LEARNING STYLES IN PUPILS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL FINAL GRADES

Abstract

Learning styles are a concept that occupies an increasingly important space in pedagogical theory and practice with the aim of improving short-term and long-term teaching outcomes. Kocinski (1984) defines a learning style as the way a person learns most often or the way she/he learns best. In this paper, we have paid special attention to learning styles in pupils in the final grades of primary school, and to what extent the representation of learning styles in pupils depends on gender, age and school success that pupils achieve in learning. In the research, we have used modified diagrams of Kolb’s model dividing learning styles into: activists, thinkers/reflectors, theorists, and pragmatists. The sample has consisted of 802 pupils in the final grades of primary school (seventh, eighth and ninth). We have started from the assumption that certain differences exist in the representation of learning styles depending on the gender, age and success of pupils. The obtained results have shown that the given hypothesis has been partially confirmed. Differences in learning styles among pupils depending on their gender have been found in those who use activist’s style and thinker’s/reflector’s style. A significant difference in the representation of learning styles in pupils depending on age has not been registered, while the difference in the representation of learning styles in pupils regarding school success has been found in pupils preferring the style of theorist and pragmatist. The obtained research results will serve the purpose of improving the efficiency of the acquisition of acquired knowledge, and indicate which of the learning styles should be encouraged in pupils. Article visualizations: