.com or Kelly’s Blue Book (kb.com), search for information from such publications as Car and Driver magazine, Consumer Reports, New York Times Automobile section, the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Survey of Current Business, utilize websites such as Hoovers Online and Standard & Poor’s Industry Survey. Finally, the instructor suggests that each team create a poster board, Power-Point presentation, conduct a dramatization, or utilize any other creative method to convey and support their analysis and prediction to the class. In this way, price theory is taught in the context of an important current social issue that is meaningful and relevant to the students’ lives, a teaching method that is consistent with the global learning style. Empirical Analysis Data for the 125 students in the study were collected from eight sections of the same introductory microeconomics course that were taught by the same economics instructor over the four semesters from Spring 2003 through Fall 2005. There were 221 students enrolled in those eight sections of a campus at a university in the northeast. The Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) (Dunn, Dunn and Price 2006) instrument, based upon the Dunn and Dunn learning styles methodology (Dunn 2000), is used to identify student preferences for the twenty elements comprising five strands of the learning style model. The PEPS, designed to identify how college students and other adults learn and perform in their academic and occupational pursuits, The introductory microeconomics class in which the subject students were enrolled is the first semester of a two course economics sequence that is required of all business majors. Typically, only about five percent of the students in that class are non-business majors. The business program is accredited by AACSB. 2 Among the 221 students enrolled in the eight introductory microeconomics sections, there were twelve students who withdrew during the respective semesters and eighty-four non-participants, leaving 125 students who chose to participate in the student and complete the PEPS survey and consent to allow access to their student records for SAT and other data. The eighty-four non participants were comprised of (a) students who were not present on the single class meeting when the PEPS survey and the consent forms were distributed and (b) a relatively small number of students who chose not to complete the forms (Keeping a separate record of even the exact number of students who chose not to complete the forms would have been inconsistent with university Institutional Review Board procedures). Nevertheless, a ttest for the comparison of exam score means between the 125 participants and the eighty-four nonparticipants was undertaken and revealed no significant difference between the performances of those two groups. This finding suggests a reasonable comparability between the participant and non-participant