AN INVESTIGATION ON THE LEARNING STYLES OF B.Ed. TRAINEES

The present study is an attempt to find the preferred Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees and its effect on a set of independent variables based on Gender, Educational Qualifications, Type of Institutions and their Medium of Study. To achieve this aim, the researcher has adopted survey method. The tool used for the data collection was Learning Styles Inventory developed by Dr. Karuna Shankar Misra (2012). Tool was administered to 230 B.Ed. Trainees drawn randomly from three B.Ed. colleges of Patna.The findings indicated that Verbal Constructive Learning Style was found to be more prevalent Learning Style among B.Ed. Trainees. Furthermore, the results show that there is no significant difference between Learning Styles and its dimensions i.e.Enactive Reproducing, Enactive Constructive, Figural Reproducing, Figural Constructive, Verbal Reproducing and Verbal Constructive Learning Styles on the basis of their Gender, Type of Institutions and Medium of Study. Another major finding is that, there is a significant difference between Graduate and Post-Graduate B.Ed. Trainees in their Learning Styles and its dimensions i.e. Figural Reproducing and Figural Constructive Learning Styles. This information is quite useful to the teachers as by understanding the preference of the students for different Learning Styles would aid them in aligning the course delivery in conjunction with students‟ preferred Learning Styles.


ISSN: 2320-5407
Int. J. Adv. Res. 9(06), 82-87 83 According to Stewart and Felicetti (1992) Learning Styles are "those educational conditions under whicha student is most likely to learn". Brown (2000) defines Learning Styles as "the manner in which individual perceive and process information in Learning situation". He argues that Learning Style preference is one aspect of Learning Styles, and refers to the choice of one Learning situation or condition over another. Karuna Shankar Misra (2005) defines Learning Styles as "the way one internally represents experiences and recalls or processes information". Although slightly different, these definitions share the common underlying attempt to tap into how students prefer to learn rather than what they learn.
Learning Styles has an important place in the lives of students. When students understand how they learn and their preferred ways to learn, they will be able to integrate it in the process of Learning and this will enable them to learn more easily and quickly.
Teachers" knowledge about the students Learning Style is extremely important. When teachers are able to analyze the differences and need of their students, the educational process is likely to become optimized for both students and teachers. Understanding Learning Styles is a key component in effective teaching. Teaching cannot be successful without having the knowledge of Learning Styles of students and a commitment to matching them with teaching Styles and strategies. An awareness of student Learning Styles can be used as a basis for educators to optimize teaching methods for diverse students" populations. It indicates one"s preference for action based concrete experiences. The emphasis is on imitation and practice. It is reproduction oriented.

ii Enactive Constructive
It indicates preference for conceptualizing one"s experiences based on the processing of enactive information.

iii Figural Reproducing
It refers to one"s preference for visual experiences related to make diagrams, charts, pictures, maps and photographs. The emphasis is on imitation and practice. It is reproduction oriented.

iv Figural Constructive
It refers to the preference for processing of figural experience which will lead to conceptualizations.

v Verbal Reproducing
It refers to the written or spoken information related to subject matter communicated through words.

vi Verbal Constructive
It refers to the preference for reflective, accommodative and abstract thinking about subject matter so as to develop conceptualizations.

Significance of the Study
During the past three decades, some researches have been done on school children but only a few researchers have investigated the preferred Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees.
Teaching cannot be successful without having a knowledge of Learning Styles of students and a commitment to matching them with teaching Styles and strategies. It becomes necessary to examine the individual to identify exactly, how he or she is likely to learn more effectively. Therefore, determining Learning Styles is quite valuable in order to achieve more effective Learning.
Significance of the study lies that when teacher educators accommodate Learning Styles by systematic varying teaching and assessment methods to teach B.Ed. Trainees, they will observe immediate and powerful increase in the Achievement of B.Ed. Trainees. It has been seen by the researchers that there are gaps between the teaching Styles of the teachers and the Learning Styles of the learners. Because of this mismatch the learners may become 84 ineffective and get discouraged. Unless the teaching strategies match with B.Ed. Trainees Learning Styles, they will not be instrumental in revolutionizing the decaying national economy. Therefore, the findings of the present study will be helpful in bridging these gaps.

Method Used
The investigator has used survey method for the present study.

Population of the Study
The population of the study comprise of all B.Ed. trainees of Patna.

Sample
The sample consists of 230 B.Ed. trainees by using simple random sampling technique.

Statistical Techniques Used
The study is restricted to Patna only. ii The study is restricted to B.Ed. trainees. iii The study is restricted to one variable. iv The study is restricted to 230 students.

Hypotheses of the Study i
There is no significant difference between Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees on the basisof their Gender. ii There is no significant difference between Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees on the basisof their Educational Qualification. iii There is no significant difference between Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees on the basisof their Type of Institution. iv There is no significant difference between Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees on the basisof their Medium of Study.

85
Ho 1: There is no significant difference between Learning Styles of B.Ed. Trainees on the basis of Gender.