An Examination of the Sixth Graders’ Learning Styles and Conceptual Understanding of Integers

Abstract

In the present study, it was evaluated whether the learning styles of the students had an effect on their level of conceptual understanding of integers in mathematics and their views regarding the use of analogy. In the current "single-group pre- and post-test" design, the study group consisted of 52 sixth grade students. The learning style inventory, conceptual understanding test, and visual analogy supported mathematics teaching evaluation form were applied to the students. For quantitative data, the nonparametric Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, Kruskal Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann Whitney U test analyses conducted while the qualitative data were evaluated using the content analysis technique. Statistically significant increase in students’ conceptual understanding of integers was found when pre- and post-test scores compared. The post-test scores of visual students were statistically significantly higher than those of both the auditory and tactile/kinesthetic students. Another finding of the study indicated that the students expressed a positive opinion on visual analogy-supported mathematics teaching approach; however, there was no statistically significant difference in student’ perspectives among their learning styles.