It is the reality that students have diverse learning
styles; they acquire and process information in different ways. Knowing
students' learning types can help teachers organize their classes so that they
can reach each main learning style with scheduled activities. Knowledge of
learning styles, like all other teaching tools, can only be effective if other
aspects of teaching are available (Mamchur, 1996). Learning styles are
patterns of learning behavior that enhance the performance of an individual to
absorb new skills and information for the development of the educational system
as well as the method through which that information or skill is retained (Sarasin,
1999).
Learning styles describe learners acquiring and comprehending new information and
skills. As a result, a pupil's learning style is inextricably linked to how he
absorbs and remembers information. Scholars face difficulty absorbing
information and learning assessed on that material in a way that is not
appropriate for them. There isn't much learning when instructions don't fit the
needs of a certain learning style. Some argue that the classroom may have
teacher-centered. In 1996, Anthony Others adopted a learner-centered strategy.
They see themselves as a facilitator of student learning than a teacher. Even
if a person has a strong, favored teaching style, they will frequently
incorporate components of other techniques.
There
are significant changes to learning and the use of information by teachers.
Instead of covering the curriculum, students'-centered education focuses on
teaching for understanding. Students' learning provides learning settings that
encourage students to question abou views, investigate thinking, and
incorporate experiences. Instructors and learning experience designers should
be aware of the variety of learning styles so that they may incorporate and
help students. This technique does not have to be pursued to its logical
conclusion, but simple changes frequently increase its usability for different
types of learning. Students with a variety of learning styles will benefit from
instruction that emphasizes problem-solving. Teachers with teaching techniques
are diversified and adaptable enough to match the diverse learning styles of
kids who are not always school-oriented. Second, teachers can demonstrate to
children that they value each student's uniqueness and integrity. Third,
because learning styles are linked to teaching styles, teachers can better
grasp the strengths and shortcomings of their own teaching methods. Fourth,
instructors can acquire insight into how they collaborate in this unique
environment known as school. According to Lage, 2000, when teaching methods
match learning styles, more learning occurs.
Teaching Styles
The
technique by which we impart knowledge and information to pupils is referred to
as the teaching style. According to Reinsmith (1994), the effectiveness with
which we demonstrate our teaching approaches has two consequences for students.
It can help to learn new information and abilities, and it has an impact on the
learning styles that our children use. The manner in which teachers present the
subject matter is determined by their personal attributes. According to Grasha
(1994),
the relationship between personal attributes, the instructional procedures
teachers use to impart discipline, and the learning styles children exhibit.
Teaching styles are defined as the set of beliefs, needs, and behavior that
faculty members exhibit in the classroom. In this study, the Grasha-Riechmann
teaching style model was applied. The five teaching methods identified by
Anthony (1994) are depicted below.
Types of Teaching Styles
Expert: The teacher is knowledgeable in areas
that the students require. By demonstrating thorough knowledge and challenging
students to improve their competency, he seeks to preserve his standing as an
expert among students. Formal Authority: A teacher-centered method in which the
teacher is accountable for managing and supplying knowledge to be received and assimilated
by the students. The formal authority figure is unconcerned with developing,
nor is it significant whether the students develop ties with one another. A
teacher-centered strategy in which the teacher displays and models what is
anticipated to aid students in implementing the information. This teaching
method fosters student participation and incorporates a variety of learning
methods.
Facilitator: A
student-centered approach in which the instructor guides and directs
activities. Students are expected to demonstrate initiative in order to attain
tasks: students that are self-motivated, active, and collaborative excel in
this setting. Typically, instructors create group activities that require
student communication and problem-solving.
Delegator: A
student-centered method in which the teacher delegated and placed a great
responsibility for pupils. This style of educator will frequently ask pupils to
create and implement complex learning and will only provide advice. Finding
effective teaching tactics and methodologies that can enhance learning
activities and improve students' academic performance is one of the biggest
problems for teachers (Grasha, 2003).
Students' learning
methods might also help them achieve good academic performance. Several recent
studies have found that students' learning styles influence their academic
achievement, and several writers argue that understanding their learning styles
is critical to improving students' academic success (Guraya, 2015). According to a study
by Sriphai, Damrongpanit, and Sakulku, effective learning styles are one of the
indicators of student success in their learning activities, aside from effort
and hard work (Lai, 2015). A learning style is a method of learning
that is tailored to each individual and is thought to help them learn more
effectively. Students learn in a variety of ways, and each has their own
preferences or learning styles in terms of how they process and recognize
knowledge. Taking different learning styles into account will have a big impact
on pupils' as well as teaching-learning progress. Students are more likely to
become inattentive and bored in class, become discouraged about courses,
perform poorly (Dogra et al., 2016).
