Implications of Learning Styles on Memory Essay Example

incorporating a variety of teaching methods to create an interactive classroom experience. Research suggests that preferences for learning styles tend to develop in individuals over time. Dunn and Dunn (1978) found that approximately thirty percent of students prefer the auditory mode of learning, while an estimated forty percent are visual learners. The remaining students have an equal combination of all learning modalities, including kinesthetic. Additionally, studies show that young children initially prefer kinesthetic learning and gradually develop visual strengths as they progress through elementary school.

Past the primary stage all the way to tertiary levels, learners develop their auditory senses (Price et al., 1980). Carbo (1983) found through research investigations that individuals with high memory retention and good reading skills have a greater preference for learning through auditory and visual modes, while poor readers tend to prefer other methods. Studies have also shown that auditory learners have higher memory retention and are more successful when all learning styles are combined (Peacock, 2001). Regardless of the learning methods used in a classroom, Dunn and Dunn (1978) identified several external factors that affect learners' memory retention capacity.

The natural environment, including light, temperature, and sound, as well as learners' sociological and physical needs and urges, contribute to shaping their learning preferences. Research has shown that learners' learning styles vary based on their regions or cultures. For instance, Reid (1995) found that learning styles in Japan and China were strongly influenced by Confucian principles and philosophies. On the other hand, students in the United States prefer a more hands-on and functional learning style that incorporates both auditory and visual modes. Instructors should always strive to develop innovative methods for

effectively imparting knowledge to students while considering their individual differences.

Studies show that people have a favored learning style, influenced by factors like age, culture, region, learning environment, and emotional maturity. This preference helps with memory retention and allows learners to process information as needed. In today's global society, where information is prized, being able to quickly process it improves adaptability. Thus, individuals should acknowledge their preferred learning style while remaining open to other styles.

The Experiment

A study was conducted with sixty college students to examine how visual and auditory learning styles affect memory retention capacity. The goal of the experiment was to determine which learning style, visual or auditory, enhances memory retention. Before being assigned to different conditions described later in this paper, the students filled out a brief questionnaire. The dependent variable was memory retention capacity, while the independent variables were auditory and visual learning styles. The hypothesis suggested that both instructors and learners' utilization of auditory and visual learning styles impact memory retention capacity.

The aim of the previous experiment was to compare the memory retention of students who embraced visual learning with those who did not. The hypothesis stated that individuals who preferred visual learning would have better memory retention, based on the scientific principle that light travels faster than sound, resulting in visual stimuli being experienced before auditory stimuli. Additionally, visual information is more likely to be remembered due to its lasting impact on the mind.

The Method - Participants

The participants in the experiment were volunteers, consisting of both males and females. There were a total of sixty participants, evenly divided between thirty males and thirty females. All participants were undergraduate college students

aged between twenty-one to twenty-six years old, with an average age of twenty-two years.

All participants had normal vision and hearing ability. Due to their voluntary participation, there was no monetary reward for them, but they were awarded scholarly revision kits for their course.

Materials

The participants completed a questionnaire and were exposed to two conditions of stimuli that served as study materials. The study materials included colored pattern pictures displayed on slides on flipcharts. The colors identified in the pictures were red, green, and blue. The pictures also featured three distinct shapes: square, triangular, and rectangular. In addition to the pictures, words from a recorded speech were also part of the study materials.

The shapes on the flipcharts were colored red, green, and blue: squares, triangles, and rectangles respectively. Participants were given marker pens in these three colors to use. The recorded speech lasted for four minutes and was played through loud speakers. The speech had words that followed a specific rhyme and rhythm. Additionally, participants had access to pens and sixty foolscaps with a distinct logo to depict what they heard in the recording.

The questionnaire consisted of seven qualitative questions. The procedure started with an opening remark to inform the participants of the expectations. During the activities, participants were required to identify themselves using assigned codes. They were given a twenty-minute time limit to complete the questionnaire.

The survey required participants to identify themselves using assigned number codes: females with code numbers one to thirty, and males with code numbers thirty-one to sixty. All questions on the questionnaire had to be answered. After completing the survey, participants were taken to a separate room. In the room, an instructor

showed them colored picture patterns. Participants were instructed to fill in the blanks on flip charts that replicated the fixed pattern they had seen during a ten-minute observation period.

Every participant completed the blank spaces on their own while being supervised to prevent peer influence. Subsequently, they listened to a recorded speech that was replayed four times. They were then provided with pens and foolscaps to transcribe what they had heard, also under supervision. All of these steps were overseen by the same instructor, and the recorded speech was delivered by the same instructor as well. The instructor reviewed the responses and assigned scores for each exercise. The questionnaire included qualitative inquiries aimed at identifying individual preferences for learning styles.

Analysis of the picture pattern and the presentation of the recorded speech activities were conducted to provide evidence of the participants' responses in the questionnaires and also to demonstrate their memory retention abilities. It should be noted that the activities carried out in the experiment were in accordance with the study's hypothesis. The overall results indicated that forty-three individuals preferred the visual style of learning, while seventeen preferred the auditory style for memory retention.

References

• Brown, H. (2000). Principles of Language Teaching and Learning.
• White Plains, New York: Longman Cuaresma, J. (2008). Learning style preferences and academic performance of PHEM majors at the University of the Cordilleras. Baguio City.
• Dunn, R. & Dunn, K.

(1978). Teaching Students through their Individual Learning Styles. A Practical Approach. Reston VA: Reston Publishing Company.

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• Peacock, M. (2001). Match or mismatch? Learning styles and teaching styles in EFL. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 11 (1), 1-20.
• Price, G., Dunn,
  

R.

& Sander, W. (1980). Reading achievement and learning style characteristics, The Clearing House. Reid, M. (1995).

Learning Styles in the ESL/EFL Classroom is a book published in the USA by Brooks/Thomson Learning.