LEARNING STYLES OF MINORITY STUDENTS (NATIVE AMERICANS) AND THEIR APPLICATION IN DEVELOPING A CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SCIENCE CLASSROOM

Abstract

This exploratory study was designed to investigate learning styles indigenous to the culture of native students enrolled in community college level biology. Results obtained when compared with a nonnative reference population indicate (1) native and reference population had more similar than dissimilar learning styles, (2) that native students were more visual linguistic but less auditory and numerical linguistic than the reference population, and (3) native students preferred not to express themselves orally. With these findings, pedagogical changes were implemented into the classroom. Such changes provide for a descriptive analysis and suggestions for others teaching minorities, Native Americans in particular.