The construction and evaluation of a normative learning style preference questionnaire

Various authors have indicated the need for and value of identifying the learning style preferences of individual learners. Similar needs have been voiced in the South African context. The focal point of this study was the development of a normative instrument for predicting the preferred learning styles of individuals. Secondary aims were to determine whether there are differences between groups formed on the basis of gender, academic qualifications and functional disciplines as far as their learning style preferences are concerned. Based on a review of the literature and an existing questionnaire, namely the Learning Style Inventory (LSI 85), the Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (LSPQ) consisting of 136 items was developed and administered to respondents (N= 542) in a large organisation. The LSPQ was subjected to a principal factor analysis and six factors were obtained. The six factors were rotated to simple structure by means of the Direct Oblimin procedure. The matrix of intercorrelations of the six factors was subjected to a second-order factor analysis and yielded a single factor. Six scales were constructed corresponding to the six factors. These scales were subjected to item analysis and yielded reliability coefficients that ranged from 0,809 to 0,939 according to Cronbach's coefficient alpha. The implications of the findings are discussed. Verskeie outeurs het na die behoefte aan asook die waarde van identifikasie van leerstylvoorkeure van individuele leerders verwys. Soortgelyke behoeftes is ook in Suid-Afrikaanse verband geopper. Die fokus van hierdie studie was die ontwikkeling van 'n normatiewe instrument om die leerstylvoorkeure van individue te meet. Sekondêre doelwitte was om te bepaal of daar verskille tussen groepe is wat saamgestel is op grond van geslag, akademiese kwalifikasies en funksionele dissiplines wat hul leerstylvoorkeure betref. Gegrond op 'n oorsig van die literatuur en 'n bestaande vraelys, tewete die "Learning Style Inventory" (LSI 85), is die "Learning Style Preference Questionnaire" (LSPQ), bestaande uit 136 items, gekonstrueer en op 542 respondente in 'n groot organisasie toegepas. Die LSPQ is aan 'n hooffaktorontleding onderwerp en ses faktore is verkry. Die ses faktore is deur middel van die Direct Oblimin- prosedure na eenvoudige struktuur geroteer. Die interkorrelasiematriks van die ses faktore is aan 'n tweedeordefaktorontleding onderwerp en het 'n enkelfaktor opgelewer. Daarna is ses skale gekonstrueer wat