EFFECTS OF CONVERGING AND DIVERGING KOLB-LEARNING STYLES ON PERFORMANCE IN ALGEBRA AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ZARIA , KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of converging and diverging Kolb – learning styles preference on the academic performance of secondary school students in Mathematics in Zaria, Kaduna state. Three objectives, three research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated. The study was on the effect of two Kolb – learning styles for teaching of Mathematics in Kaduna state. A quasi experimental control design was used involving pre and post test. A total of 2773 students was the population of the study. One Hundred and Twenty students (120) were randomly selected for the experiment using simple random sampling (volunteers) method. Algebra Concepts Performance Test (ACPT) was adopted as an instrument for data collection and Kolb – learning style inventory (KLSI). The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics while null hypotheses were analyzed using independent sample t – test at P ≤ 0.05 level of significance by the aid of computer software SPSS 16.0 version. The following findings were made; (i) significant difference was observed on the performance of students exposed to converging and diverging Kolb – learning style preference. (ii) Significant difference was observed on the academic performance between male and female students exposed to KLS teaching methods. (iii) It was observed that Kolb – converging learning style was more effective than the Kolb – divergent learning style as discovered in this study. On the basis of the findings some recommendations were made. The major recommendation is that Mathematics teachers should identify students learning style preference so that students would participate actively in the learning / teaching algebraic concept for the improvement in the academic performance at the Secondary school level among others