Vocational Students' Learning Preferences: The Interpretability of Ipsative Data

2000 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Smith

A number of researchers have argued that ipsative data are not suitable for statistical procedures designed for normative data. Others have argued that the interpretability of such analyses of ipsative data are little affected where the number of variables and the sample size are sufficiently large. The research reported here represents a factor analysis of the scores on the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory for 1,252 students in vocational education. The results of the factor analysis of these ipsative data were examined in a context of existing theory and research on vocational students and lend support to the argument that the factor analysis of ipsative data can provide sensibly interpretable results.

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110223
Author(s):  
Nabia Luqman Siddiquei ◽  
Ruhi Khalid

The present study aimed to develop an indigenous measure of learning styles for e-learners in Pakistan and to establish its psychometric properties. The objectives of the study were attained via three studies. First, the items for the development of the Learning Style Scale for e-Learners (e-LSS) were generated empirically based on a 5-point Likert-type scale. In Study I, the internal consistency and dimensionality of the measure were determined by sampling 360 e-learners aged from 20 to 40 years through a convenient sampling technique, whereas other demographic characteristics were kept in close consideration. For this purpose, exploratory factor analysis was utilized. In Study II of scale development, the factor structure that emerged in Study I was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling. In Study III, the convergent and divergent validities of the newly constructed scale were established by correlating scores with preestablished scale scores that assess the similar construct (i.e., LSS) and with scores on the discriminant construct (i.e., Solving Problems Survey). The sample for this study consisted of 80 e-learners aged from 20 to 40 years. A total of 29 items were confirmed in the final scale with 8 distinctive factors (namely, visual, auditory, kinesthetic, global, analytical, individual, collaborative, and technological type) with sound psychometric properties. To conclude, the newly constructed scale was a significant addition to assess learning styles particularly of e-learners in the context of Pakistan.


Author(s):  
Petra Langerová

The paper deals with the process and results of a pilot study of a language learning styles questionnaire (Ehrman & Leaver, 2003) translated into Czech. The questionnaire is based on psychological personality typology and it focuses on cognitive dimensions of the language learning process. In order to test the reliability of the translation an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed, as the data on the original questionnaire reliability are not available. Factor analysis did not confirm the reliability of the Czech version scale. However, the original questionnaire setting suggests that it is not constructed of independent factors, thus a factor analysis cannot identify independent dimensions. Considering the piloting results analysis is the EFA does not appear as a relevant method for measuring the reliability of the questionnaire scales. The research will thus use the piloted Czech version of the questionnaire followed by a qualitative research stage.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadrina Sadrina ◽  
Ramlee Mustapha ◽  
Muhammad Ichsan

Technical and Vocational Education is one of the various disciplines that believed could encourage the country’s economic growth. Project-Based Learning or PBL was introduced in the Malaysian polytechnics curriculum in terms to produce creative and innovative graduates Thus, Project-Based Learning was introduced because of the ineffectiveness of the traditional lecture method. This study was a kind of descriptive study intended to examine the perception of students and supervisors regarding the Project-Based Learning at one Polytechnic in Malaysia. A population of 170 would be represented by a sample size of 118 respondents and 43 supervisors to participate in the study. The result found that the significant aspect to be included in Project-Based Learning is effective supervising skills. However, from the data, some supervisors have no proficiency skills of Project-Based Learning. Based on the empirical data which derived from the present study, a new framework for Project-Based Learning is suggested for the polytechnics system.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-238
Author(s):  
Vi Hoang Dang

Stakeholders’ perceptions towards a career in vocational education and training (VET) in Vietnam negate the country’s industrial development plan. During the last 15 years, the Vietnamese Governments investment in to the sector increased annually. However, parents and their children still pursue the goal of higher education via the mainstream rather than a career path way using the vocational education and training system. Although stereotypical views of vocational students are being challenged, Confucian ideology maintains some influence over stakeholders’ educational decisions leading to the sustained popularity of higher education. This study explores the perceptions of students on the image of and their loyalty towards vocational education and training. A sample of 300 lower secondary school, 300 upper secondary school, and 300 vocational students was drawn from across the Northern and Southern regions of Vietnam. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data and mean analysis conducted to explore the data. The findings indicate that agreement with statements about facilities and equipment, teacher’s ability, curriculum, and soft skills are the clearest indicators of enhanced perceptions about the image of vocational education and training. Encouragement from parents appears most influential to positively affecting lower secondary students’ loyalty. Unexpected was that vocational students had less interesting continuing in vocational education and training compared to lower and upper secondary school students inclination towards a career in VET. First-hand experience seemingly leads to diminished perceptions and loyalty towards vocational education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-140
Author(s):  
Wichian Deechai ◽  
Thanongsak Sovajassatakul ◽  
Sirirat Petsangsri

Abstract The objective of this research was to evaluate the need for blended learning development to enhance the critical thinking of students. Selected by using multistage random sampling, the 450 samples comprised of 376 vocational students and 69 teachers at vocational level. The research instrument used was a needs evaluation form, which was necessary to improve blended learning to enhance critical thinking. The index of consistency (IOC) was between 0.56-1.00, and the total reliability was 0.94. The research was conducted and data collected from July 2018 to August 2018. 445 completed evaluation forms, 98.88% of the total sent out, were returned to researchers. Frequency, percentage, PNI(Modified), and content analysis were used to analyze the data. The research results showed that the vocational students and teachers agreed on the same point that there should be development of student critical thinking skills. This development should comprise of critical thinking skills, learning achievement, and learning management. The recommendations made for improvement were to increase discipline within educational institutes, and to change and add facilities to support modern learning styles. Testing styles should be modern and correspond to student contexts. Moreover, learning styles should be improved to be up-to-date and to correspond to students’ needs and their real lives.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michèle Orban

<p>Student differences become more and more acute in today’s classrooms. Our modern world is rapidly changing and the classroom societies become more and more diverse. There is an urgent need for teachers to react to these changes and particularly the classroom diversity in order to ensure learning. This thesis examines instruction methods that create a differentiated learning environment. It built on the experiences of teaching experts in the area of differentiated instruction and sought to discover effective methods to teach in a differentiated way. The methodological approach was a multiple case study lead under a constructionist approach. Four teachers who considered themselves as experts in the area of differentiated instruction volunteered to take part. They have been observed in their work environment, and their experiences and methods have been questioned in two interviews. A vivo approach has been used to transcribe the interviews and data has been analysed through analytic induction. Teachers generally agreed on differentiated instruction being a key feature of modern teaching. They admitted that they wouldn’t want to teach in any other way. All four participants organised their instruction majorly around ability group teaching and differentiated according to the students’ readiness to learn. They sometimes differentiated through interest but only rarely considered differentiation through learning styles and learning preferences when planning their activities. Nevertheless they used many methods aiming to reach every student’s preferred sensory channel or intelligence at some point rather than differentiating through it. Overall, the researcher could observe students that seemed to be at ease and to be working according to their needs. The findings from the research identified that differentiated instruction is not a myth which only exists in literature, but that it actually can be put into practice. Various teaching methods were considered and the difficulties they implicate were being discussed. Readers can learn from the participants’ teaching methods and reuse them in teaching situations. In observed classroom situations, their methods proved to be valuable and of considerable use. They can offer the readers an exciting approach to teaching and give teachers new ideas to vary their instruction. Nevertheless they cannot be generalized. There are many successful ways of teaching, in order to get to know more, further research would need to occur.</p>


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