INDONESIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ VISUAL LEARNING STYLE: LEARNERS’ AND TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

Maximeliana Masela; Adaninggar Septi Subekti

doi:10.24252/Eternal.V62.2020.A6

Maximeliana Masela Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana
(ID)
Adaninggar Septi Subekti Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana
(ID)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24252/Eternal.V62.2020.A6

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate Indonesian undergraduate non-English department students' visual learning style and their and teachers' perspectives on the uses of visual aids to promote learning. It was conducted to fill the gap in the literature on the scarcity of empirical studies in the field of learning style in the Indonesian context despite the potentials of instruction accommodating learners' learning styles. 127 students participated in the study through a survey and descriptive analysis, this study found that the participants, in general, had a high level of visual learning style, suggesting that class instruction should provide visual media and activities reported to be effective by the participants. Four participants with the highest visual learning style levels along with three teachers of General English classes were interviewed. Through Thematic Analysis of the interview results, the study found that both the students and teachers reported that teachers used certain visual media for certain purposes, for example, pictures for brainstorming activities, videos for providing input for further discussions, and writing on the boards to explain grammar. Based on the findings, possible implications and contributions are mentioned along with limitations and possible future studies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Maximeliana Masela, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana

Maximeliana is an upper-semester student of the English Language Education Department of Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW). Her research interest includes Individual Differences of L2 learners, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), learning style, and learners’ and teachers’ beliefs. Her experiences of teaching were done in several levels of education such as teaching ESP for Hoteliers and fashion design, teaching ESP for culinary, teaching ESP for waitress, teaching English for kids in Perdikan Eco-Park, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, and teaching kids in Gerpule Hamlet, Banjarharjo, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.

Adaninggar Septi Subekti, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana

Obtaining her M.Sc. in TESOL from University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, the author, who
obtained her Bachelor of Education from Sanata Dharma University, currently works as a
lecturer at the English Education Department of Duta Wacana Christian University, Yogyakarta,
Indonesia. Her research interest includes learners’ individual differences, Global Englishes,
language teaching methodologies, and critical literacies and pedagogies in L1 and L2 contexts.
Throughout her teaching career, she has taught students from various levels of education,
including teaching ESP to Medical students and non-English teachers of High Schools. Though
her specialty is in English teaching, she was once also a teacher of Indonesian language at
Arizona State University from 2013 to 2014.
ORCiD ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6641-0307
SCOPUS ID: 57202583019 https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57202583019

References

Afshar, H. S., & Bayat, M. (2018). Strategy use, learning styles and L2 achievement of Iranian students of English for Academic Purposes. Issues in Educational Research, 28(4), 1039–1059.

Ajideh, P., Zohrabi, M., & Pouralvar, K. (2018). Investigating the relationship between learning styles and ESP reading strategies in academic setting. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 7(3), 156–164. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.7n.3p.156

Akaranga, S. I., & Makau, B. K. (2016). Ethical considerations and their applications to research: A case of the University of Nairobi. Journal of Educational Policy and Entrepreneurial Research, 3(12), 1–9. https://doi.org/2016

Al-Tamimi, A., & Shuib, M. (2009). Investigating the learning styles preferences of ESL learners: The case of English majors in Universiti Sains Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of ELT Research, 5(2004), 56–107.

Aliakbari, M., & Qasemi, N. (2012). On the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ learning style preference and their gender, proficiency level and achievement score. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 7(3), 275–283. https://doi.org/10.5172/ijpl.2012.7.3.275

Aydinli, J. M., & Elaziz, F. (2010). Turkish students’ and teachers’ attitudes toward the use of interactive whiteboards in EFL classrooms. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 23(3), 235–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221003776781

Bajrami, L., & Ismaili, M. (2016). The role of video materials in EFL classrooms. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 502–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.10.068

Barsch, J. (1991). Barsch learning style inventory. Open Library.

Bhattacharyya, E., & Sarip, A. B. M. (2014). Learning style and its impact in higher education and human capital needs. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 123, 485–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1448

Buran, A., & Filyukov, A. (2015). Mind mapping technique in language learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 206, 215–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.10.010

Castro, O., & Peck, V. (2005). Learning styles and foreign language learning difficulties. Foreign Language Annals, 38(3), 401–409. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2005.tb02226.x

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). Routledge.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. Sage Publications, Inc.

Dornyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gilakjani, A. P. (2012). Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic learning styles and their impacts on English Language Teaching. Journal of Studies in Education, 2(1), 104–113. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v2i1.1007

Gilakjani, A. P., & Ahmadi, S. M. (2011). The effect of visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning styles on language teaching. International Conference on Social Science and Humanity, 5, 469–472. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01660.x

Gray, D. E. (2014). Doing research in the real world (3rd Editio). Sage Publications, Ltd.

Hawk, T. F., & Shah, A. J. (2007). Using learning style instrument to enhance student learning. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 5(1), 1–19.

Homan, R. (2001). The principle of assumed consent: The ethics of gatekeeping. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 35(3), 330–343.

Jones, B. D., Ruff, C., Snyder, J. D., Petrich, B., & Koonce, C. (2012). The effects of mind mapping activities on students’ motivation. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(1), 1–23.

Maguire, M., & Delahunt, B. (2017). Doing a thematic analysis: a practical, step-by-step guide for learning and teaching scholars. Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (AISHE, J), 8(3), 3351–33513.

Marczyk, G., DeMatteo, D., & Festinger, D. (2005). Essentials of research design and methodology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mei, L., Kun, Y., & Hai, C. (2010). Using mind maps as a strategy for vocabulary acquisition in Chinese Universities. 3.

Mitra, B., Lewin-Jones, J., Barrett, H., & Williamson, S. (2010). The use of video to enable deep learning. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 15(4), 405–414. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2010.526802

Nematipour, M. (2012). A study of Iranian EFL learners’ autonomy level and its relationship with learning style. English Linguistics Research, 1(1), 126–136. https://doi.org/10.5430/elr.v1n1p126

Obralic, N., & Akbarov, A. (2012). Students preference on perceptual learning style. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 5(3), 31–42.

Oluremi, F. D. (2015). Learning styles among college students. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 5(4), 2631–2640.

Ortega, L. (2009). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.

Padidar, H. A., Tayebi, G., & Shakarami, A. (2015). The relationship between learning styles and vocabulary learning and retention. Spectrum: A Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 4(1), 249–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.655

Ponce, O. A., & Maldonado, N. P. (2015). Mixed methods research in education: Capturing the complexity of the profession. International Journal of Educational Excellent, 1(1), 111–135.

Pritchard, A. (2009). Ways of learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom. In The Lancet (Second). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(45)91319-5

Seçer, Ş. Y. E., Şahin, M., & Alcı, B. (2015). Investigating the effect of audio visual materials as warm-up activity in Aviation English courses on students’ motivation and participation at High School Level. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 120–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.495

Sen, M., & Agir, A. (2014). The effects of using an interactive white board in teaching English on the achievement of Primary School Students. Hasan Ali Yucel Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi, 11(22), 39–54.

Yunus, M., & Chien, C. H. (2016). The use of mind mapping strategy in Malaysian University English Test (MUET) writing. Creative Education, 7, 619–626.

Zein, M. S. (2017). Elementary English education in Indonesia: Policy developments, current practices, and future prospects. In English Today. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266078416000407