In exchange, the
findings of this study will serve as the foundation for improving teaching and
learning methodologies that will increase not only pupils' achievement but also
their capabilities as quality care providers. Teachers
alter concepts, methods, and behaviors to help students learn using teaching
styles, also known as teaching approaches. Teaching styles can be seen in how
educators to students transmit knowledge, communicate learning assignments in
progress, and involve students' activities (Grasha, 2003).
Teaching styles and students' learning styles, academic gains, and expert
entities. Medical faculty must adapt their teaching strategies to the changing
environment of medical education, which emphasizes learning approaches (Guraya,
2015).
As a result of these
developments, the conventional authoritative position of the teacher has been
replaced by more supervisory and mentoring traditions. This has undoubtedly
caused concern among educators accustomed to didactic lecturing in which they
serve as the sole source of information with limited interaction with students
(Dogra
et al., 2016;
Ford
et al., 2016).
Teachers with teaching
styles recognize a variety of teaching tactics that are appropriate for various
circumstances and pupils (Grasha, 1996). Similarly, a
conscious identification of an individual's teaching style enhances his
knowledge and abilities in teaching tactics, methods, and the right use of
technology to more efficiently organize learning-teaching processes.
In the literature, many
teaching style inventories have been reported. Among these, Leung et al.'s list
four different teaching styles: suggestive, assertive, facilitative, and
collaborative. They analyzed psychometric testing and prediction validity. On
the other hand, Zhang, on the other hand, has created the 32-item Effective
Teacher Inventory, which provides a self-reported study of teachers' academic
concepts of actual teaching. This inventory, however, does not provide
behavioral or qualitative markers of teaching methods for teachers. One
prominent model is credited to Grasha. The model includes five traditional
teaching styles, including
1.
Expert:
By providing students with accurate information, the instructor demonstrates
that he or she is informed and a topic expert.
2.
Formal
authority: the teacher serves as a manager, enforcing appropriate and strict
regulations in the classroom.
3.
Demonstrator:
the instructor acts as a role model for the pupils, encouraging them to use one
method that the teacher believes is effective.
4.
Facilitator:
the teacher directs and helps pupils by asking questions, exploring choices,
and providing feedback. They are encouraged to build criteria in order to make
informed decisions by presenting alternatives and encouraging them to develop
criteria.
5.
Delegator:
the teacher is linked with the autonomy of students.
Several
studies have used Garcia's Teaching Style Inventory to determine the teaching
styles of teachers (Darvish & Roudbari, 2012; Razeghinejad,
et al., 2010;
Azizi
et al., 2015;
Mohanna et al., 2007),
but none compared with teaching styles of medical teachers. Comparing teaching
styles in institutions with similar curricula might provide useful information
for building a common teaching style of instruction. The medical teachers'
teaching styles will not only help teachers improve their pedagogical skills,
but it will also help them stay current with their teaching tactics.
Dimensions of Learning Style
Soloman
(2008)
used the ILS assessment instrument in this investigation. This assessment is
based on a respondent's answers to 44 multiple-choice questions that describe
their learning styles in four variables: sensing-intuitive, active-reflective,
sequential-global, and visual-verbal.
Active Reflective
It is concerned with the information processing
that has been perceived. A learner who favors
teamwork
is preferred by active learners. Experimenters are common among active learners.
Reflective observation students tend to explore and alter information in a more
introspective manner. Reflective learners prefer independent work. The thinking
styles are directly associated with the active learning style, whereas the A
thinking style is highly related to the reflective learning style.
Sensor Intuitive
This
dimension is concerned with how information is perceived and organized. They
also abhor repetition. The thinking type is directly tied to the sensor
learning style, while the thinking style is related to the intuitive learning
style.
Study
Objectives
The objectives were:
1.
To identify the teachers' teaching styles at the university level.
2.
To investigate the teachers’ teaching styles on students’ learning
performance.
Hypotheses
of the Study
The study
hypotheses were as under:
Ho1: No apparent
distinction in the teachers' teaching styles at the university level.
Ho2: No apparent
distinction in male and female teachers' teaching styles at the university
level.
Ho3: There is no
significant impact of male and female teachers’ teaching styles on students’ performance
at the university level.
Design of
the Study
The current study employed a descriptive research design. Data
were collected using the survey method.
Population
and Sample
The
population was all public sector universities students currently enrolled in
the year 2019 to onward. The sample comprised three hundred students studying
in different semesters at GC University Faisalabad and University of Education
Faisalabad Campus. The researchers used an adapted instrument, "Grasha-Riechmann
Teaching-Styles Inventory," with an Alpha reliability value
(.931). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Research
Instrument
The Grasha-Riechmann Teaching-Styles Inventory
was applied to assess multiple styles. They were Formal Authority, Expert,
Facilitator, Delegator, and Personal Model.
Data
Analysis
The
researchers used an adapted instrument, "Grasha-Riechmann
Teaching-Styles Inventory," with an Alpha reliability value
(.931). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results
The
statistical analysis was made using SPSS. The results were interpreted
accordingly.
